What is the best breed for free ranging egg layers?

[bigzio]

I love my light brahmas. they are great foragers and even at 3 years old are laying almost daily. They have a real advantage when predators like a fox and a hawk try to make off with one, however are unable because the hens were to large to pull it off!

bigzio

 

[Lady Marion]

Predators......Oh, I should have explained better. I have three roosters right now who never have shelter, and so far no predators. We move the chicken tractor around our fenced pasture, and our Great Pyrenees dogs have "adopted" them. Amazing dogs! I do worry about hawks, but so far they are afraid of the dogs, too. I have seen them perch in trees and watch the roosters, but then the dogs spot them and scare them away.

The biggest problem we've had so far is when our buck goat climbed ON the top of the tractor and poked holes in the wire. He is no longer "free ranged", the big stinker!

Thank you for all the ideas. I think we'll go with the RIR. I like their "personality"

Pellets in the nesting box? Excellent idea!

Now if we could think of a way to have lights in the tractor at night for short days, maybe we could get eggs for a longer season?

 

[Lady Marion]

Quote:
That is impressive. I don't think I can get any of those around here, but they sound very interesting!

 

[lacyloo]

My rir's are the most consecutive layer I have

 

[Lady Marion]

Hey, is that a Saanen on your avatar?

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

Young hens that have just started laying eggs, once they start you can't stop them that first season. RR, delawares, brahams, leghorns, barred rocks, etc.

 

[Lady Marion]

Hmmmm. I'm wondering how old some of my girls are, LOL!

My neighbor was down-sizing because he has cancer, and he knew he couldn't keep up with all the animals he had. I don't think he paid a lot of attention to which ones were older. He had given us four pullets in the fall, and six laying hens when he was diagnosed.

 

[bigzio]

That was nice of you to help out the neighbor. That has to be a real bite in the gut when you have to give up the things you love to do. When I can't have a flock any longer, that will be a sad day to put it lightly.

bigzio

 

[ruth]

All of my chickens are total free range and each lays an egg a day even through winter. I have Black Sex Links, Ameracaunas, and Buff Orps. You never know where they are during the day - the barn, the pasture or in the woods, or down by the creek. Surrounded by thousands of acres of woods and so far, thank God, no loss to predators. But we too have a great guard dog, a GSD, Rex. Today he was chasing off hawks that were circling. Was barking at them like crazy and nearly ran through the fence while chasing them as they flew off through the air. Only problem with free ranging chickens is finding the hidden nests.

 

[Pupsnpullets]

My favourite of all my free-rangers were the beautiful speckled sussex. They were so calm yet so curious - and pretty, too. I'm looking to get some more as I only had a couple and they've moved on.

I had a light brahma-speckled sussex and she was one ugly looking creature but a great layer and with the same friendly curiosity her mom had. Too much so, in fact. She started pecking at a snake and it pecked back. I was upset over that

The only birds I don't keep many of are the light coloured ones. They are far too easy to see from the skies! My buff orpington-light brahma was first to go. My light Brahma next. Now I have sumatras and some strange looking mixtures with some baby black orpingtons, RIR's, Easter Eggers and a Barred Rock coming on.

Barb