Free ranging requirements

[BrandonM]

I am most likely getting 11 chickens (1 rooster and 10 hens) can 5 acres of land support this many chicken exclusivly on free ranging? I have wild turkeys in the area and know there is plent of food. About 3 1/2 acres woods and 2 opens fields and grass.

 

[mlmills79]

I don't see why not. I mainly free range mine, but I do supplement a little layer feed in the evenings to make sure they are getting every thing they need. I have 20 acres and my 16 chickens only wander around on about 2 acres even though they have access to the whole place.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

They'll live, sure. How well they do and how many eggs they lay will be based on how well each individual bird forages. Not all breeds are good foragers. And I would expect that they'll start to lay their eggs all over the property as there won't be a daily feeding to call them back to their house and make it seem like home.

In the winter, they won't be able to find enough to eat.

 

[davemonkey]

From what I'm understanding lately (reading posts here), it' not so much the available space you can provide, it's whether or not they can efficiently forage in the space they are willing to travel. So, if you have a high density population of "goodies" in the space the birds will be utilizing, they'll do fine.

But if they run out of food there, how likely are they to venture off further from "home base" to forage for more? Seems like the answer I'm seeing to that question is: not too likely...depending on the breed.