It depends on why you have them. If you want them to lay an egg a day, they won't be able to do it on what they find free-ranging. If you don't care about that and just want to look out the window and see birds happily scratching around, you might be able to get away with it. It really depends on what is available to them in the area they are ranging. They can't find what isn't there....ok i have decided to go ahead and free range my birds. They have n=been out in the pasture during the day all week and closed in the coop at dusk. I was told by my neighbor who has about 30 chickens freee ranging onhis place that he hasnt bought feed for his chickens in over a year that free ranging provides all they need. Thoughts? my birds were hatched February 24 th