,

[cassandrapettersson]

Agreed. Free ranging makes use of available resources, that "free" nutrition could be quantified and it has a value.

A lot depends on the characteristics and quality of the forage base At our house, my best guess is that it takes about 5,000 square feet of forage base to raise one chicken to harvestable size in six months. That's with a bird that's adapted to the local conditions, is well on it's way to becoming a land race, but will only weigh a couple of pounds. With two crops per year that's about 22 pounds per acre per year. Undoubetedly, there is room for improvement so let's hyothetically say you can double that and make 50 pounds per acre per year. live weight or 35 lbs/acre/year processed weight. At $3 per pound processed weight that's $105 per acre per year. By comparison, cutting hay can generate about $200/acre/year. Neither one makes economic sense in small-scale agriculture.

I wont lie, I don't understand this at all...

 

[raingarden]

I wont lie, I don't understand this at all...

I'm sorry. Which part. I'll try to explain.

 

[cassandrapettersson]

I'm sorry. Which part. I'll try to explain.

shit i'm sorry, while reading the replies i've only been like, half awake... I understand now, sorry!!