Grass fed broilers

[SmartChicken123]

Hello all, has anybody raised 4-H/FFA broilers for show on grass? How did they do? Did you feed them pellets as well? Thanks in advance!

 

[sourland]

Grass is not an adequate diet for any phase of chicken development. Many broilers are raised on grass (as in environment) but are provided a complete grower ration.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Grass is not an adequate diet for any phase of chicken development. Many broilers are raised on grass (as in environment) but are provided a complete grower ration.

X2
"Pasture raised" is about management, not the feed program used...the base nutrition remains the same and just as important, the birds are simply also allowed access to a natural environment and able to "be chickens"

 

[Cheers2Ya]

For the first week I give my CC chicks unlimited feed, week two, 12 hour access to food, by week 3 they have free range access and food is still only accessible 12 hours/day. They free range right along with my layers, but don't usually go quite as far for their foraging. But, in my experience, they do not lay around all day long. They are active/busy birds and enjoy running around. That being said, if they didn't have real free-range ability, perhaps they would be lazier and more content to lay all day long? On the other hand, because of all the exercise, I don't butcher till week 9-10 and have 5 lb to 6.5 lb birds, which is achievable by weeks 5-6 if contained instead of free ranged.