I have kept relatively large numbers of chickens free-range in a variety of locations where they thrived and produced healthy offspring. In many instances they were provided nothing once released. All needs they had to meet while foraging. Most had water bodies close by that birds were not to frequent but other locations had not water we could find within radius birds, especially chicks used. This morning I observed the key to how they still did so well. As the chicks walked with their mother through the dew laden grass, the chicks picked up dew droplets and drank them. This coupled with consuming live hydrated food items enabled even chicks to meet their water requirements. Such would not be sufficient with birds fed feeds as they would have to acquire water more frequently through the day.
