Freedom Rangers free ranging?

[Just Fluff]

I'm looking at purchasing some Freedom Rangers to free range my pasture and possibly some organic orchards for meat birds to sell. Does anyone have any experience with this breed as a strictly or mainly free range bird and how their weight gain might compare to a more commercial feed? I don't mind a bit slower growth, as I am looking for a quality meat, with no additives, etc.

Thank you!

 

[Salt and Light]

This is a great question. I feed my last batch of birds over 600lbs of feed. I had it out 24/7. Right now I have a combo of egg layers and meat birds and I am VERY curious to know how they will do with reduced feed rations..... They have 3 acres of wooded property to free range...

 

[RoosterGeek]

Salatin says that the typically has a reduced feed bill of around 30% compared to penned up chickens.

During the summer, I rarely feed my chickens. They get everything they need from free range and my eggs taste absolutely amazing! But for broilers, you would need feed.

 

[Just Fluff]

A summer ago, I didn't feed any of my poultry and they did fine, but they weren't specifically meat birds, just a mix of egg layers, roosters, a few geese and two tom turkeys. I would be interested in doing some research on some of these breeds and see how they do on free range compared to feed. I don't want to mess with the Cornish X because we live above 6,000 feet, and I honestly don't want a breed I have to worry about keeling over if not fed exactly right. Just doesn't seem natural to me, and I would like to stay as natural as I can with my program. If anyone is interested, I'll post it here when I get set up.

 

[RoosterGeek]

Quote:
You know, that sounds like an excellent project. I think I'll get some broilers this spring and see what happens. I'll assume that they would definitely grow slower, but I would also assume that the taste would improve.

Let me know how it goes!

 

[Kelsey2017]

I am going to get 50 cx and 50 red broilers. I have researched and figured out the amount of feed per week for each, assuming they are penned 24/7 with all food and water accounted for- it's nuts! I am going to plan on having to buy all that feed, well budgeting for it at least, but I am going to free range them all and try to figure out the savings. I won't be paying myself for the labor involved of moving them daily but I hope I can see a savings of 30% at least on the red broilers maybe not so much on the cx. It is an experiment! Good luck