subject: The Best Breeds Of Chickens For Free Ranging [print this page] The most important thing to remember, when choosing the best chicken breeds for free ranging, is that you choose a breed that does not fly well. The last thing you want is for your chickens to escape.
The next thing to look for is whether the specific breed is sturdy enough to survive free ranging. Within the free ranging paradigm, you are not allowed to provide your chickens with any form of medicine or artificially enhanced supplements. All their feed must be organic.
The following breeds of chickens are not only known for being sturdy, but also for having better wild instincts, thus making them some of the best chicken breeds for free ranging.
Australorp chickens
Australorp are great pets. Not only do they allow themselves to be handled and picked up, something that is essential in a bird when you have kids, but they also lay a fair amount of eggs. Because of their mild temperament, they also get along well with other chickens. They are also great free range chickens as they are regarded as being quite sturdy, only needing minimal extra support during the winter months.
Maran chickens
The Maran Breed was developed in France during the early 20'th century. Once considered a rare specie, they are now becoming more and more popular. They can be used in confined spaces, but are more popular as free range chickens. Their temperament is unpredictable and differs from flock to flock. It is because of their possible aggressiveness that they make great free range chickens. They produce medium to large, dark, chocolate brown eggs at a rate of about 200 per year.
Jersey Giant chickens
Jersey Giant chickens are the biggest breed of chickens and they lay eggs even into the winter months. It is mostly because of this trait that they are preferred sen as one of the best breeds of chickens for free ranging. Jersey Giants are also very friendly, which means that they will fit in well with the rest of your flock as well as your family.
Hamburg chickens
Developed in Holland in the 1700's, the Hamburg breed is considered an ancient breed. Previous names include Pheasants, Moonies, Crescents, Corals and Everlayers. They are very economic eaters which make them perfect for free ranging. They are, however, high fliers so when keeping Hamburg chickens, it is important to clip their wings on a regular basis in order to prevent them from flying away.
The Leghorn Breed
The Leghorn (pronounced Leggern) breed is an ancient but well developed breed. Originally developed by the Romans for fortune telling, the Leghorn breed is one of the most popular chicken breeds in the world. The Leghorn is an economical eater as well as being excellent at foraging for itself and is therefor an excellent free range option. Leghorns also tend to be shy and avoid human contact. Chickens within this breed are considered to be some of the best egg layers in the world. They produce pearl white, large to medium large eggs.
