Free Range Meat Birds

[Buck man]

I am trying to get started in free ranging meat birds but not sure if it posable . My family and I eat paleo so I need to stay as true to that a posable . If anyone can help me out with some info with this like (breed,feed, # of birds for a 12x20 coop, at what age to harvest :/) that would be greatly appreciated thanks for all help :/

 

[osbmail]

Probably lots of conflict on this subject .I believe that most meat birds don't do good free range. Anything they pickup from a pasture bugs,grass and seeds will be burned up in engery they spend running around pecking .I like moveable pen moved 2 times a day .I do 40 in my 8x8x2 pen last year I did 2 batches of red broilers also feeding 11 to 16lbs of feed per bird to finsh .So if you think your going to cut cost by free ranging don't count on it .Next spring I am going to try and feed some brewer grain and see if I can cut cost some by doing that .As for time it takes 7 to 9 weeks for Cornish cross and 11 plus weeks for red broilers that is on grain .

 

[lazy gardener]

Bee Kissed has had excellent results, as have others raising meat birds on a free range situation. Of course these birds are fed commercial feed or grains, not expected to glean all of their nourishment from the range. Bee has several videos of C x R free ranging. They're running all over the place, just like a standard LF bird. Freedom Rangers and Pioneers were bred with the free range situation in mind. I grew some Pioneers last summer, and held one over for a layer. Was pleased with the outcome.

 

[osbmail]

Did the free ranging cause feed conversions to drop or did it go up.How many weeks do they take to finsh? I like to watch chickens run around and have fun but if more feed , more time ,and more chance of predator attack I will keep them in tractor .I am kind of starting to like the idea of a coop and run with deep bedding that is mulch down weekly. You do need some what flat ground for movable pen I don't have much of that .

 

[Buck man]

Thanks everyone for your help and your information it's all greatly appreciated.

 

[lazy gardener]

I did not pay attention to feed conversion. They had fermented feed in addition to free ranging or ranging in the 1600 s.f. electronet run until they went to freezer camp. I fed them until I had time to slaughter them. I'm sure there comes a point in time where there are diminishing returns regarding feed conversion. Best to harvest at that sweet spot. But sometimes, life gets in the way of perfect timing. They were out to free range when ever the rest of the flock was.