Letting chickens forage ONLY?

[EastmanEggs]

I'm working with my local hatchery, Schlecht Hatchery- Miles IA, to order a good meat free range variety.

I'll see what more they have to say- will relay that info here!

 

[AkChris]

This thread is dated 2011.

It's been a few years... Any new experiences? Anyone try not providing feed?

I am curious about buying chickens and putting them out to pasture and collecting them 4 month later to be processed.

I understand the predator issues, fencing issues, and potential for birds to stray off- but I want to know:

1. Would it be humane to put 50 young birds out to find their own food, water provided. Given you buy day old chicks, feed to independence, then release.

Depends a lot on the type of pasture, how much you have, and what you want the final chicken product to be.

I raised 20 red rangers on a mix of forage and feed. I feed them chick started for about 4 weeks while they were in a brooder box set up. Moved them outside and transitioned to grower plus foraging in a protected tractor for another month and then slowly let them out to range in a fenced area. They still got feed but only in the evenings and maybe about 50% of the recommended amount...had to work for their food during the day. They grew slower. I did butcher a few of the largest roosters at about 4 months but most were almost 6 months when I butchered them. They dressed out around 5 lbs on average at that point. If I had more space/more area for them to forage I think I could have done them totally free range. The area they foraged in is full of berries (salmonberries, blueberries, currants, huckleberries, etc) and they feed heavily on these. They also got lots of greens from the grassy lawns, garden weeds, and scraps. They also got a fair amount of bugs and slugs plus worms from the compost bins.

This was fine for me as I was only going to process one batch of chickens and so taking 6 months to grow out on half the purchased feed was worth having them take only 4 months on 100% purchased feed. These birds did run and jump and scratch so they had well developed leg muscles and thus the meat was a bit chewier than you'll find in a typical store bird. I actually noticed a difference between the ones I butchered earlier (which had less time foraging) and those I butchered later in that the later ones had tougher leg meat. Still just fine for roasting and the breasts seemed about the same. I'm good with this but if you (or your customers) are expecting a soft, tender, all breast chicken you won't get that from free ranged birds.

Also birds seem to need to learn some foraging techniques. If they have older birds around to copy they seem to do better. I keep 4-6 laying hens year round and the older ones do teach the younger ones how and where to find food. So all hatched chicks might have a bit more of a learning curve when if comes to finding their own food. My hens go from almost no feed during the summer to mainly commercial feed during the winter.

 

[AnthNDacula]

Hi Everyone,

Very interesting thread you've got going here. I just skimmed over what you've all been talking about and find the idea of totally wild feeding chickens exciting. Now what I'm about to say will be disturbing for some people, so stop reading now if you have delicate sensibilities. The most current thinking on chicken domestication that I'm familiar with states that we didn't domesticate chickens but that they domesticated themselves. Partly they liked hanging out around us for safety and partly they were drawn to our filth. We were exceptionally dirty and provided tremendous amounts of waist. And I'm not just talking about kitchen scraps here. I'm talking about outdoor plumbing and trash piles (midden heaps) filled with dead carcass remains. That kind of waist bred tons of insect larvae which are super high in protein and fats. If the pile was big enough it provided worms and larvae right thru the winter because it was self heating. I once read an account of a Scottish man who lived in the Hebrides most of his life with traditional facilities. In the 1960s indoor plumbing came to the islands and forever changed how people lived. He was quoted years later in the book "Soil and Soul" to say, "The eggs have never tasted the same since we got rid of the midden heap". So my point is that grass and carbs just won't do it. Chickens need enormous amounts of protein and fat, relative to their size of course, to be very productive. I'm not quite sure how to accomplish that that without the health department showing up. Any thoughts?

 

[Chris09]

Hi Everyone,

Very interesting thread you've got going here. I just skimmed over what you've all been talking about and find the idea of totally wild feeding chickens exciting. Now what I'm about to say will be disturbing for some people, so stop reading now if you have delicate sensibilities. The most current thinking on chicken domestication that I'm familiar with states that we didn't domesticate chickens but that they domesticated themselves. Partly they liked hanging out around us for safety and partly they were drawn to our filth. We were exceptionally dirty and provided tremendous amounts of waist. And I'm not just talking about kitchen scraps here. I'm talking about outdoor plumbing and trash piles (midden heaps) filled with dead carcass remains. That kind of waist bred tons of insect larvae which are super high in protein and fats. If the pile was big enough it provided worms and larvae right thru the winter because it was self heating. I once read an account of a Scottish man who lived in the Hebrides most of his life with traditional facilities. In the 1960s indoor plumbing came to the islands and forever changed how people lived. He was quoted years later in the book "Soil and Soul" to say, "The eggs have never tasted the same since we got rid of the midden heap". So my point is that grass and carbs just won't do it. Chickens need enormous amounts of protein and fat, relative to their size of course, to be very productive. I'm not quite sure how to accomplish that that without the health department showing up. Any thoughts?

The most current thinking on chicken domestication that I'm familiar with states that we didn't domesticate chickens but that they domesticated themselves

In order for a chicken to domesticate itself there first needs to be a wild chicken.
Since there were and are no wild chickens there is no way for them to domesticate themselves.

Chickens come from the crossing and the hybridizing of at least two breeds of wild Junglefowl for traits that we wanted.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

If FORAGE is the word(not sure). Have a customer that is looking for pasture fed ONLY chickens(for eggs) as she is striving for a grain free diet(which I respect as she is slender,very healthy) but before I go online trying to research this wondered if anyone had FACTS about doing such a thing. And you would obviously have to feed them SOMETHING in the winter(snow) or I envision my domestic chickens starving to death. Do they sell grass based diets? I know I hear stories of "wild" chickens that my grandma used to catch and cook but it doesn't seem like the majority of chickens born would make it.

