Thanks
@LaurenRitz for starting this thread; it's got off to a very interesting start.
My flock has been free ranging dawn till dusk with secure overnight accommodation in Nestera coops since 2017. As free ranging was my intention from the start, and I had done some research before I got the first birds, I started with a landrace: 3 Swedish Flowers. In the early years I add two or more pullets of different rare breeds to add diversity to the gene pool, and to support breeders who are trying to preserve rare and heritage breed genes. Crested Cream Legbar, Rhode Island Red, Lavendar Araucana, Norfolk Grey, Silver Duckwing Welsumer, Barbezieux, Partridge Penedesenca, and most recently Braekel and Isabella Leghorn came in this way. The first 5 additional breeds arrived as 8 weeks olds, the rest as hatching eggs, as I became more aware of biosecurity issues. Initially I was thinking about dual-purpose birds, but I no longer wish to eat them, so egg laying, broodiness in some, predator-awareness and evasion, and foraging ability/bug control are the desiderata here now.
The Swedish Flowers and the Penedesencas have thrived. The others have not done so well, though many of them have contributed to the bloodline of one or more members of the current flock. They have got better at free ranging year on year, and I have got better at providing what they need to do it successfully. They have about an acre to roam.
I do not medicate. I do not use chemicals in the garden. I do sow or plant plants shown to work therapeutically for various endo- and ecto-parasites, for the chickens to consume as and when they choose. I provide a chicken spa (made of repurposed doors, glass and leftover onduline) where they can dustbathe year round.
I stopped giving commercial feed to adult birds in 2018 and to chicks in 2020; whether causal or coincidental, the health of the flock has improved markedly since then. I do not aim for them just to survive on a minimal input-minimal output model; I want a reasonable number of eggs, for it is the sale of surplus eggs that covers my costs. (I would be prepared to pay for them as a hobby, but they're even more fun when they're effectively free
) So I supplement their forage with breakfast and tea consisting of a homemade whole grain based feed, live mealworms, tinned sardines, and dairy in various forms, amongst other things, described and explained
here.
Their camouflage is good. There are 7 birds in this picture.
The Swedish Flowers are well hidden in dappled shade. None have gone broody - which may explain why they became so rare - but other birds have incubated their eggs.
The Partridge Penedesencas blend in to most backgrounds and have passed on flightiness, broodiness, and their plumage to most recent offspring.
Such as these, both 50% Penedesenca, 50% other. They fly quite well too. When I started out I let birds roost in trees, but they come down too early and get predated. So I encourage them to roost in the coops.
But this one went broody in a flowerpot, and successfully incubated a single egg there and raised her chick outdoors 24/7, for 6 weeks, till I managed to persuade them into a coop. I'm pleased to say the chick is now laying (in a coop) and has gone broody (in a nest box).
All chicks are raised by broodies with the flock. There have been no chick casualties as a result of this. Other flock members are interested in the chicks and the dominant male is quick to imprint on them, but thereafter the broody and her chicks go their own way on foraging 101, with or without an attendant subordinate male, while the rest of the flock goes about its normal daily routines. My broodies commonly remain with their chicks for 3 months or more.
My flock has grown to nearly 30 members at its maximum. It has not divided into subgroups despite there being multiple roos. It may divide into foraging parties of half a dozen or so, but parties are flexible and all come together for breakfast, tea, and to roost. The coops are moved regularly but always placed near one another.
