Free Ranging Meat Birds

very true.

This thread has some good points but one thing I'd like to point out is that free range or open range is not "The Best Way to Do It"

It works out for a lot of people. However it is not like you can't have delicious, healthy birds without free ranging them. If I free ranged my birds, they would not taste any better than they do in a tractor that I usually move twice a day and I would have far less of them due to predators.

But tractors aren't trending...free range is

Really, as long as the birds are happy and healthy, however you raise is the best way. I opt for "open range" (I like this term so much better!) because it is cost effective and I have noticed much leaner meat. Also, it really does help to control the bugs. Ever since our glock has been significantly increasing, my dogs and cats have been tick free!

Quote:
I don't want to loose them in 4-6 foot tall grass/weeds/brush, it would need a quick trip with a bush hog and they would have plenty of stuff to eat (greens and bugs),

Ok so maybe what I'm going to say is going to get some "shots fired" but it's just going to be the way it is.

As for people complaining about quantity I'll have you know my chickens grew to full capacity. Personally I let them go a week or 2 more so they build a bit of fat without toughening the meat too much. It might have taken a bit more for them to grow but I was literally spending NOTHING on them after I let them out of the tractor (and hopefully soon I'll have a no cost solution for when they are chicks. I'll get into that if you want me to but I digress)

Someone actually donated 3 jersey giant roosters to me that grew BIGGER than most after being open range. I know they are supposed to be the largest breed but I've never seen one as big as these. There was one that was the size of an average turkey!! I wish I would have taken pictures, I have one of him not fully grown though.

(http://i.imgur.com/9QF5KQf.jpg)
<a href="http://imgur.com/9QF5KQf"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/9QF5KQf.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
[img]http://i.imgur.com/9QF5KQf.jpg


(forgive me I'm a newb I don't know how to post images on here... Maybe someone show me?.... Eh? , anyways)

Mind you he's not even fully grown in this pic. I know it's a lot claiming a chicken being to size of an average turkey, I guess you don't have to believe me, but I swear on my mothers grave. The only reason he wasn't tasty is because Jersey giants aren't really meant to be tasty, or they haven't been to me in my opinion. But this guy could feed a small village and he cost nothing. He was very happy.

Besides, as chicken-istas shouldn't we be worrying about the quality of the meat over the quantity? I don't care how much my chickens weigh but I wan't ya'll to know my cornish crosses are just as big as the store bought but a lot tastier!

I haven't lost a single one last year to predators either. The right amount of roosters (which I can go into detail too, I have a slightly different opinion on it) is key, as well as hiding places, and maybe a good dog.

Like I said earlier though, I don't mind people who use strictly chicken tractors that don't have the right property, but If you have the right stuff you shouldn't be keepin 'em "cooped" (tee-hee) up. Just like someone else said earlier, as long as they are happy I can't judge.

Also I like how well people are taking to "open range" other than "free range". Trying to find a phrase that factorized farms can't use for a grand illusion of what really goes on. If anyone has a better term I'd like to hear "Free range" means nothing now

Umm what does it matter? They're going to do what they're going to do. Don't you raise birds so you don't have to concern yourself with the egg/bird industry?

Bottom line is that nothing is as cost effective as raising birds in extremely crowded areas where they never get exercise.

I call them wild chickens lol. I let them out in the morning and feed them then they go wherever they please until they go in at night.