What backyard breeds would be best for us?

[Sandwitch]

What about Speckled Sussex? I don't know if most of them are like mine, but she's fairly small well still being well built.
She's also very self-reliant, and very aware of whats going on.

That’s actually one of the few breeds I’ve had my eye on!

 

[Shadrach]

We have a ton of trees and bushes. The yard is open but we have 8 billion things they can hide under (both man made and natural).

I love our flock but for most of them I don’t exactly think that many have quite the right genes that should be passed on. I think maybe 4/9 hens have what we’d really want (especially given how much of our flock is silkies at the moment).

I do think maybe later on when we get more chickens after seeing who survives and who survives well we may try backyard breeding. However I think that should probably be another flock or so out ya know?

Maybe I haven't made my point very clear.
There is a world of difference between say a Minorcan Black that has been hatched and reared free range in Minorca and a Minorcan Black that was hatched in an incubator somewhere in the USA that has been kept in a coop and run.
Yes there are different characteristics between breeds but they don't matter as much for survival in a particular environment as experience.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I would suggest trying out Welsummers. Ours are flighty and aware of their surroundings, and are probably the second best flier in the flock, only to be beaten out by our Ayam Cemani. Their partridge coloring blends in with the surroundings, so they have a better chance of evading predators with both their color and flying ability. They lay speckled chocolate-colored eggs, if you're interested in different colors!

Welsummers are also great foragers, which is great in addition to being aware of surroundings. If you're interested in a breed that can be used for both egg production and meat production, Welsummers are dual-purpose! The only downsides I can see about them is that (from my experiences only, with three Welsummers), if you want a friendly chicken that'd make a good pet, they're probably too flighty to want to be around you much. In addition, some can be bullies to those that are smaller than them, but ours got over that pretty quickly.

Sorry if I got any information wrong, we have only raised three Welsummers. I tried to input as much information as I could!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I *strongly* recommend Leghorns. They are fantastic birds - very smart and independent. They lay like machines and come in a variety of colors (if white isn't your fancy). They can fly pretty well, too, which makes them fantastic free rangers.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I *strongly* recommend Leghorns. They are fantastic birds - very smart and independent. They lay like machines and come in a variety of colors (if white isn't your fancy). They can fly pretty well, too, which makes them fantastic free rangers.

I've never had Leghorns before, but from what I've heard about them, I agree!

 

[Sandwitch]

Maybe I haven't made my point very clear.
There is a world of difference between say a Minorcan Black that has been hatched and reared free range in Minorca and a Minorcan Black that was hatched in an incubator somewhere in the USA that has been kept in a coop and run.
Yes there are different characteristics between breeds but they don't matter as much for survival in a particular environment as experience.

Ahh I think I see more of what you mean! I agree that experience is far more important than the breed. I’m just trying to get a better sense of what breeds might be more likely to survive. Like I want to know more about more slender flighty birds as they might be able to better learn from our flock and adapt to our environment. Instead of a bigger friendlier breed like a buff orphington or another flightless breed like the silkies. I think the breeds characteristics (while not as important as flat out experience) do greatly contribute to their survivability. I do think we will want to add to our flock as we figure out what’s been working and what hasn’t been. I’m sure these aren’t the only fatalities we will be having especially since we do still want to free range them at least some of the time.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

For a balance of street smarts and friendliness I would consider finding a local farmer that free ranges, and see if they are willing to hatch out eggs for you or make good localized recommendations.
If your interested in flighty but unique,as well as people curious (but not wanting to be carried around), White Faced Black Spanish can be quite entertaining. They're talkative though.

If I were to free range I'd consider Plymouth rocks as they are people friendly but fast. I had barred rocks, Easter eggers, and Rhode island reds growing up and the Easter eggers and barred rocks generally avoided predation. I think the EEs survive better because their colors help them blend in.

My sister free ranged her flock all year and the ones that did best were her mosaics, Easter eggers, whitefaced black Spanish, and her various marans. The ones that got preyed upon were the Blue laced Red Wyandottes, the Orpington, and, sadly, the cochins. She keeps all her birds penned now, thankfully,with her LSG dog in the area her coops are in. So many predators where her birds are! A great horned owl pair, coyotes, racoons, skunks, you name it.