Feed Management Methods [Poll]

[rosemarythyme]

Breaks out calculator to see if 1k sf each. yes, but they don't utilize all of it.

Same here, I had to think about it. We're on 4 acres (with 10 birds) but more than half of it is water or bramble (or gravel/paved), so most is completely useless for foraging.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have a secure coop and run for my six chickens that they stay in most of the time. When I feel like it, I let them wander around my fenced backyard which is about 1/3 of an acre. Not nearly as much property as I want but oh well

1/3 acre back yard??? That's a rarity. We had an apartment, then a house on 1/5th acre., then an apartment, then a house on one acre, and now we have 30. But zoning usually puts houses on 1/4, 1/5th, 1/8th, with the majority being back yard (well, not on 1/8th acre lots, those are "zero lot line". 1/3 acre back yard, so you have 1/2 acre total???

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My flock has access to 30 acres during the day. The entire property has a variety of different foraging grasses, grains, legumes, edible wildflowers, a small orchard and berry bushes. They also have free access to a 40'x60' garden and (2x) 50'x100' gardens . At night they are currently locked up in a 30'x60' pole barn.

I'm building toward that - only about 20 more acres to clear! (and a larger barn - 17 x 42' presently)

 

[nuthatched]

1000ft per bird?! My run allows for about 30ft per bird ( Which is less and almost not even close enough to calculate), and they are secured at night. They can scatter down into the washes on either side of my house if they want and I let them out.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

1000ft per bird?! My run allows for about 30ft per bird ( Which is less and almost not even close enough to calculate), and they are secured at night. They can scatter down into the washes on either side of my house if they want and I let them out.

I picked those numbers to sort the people who let their birds free in an urban or suburban "back yard" and those whose birds can range in a space that (in most environments) is likely to provide a significant amount of potential nutrition most of the year. 1,000 sq ft per bird is equal to ground worthy of 1/2 AU per acre which many soils can achieve with only minimal human effort.

 

[RubelliteRose]

My flock is only in their secure run if we will be gone for a long time or after dark. They free range most days over almost 2 acres from 1 hour after sunrise to an hour or so before sunset. During the 2 hours they are not free ranging, but not locked in the secure run, they are allowed to wander the paths of our fenced and netted raised bed garden ( semi-secure). Only one flock, but I chose 2 answers based on summer free range time of 10-11 hours vs winter free range time of 7-8 hours.
Food is available in the run during the day. Water is available both in the run and in a couple of locations around the yard.

 

[ManueB]

I chose "my flock free ranges < 1,000 sq ft/bird, and is only secure overnight" however like RubelliteRose we lock them in the coop ( with a small 65 ft SQ pen outside) when we leave the house or are too far away on the property. That would vary from zero to three times a week, from one to five hours.
They have at most 900 SQ feet per bird but we move around the nets and I would say that there is enough to forage 6 to 8 months year round depending on the weather conditions.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

When I'm not home, my chickens remain in the run.

When I am home and it's nice weather, my chickens can "free-range" in my garden. I'm not sure how large my garden is because it's a strange shape, but they get lots of space.

When I am home, but it's meh weather or its getting dark, the chickens are allowed in their run extension (an extra penned-up part of my garden attached to my run)

 

[aart]

Why are there doubles of 5 of the choices?
Keep in mind most don't know what 1k sqft per bird looks like.

 

[Shadrach]

Why are there doubles of 5 of the choices?
Keep in mind most don't know what 1k sqft per bird looks like.

< less than. >More than.