[spaetzleesser]

“They aren't chickens which wouldn't survive in a non domesticated environment.”

You would be very surprised how quickly animals can adapt to a new environment. There are plenty of examples of domesticated animals being released into the wild and doing just fine.

[hunterb123]

Cows and chickens will not survive in the wild, I promise you.

Yes, dogs, horses, and others can in certain instances.

[brimble]

I'd think dogs are mostly able to because they're still around humans and can scavenge off our garbage. Any breed that's not damn close to a wolf, I'd expect not to be able to find/catch enough food to survive long if dropped in actual wilderness.

Chickens would become food for other animals in days, at most. It's hard enough to keep that from happening when they're kept, let alone in the wild.

Cows are like giant, extremely stupid deer, so I doubt we'd tolerate them in the wild anywhere even slightly near civilization, putting aside their ability to survive on their own (which I also doubt—first bad Winter would take care of them, I reckon).

[spaetzleesser]

Not that we we will be able to test it, but I would bet against your promise. I don’t see a reason why cows or chickens couldn’t survive in the wild. Not in all areas obviously but I am sure there are areas where climate, vegetation and predators allow them to thrive. We have wild turkeys, we have quail, so why not chickens? And if horses can survive, then cows can too. Horses are way more fragile than cows.

[hunterb123]

Have you dealt with chickens, turkeys, horses, or cows in real life? Because it doesn't seem like you have. Horses are in no way more fragile than cows, especially wild stallions.

I've raised turkeys, chickens, cows, and horses. The turkeys and chickens people eat are not the same as wild turkeys, they would not survive without humans.

[spaetzleesser]

Yes I have dealt plenty with horses, cows, goats, pigs, chickens, rabbits, ducks and others. My contention is that you would be surprised how quickly animals would adapt. The notion that we are doing them a favor by keeping them because otherwise they would not survive is nonsense in my opinion.

[hunterb123]

Agree to disagree then. Your experience raising these animals do not match mine.