Getting started with free range birds on natural diets

[aart]

I have 5 roosters and 17 hens. The roosters are all Delaware’s. How many of those roosters will I need?

Probably just 1 for fertilization purposes.
If 2 can get along, always good to have an extra/spare if you're free ranging.

 

[centrarchid]

I would have one rooster per every 4 to 5 hens as that may promote dispersal of hens while foraging. Such hens may also be able to be more focused on their foraging when rooster is around, so long as not overly harassed by roosters.

Still have back up birds penned up. Look into developing patches of cover based in part on clovers and other herbaceous plants the chickens will eat.

 

[Mrs. K]

^^^

Still have back up birds penned up.

When you free range, eventually the predators will find you. I have donated big time to the wildlife. So aggravating, having been wiped out to only 3 birds more than once, a back up flock is not a bad idea.

People new to this tend to think of the flock as a static number, but as the years go by, it wanes and flows, sometimes a few, sometimes many.... it is the flock that is fun.

Mrs K

 

[rod5591]

Rereading all of this, i can not claim to be truly freeranging my birds. True, i let them out of their coop in early morning and they have 1/2 acre fenced yard to scratch in during the day as they please. But i feed them also— usually when they see me, they come running. In fact as they grow larger, they are eating more and more store bought feed. I apologize if i misrepresented my set-up

 

[Mrs. K]

While I find this time of year, May and June, my birds will eat less commercial feed due to free ranging, even by mid July, the bug population has matured, and looses it's protein value. They eat more feed.

However, I find the amount I need to feed them changes, I try and have it so that the feed bowl is empty at night. If it is bone empty, I feed a little more the next day, if there is some left, I feed a little less. I think things like age, season, current weather all have an impact on their feed needs.

MRs K