wild northern chickens

[gettinaclue]

I was watching a documentary on the victims of hurricane Katrina. One of them mentioned all the "wild chickens" that were running around. This was a couple of years after Katrina hit.

I don't see them surviving around here though. Owls, hawks, fox, possum, coons, skunk....I just don't see it happening.

 

[centrarchid]

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I bet the mechanism allowing Ptarmigan to seasonly change colors is very simple, possible a single regulator gene in respect to color. Never read of it being investigated. It requires changing feathers twice a year which is going to be hard on a bird that presently requires 4 months to go through a complete molt. Many genes would have to be modified for dealing with thatr issue.

Feathers on feet of Ptarmigan are organized in such a manner as not to compromise walking. Also may have very good insulation qualities under extreme cold conditions. FEathers of feet of chickens have neither of those qualities.

 

[phasianidae]

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Here they are:

it really is amazing how they can servive though, its not uncommon find their crop full of reeds when butchering them.

 

[centrarchid]

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Consider the mix of predators jungle fowl (wild chickens) deal with. They have until recently had to contend with a much longer list of predators although generally under milder winter conditions than you have. Most of the more domesticated breeds have had the predator avoidance abilities breed out of them. We do like our fluffy-butts.

 

[phasianidae]

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That is really amazing! what kind of comb did he have? did he have feathered legs?

 

[phasianidae]

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Feathers on feet of Ptarmigan are organized in such a manner as not to compromise walking. Also may have very good insulation qualities under extreme cold conditions. FEathers of feet of chickens have neither of those qualities.

While they may be arranged differently, I do think they can help keep ice from freezing onto their legs. Last winter I had an OEGB rooster that flew onto the top of my barn during a snow storm. By the time I got a ladder and climbed to save him, his legs were glazed with ice. I believe that had he been feather legged to some extent, this would not have happened.

 

[secuono]

I had a Japanese Banty Roo who escaped mid Fall. He lived totally on his own in the shrubs along the fence line, he ate w/e he found on his own. He managed to survive until part way into Winter before my stupid chicken killing pup got him...I am pretty sure he would of done just fine all Winter if it weren't for my evil dog.

 

[phasianidae]

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Interesting, how much snow do you get in the winter?

 

[gjensen]

I think this is an interesting topic. Here in SC we have a couple feral flocks. I have heard of Jungle Fowl X surviving in Georgia. I do not believe that predators would be the largest limiting factor. In the South East we have most of everyting (predators) plus much more than farther North. I believe the winters and snow fall of the northern US. is an unsurmountable obstacle. Chickens are just not equipped for it. Across the south there are examples of the possibility, though if they were especially equipped to survive a temporate climate they would have been an invasive species a long time ago.

 

[centrarchid]

The potential of chickens or red jungle fowl, especially with latter, being an invasive species maybe a function of source. Red jungle fowl of northern India at base of Himilayas might be able to handle snowy weather just fine. I suspect most jungle fowl stocks currenty in U.S. not from that area.