Successful 100% forage diet experiment (long post)

[TheOddOneOut]

That.Is. AWESOME!!! I am going to try that. My chickens consume a ridiculous amount of food per day (like 25lbs), and it has been driving me crazy (try hauling a 50lb container into a coop with 55 birds and try not to step on any). We have 35 acers and lots of forage area. I think my dog could sort out the predator's. Will try this next hatch. Thx for inspiring me!

Not a great idea if they’ve depended on you for food their whole lives....

 

[ackie]

No accidental clutches yet, but I hope to see some in the spring.

One of mine showed up with 13 mid-November haha.

 

[ackie]

I think some people missed your point in your first post that this is obviously not for everyone and it's just a cool experiment for you.

I dont know the level of broodiness of those breeds, but if theyve had broodiness bred out of them, I suspect you will have random piles of rotting eggs and no chicks.

 

[Thunder344]

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Great post overall.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

While they normally wouldn't go broody, I think your group will next spribg/summer because of how wildlike they are becoming. They are able to form nests and aren't losing their egg every day like most chickens do.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I think some people missed your point in your first post that this is obviously not for everyone and it's just a cool experiment for you.

I dont know the level of broodiness of those breeds, but if theyve had broodiness bred out of them, I suspect you will have random piles of rotting eggs and no chicks.

Good point. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Seeing a momma come out of the woods with a bunch of chicks hopping along with her would make this a complete success in my opinion!

13 in mid-November is nuts!!

 

[AccidentalFarm]

While they normally wouldn't go broody, I think your group will next spribg/summer because of how wildlike they are becoming. They are able to form nests and aren't losing their egg every day like most chickens do.

It will be interesting to see if you're right. Hope so!

 

[ackie]

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Great post overall.

literally me

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Not a great idea if they’ve depended on you for food their whole lives....

I think she plans to try with a new hatch, not her existing flock.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I think some people missed your point in your first post that this is obviously not for everyone and it's just a cool experiment for you.

I dont know the level of broodiness of those breeds, but if theyve had broodiness bred out of them, I suspect you will have random piles of rotting eggs and no chicks.

I think it's a cool experiment but according to the OP it was started based on the many reasons free ranging for food is not suggested for the majority of the population and those reasons were given in the opening post as an example of why they started the experiment. It's easy to see why lots of people, myself included, read the first post and viewed this as an attempt to refute that advice instead of exclusively "this works for me only just for fun".