Best Free Range Predator Alert breeds?

[MrFarmboy1888]

What have yall experienced to be great free range birds that are predator alert and can survive on a free range diet and raise chicks and can almost go feral?
And can take midwestern (kansas) heat and cold.
Any of yall have experience free ranging these breeds or any other great ones?:
Egyptian Fayoumi
Kraienkoppe
Cubalaya
Cubalaya Bantams
Fayoumi
Samatra
Lakenvelder
Leghorn
Any thougts?

 

[mossyoakpro]

Cubalya sumatra on your list works, Phoenix, jungle fowl, Florida crackers. There's a whole group of game fowl birds People keep but I don't remember individual species names.

You can see pictures of game fowl on ebay and who's selling them.

Then there's a byc member living in Florida working on developing larger game fowl on his land since he's focused on true free ranging.

@Florida Bullfrog

This guy has got it going on!! I love keeping up with his flock. There's also another fella that does a feral type flock

@Red Mangrove

 

[21hens-incharge]

Kansas borders Colorado so I am familiar with the weather there.

Kansas gets deep snow, high winds and below zero temps.
Kansas cannot sustain a feral chicken flock.

Free ranging works in spring, summer and fall but winters are brutal.
Predators are plentiful like birds of prey, coyotes, raccoons, bob cats and domesticated dogs.

I do not recommend attempting a fully feral flock in Kansas.

 

[Tonyroo]

Game birds seem more alert than most breeds. There slimmer, flighty and can evade predators easier. There suited for warm climate.

Probably not the answer your looking for but something to consider.

 

[Tonyroo]

Cubalya sumatra on your list works, Phoenix, jungle fowl, Florida crackers. There's a whole group of game fowl birds People keep but I don't remember individual species names.

You can see pictures of game fowl on ebay and who's selling them.

Then there's a byc member living in Florida working on developing larger game fowl on his land since he's focused on true free ranging.

@Florida Bullfrog

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

What have yall experienced to be great free range birds that are predator alert and can survive on a free range diet and raise chicks and can almost go feral?
And can take midwestern (kansas) heat and cold.
Any of yall have experience free ranging these breeds or any other great ones?:
Egyptian Fayoumi
Kraienkoppe
Cubalaya
Cubalaya Bantams
Fayoumi
Samatra
Lakenvelder
Leghorn
Any thougts?

If you are intending to release captive birds into the wild you need to check with your state and see if that’s legal.

If your land can provide food and water all year round (do wild birds overwinter successfully there?) then it’s worth investigating. If there are times when the wild birds all migrate away then that points to a lack of available forage that you would have to make up for.

 

[The Moonshiner]

If you are intending to release captive birds into the wild you need to check with your state and see if that’s legal.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Missouri also borders Kansas and we have the same weather.
Leghorns are out. They do great with free ranging but mine don't come close to a free range diet only. Maybe with the right set up.
They're also pretty good with surviving predators. I mean as good as a chicken can be.
The going broody and raising chicks is a no go and Kansas winters would be really no close to ideal for them. Even with shelter winter takes some every year.

 

[Amer]

Natural selection

I’d say more like animal mismanagement since we artificially selected them to be dependent on us, therefore we should provide them with what they need. Their genetics were chosen by their domesticators.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

No need to be rude.

Feral chickens and other previously captive birds are a problem in a lot of places. Muscovy ducks in the southeast, feral chickens in Hawaii and Florida, and even parrots in NYC.