Free rein feeding method

[Sussex19]

How would old farmers raise their birds? Commercial feed has not been around very long. My grandparents raised lots of healthy chickens. They only supplemented with corn. Their flock thrived.

Many things were different, in that the chickens would have been part of a farm, with other animals.
They all work together, and the chickens would have got a bit of what ever the other animals got. Also, they wouldn't have laid as many eggs.
I think they way the OP is doing it, it could have a very good outcome. Or not of course but they won't know till they try. And I always like to learn more about different feeding methods.

 

[Ital]

I said I was interest and I still am
Are you only going to be offerng dry foods or have you considered various fresh options (I've offered sprouted seeds to my quail on occasion)?

I’m a big fan of mixed micro greens, hoping they like them too .
Just started growing some purslane to add to the mix for the omegas.
It can be grown from cuttings which will be cheaper than buying in seeds.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

If we as humans have domesticated chickens (and/or quail) so much that they've lost their basic survival ability of self regulating their food, then I think we've done something wrong.
I also think that there are more variables to whether this would work, what species (leading also onto breed in chickens), how where they raised (naturally vs artificially), what kind of environment, etc?

 

[AntiqueB]

There's also alive vs truly healthy. People can have many health problems that don't necessarily show physically (think high blood pressure); how will you know if your quail are truly healthy? Humans can live on McDonald's, after all!

 

[Ital]

If we as humans have domesticated chickens (and/or quail) so much that they've lost their basic survival ability of self regulating their food, then I think we've done something wrong.
I also think that there are more variables to whether this would work, what species (leading also onto breed in chickens), how where they raised (naturally vs artificially), what kind of environment, etc?

It’d be great if it turns out to be universally effective for all breeds, in all environments, for all seasons and stages of development. Only one way to find out.

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

There's also alive vs truly healthy. People can have many health problems that don't necessarily show physically (think high blood pressure); how will you know if your quail are truly healthy? Humans can live on McDonald's, after all!

Culling and doing necropsies Can Reveal any internal problems

 

[Ital]

There's also alive vs truly healthy. People can have many health problems that don't necessarily show physically (think high blood pressure); how will you know if your quail are truly healthy? Humans can live on McDonald's, after all!

I won’t. Maximum life expectancy is 6 years so if I can keep them alive/laying until 2029 I’ll consider it a success.

 

[Ital]

Culling and doing necropsies Can Reveal any internal problems

Ha ha, I liked every other post so far but not so sure about this one.

 

[Brooks_]

It would give more proof/disproof.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

There's also alive vs truly healthy. People can have many health problems that don't necessarily show physically (think high blood pressure); how will you know if your quail are truly healthy? Humans can live on McDonald's, after all!

The same can be said about a complete commercial feed Food is only one factor in health, if we were to compare the heath problems in those fed commercial diets vs non commercial you would find more issues with commercial because that is what is fed most often!
It's not just about the feed.
We're never going to know this info until someone tries it!

I fail to understand people's unwillingness to expand knowledge. Both my quail and chickens are fed commercial food, the chickens get a little more experimental things, and I have no interest in changing anytime soon but I still want to learn all this and see it tried! Not everyone's poultry keeping experience is going to be the same nor does it have to be.