Can't they just free range???

[mahsmaj]

Can chickens just free range without humans providing food??? I would still give them fresh water but with the price of food. . . I might just give up buying feed if they would be fine...

 

[MissPrissy]

If you cannot afford to feed them you should look for a new home for them.

 

[silkiechicken]

Sure, but if they don't have enough space they won't find enough to eat. Even if they had all the space they could go, they would probably not have a balanced diet and suffer bad health in the long term.

 

[pkeeler]

Do you have grouse/turkeys/pheasants in your area? If your habitat can support chickens, you would probably have one of these birds around.

Commercial feed is not necessary. It probably didn't even exist until after WW2 and chickens have been around for several thousand years. Commercial feed will allow for fast meat growth and efficient egg laying. But it is not necessary for survival.

Depending on your habitat, you might get less eggs or some weak shelled eggs. You could ration out any commercial feed. Free range chickens would probably eat much less of it anyway (I've heard up to 50% less).

 

[Wildsky]

Mine do eat LESS in summer when they're tearing up the garden, but they do still eat the food I provide. They actually eat it LAST - after the bugs and the scratching around is done for the day.