One hen may need 25 acres of free range space just to earn a living all year. A mink by comparison may only requre 5 acres.

I am unsure about how your Grannie fed her hens, but the old timers never failed to remind us that a chicken is what used to be called dirty eaters. Lets just say that a chicnken prefers its grass AFTER it has passed through the cow. This is the reality of "Pasture" fed chickens.

This reminds me of a flock of free range chickens I watched last Summer at a Mennonite Harness maker's shop. It seems that a horse and buggy was picketed underneath a shade tree, and on the ground between the horse's hind legs was ample evidence that the horse had previously gifted the harness maker with some fresh green organic fertilizer. Waiting patiently in the shade of the horse's belly and standing among the crumbs of their previous meal stood a rooster and about 20 hens, waiting for the next course to drop.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I am having problems with my key board.

 

[EastmanEggs]

ANSWERS HEREThe facts are IN !

I have spoke with my grandparents, my great uncle, and some older people who raised chickens waaaaayyyy back. (Think 1940s etc.)

They had 10 acres, 7 tilled with corn & soybeans. The lawn was an acre (not magnificently mowed as 21st century lawns) and the other 2 acres were unkept wooded/flood area with weeds etc.

They had 40-60 chickens in a 10x20 chicken house with nest racks (no dividers to call a box) and straw all over the ground.

Well water was provided from the spigot, carried to inside the coop.

The chickens would receive table scraps, husks, peels, slop, and the occasional spoiled bread. They were not given 'feed' but were regularly fed scraps. The remainder of their diet was found in the wild. (Can't certify what they ate, but it's safe to assume bugs, grasses, clovers, etc)

Eggs were collected twice daily and were sold to the local grocery store. (Technically they bartered the eggs for groceries and then the store sold the eggs to a supply company, but did not resell themselves.)

Chickens were culled each late fall before winter. Many, especially old hens, were butchered. Not all at once though- they were taken as needed. Almost everyone had chickens, some had 4, some had 400.

Grains from the fields and silos were purchased from neighbors during winter. Feed existed but was pricey when you could get grains for cheap. Again, egg production tapered off and many culled to eat. It was believed to be cheaper to raise a chick than to keep unproductive old hens all winter.

As far as FREE RANGE ONLY, most chickens free ranged!! Granted they got scraps and treats occasionally, many found their food just fine.

Predators were common and appearently so we're rats. Losing a chicken here and there was "just the way it is.". My grandfather took his BB gun or .22 onto the coop roof (he can't remember) and shot rats on the ground below. He says they were " the size of rabbits!"

The birds were not as big. He said they looked fit and slender- but not sickly or thin. They were like those- he said pointing to a leghorn picture in the McMurray catalog. The birds weren't as fat and thick, they were fit and active.

Also, he said they locked up the coop at night and did not EVER even think of heating it. He laughed at the idea. "Hell we let 'em stay inside- they kept warm on their own. They huddle up."

Lastly, he said the chicken meats were nothing like today. Today's breasts alone are bigger than most of our chickens entire meat. (I'm guessing a lot of Hybrid, GMO, and superbreeding affects this too)

Anyhow- that's what the old folks say.

I will be ordering all kinds of day old chicks to add to my collection next month. Different kinds, etc. I will free range only a few and see how they fair.

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Anyone else hve first hand experience, or know someone who free ranged ONLY?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

In order for a chicken to domesticate itself there first needs to be a wild chicken.
Since there were and are no wild chickens there is no way for them to domesticate themselves.

Chickens come from the crossing and the hybridizing of at least two breeds of wild Junglefowl for traits that we wanted.

Does anyone know how honey bees were first domesticated? Chickens are about as domesticated as European honey bees are. The only major difference is that all honey bees can fly and sting, while thanks to humans only a few chickens keep these vital survival skills, and the more someone searches for a chicken that they can "pet" the faster these survival skills disappear.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Does anyone know how honey bees were first domesticated? Chickens are about as domesticated as European honey bees are. The only major difference is that all honey bees can fly and sting, while thanks to humans only a few chickens keep these vital survival skills, and the more someone searches for a chicken that they can "pet" the faster these survival skills disappear.

Well here is an old folk who lived today's' young persons dream, we had pesticide free (mostly anyway) food. No GMOs, no hybrids to speak of (except hybrid corn), and oh yes, we did have access to so called "Super breeds" and i can tell you that most of the time that we were only a hop, skip, and a jump ahead of starvation. Please excuse me if i step on your toes but whoever told you these things are not rational beings. Sorry, but it's true.

Here is a brief history of the hen.
http://www.thehappychickencoop.com/a-history-of-chickens/

here is a pictorial representation of JUST the improvement in meat birds that I have witnessed in just PART of my life time..

[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)]https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...d=0ahUKEwjOzobn56_KAhWJ8j4KHeekBkoQMwghKAAwAA [/COLOR]

Remember now boys and girls that it is for ever more illegal to use growth hormones or antibiotics on chickens destine for human food.

 

[Chris09]

Does anyone know how honey bees were first domesticated? Chickens are about as domesticated as European honey bees are. The only major difference is that all honey bees can fly and sting, while thanks to humans only a few chickens keep these vital survival skills, and the more someone searches for a chicken that they can "pet" the faster these survival skills disappear.

I would say that chickens are domesticated more on the lines of most of todays livestock, cattle, sheep, goats etc.
Most of todays chickens wouldn't last 2 years before showing signs of malnutrition without human aid, the European honey bee can.

I agree that too many people are trying to make pets out of poultry and imo the more they do the more useless they become.