not feeding your chickens. anyone?

[welasharon]

There have been feral chickens here for the last 20 years or so until this last year the last two hens were killed by dogs leaving just the rooster. None of them were ever fed comercial feed. THe fittest survived and they were beautiful. Now the lone rooster has taken to spending his days in my front yard with my girls. He comes over in early morning and leaves in the afternoon. He roosts in the pines at the edge of the property here. He has never been treated for anything and I hope my girls don't give him the cooties! Here is his pic:

However I live in North Florida so we don't get snow although it does get below freezing a few times.
sharon

 

[eggdd]

Quote:
*blink*

chickens free range. that is what they're supposed to do. it's the natural way they eat.

what is happening? i mean that question has a a big picture kind of thing.

i'm scared.

edited to add: i cannot find anything about a law that says chickens cannot free range - - that commercial food must be provided for them. can you provide a link? is this a state by state thing? city by city?

edited to add 2: i would like to meet this guy. i like the sound of his set-up. i bet his eggs are fantastic! study after study have shown that eggs from free ranging chickens are healthier for you. i say bravo, sir! excellent on you for getting away from the commercialized food market. splendid job!

 

[centrarchid]

Having birds round up their own grubs is quite suitable for some breeds but others may have lost either ability to forage effectively or may not be able to process lower nutrient density feeds fast enough. Breeds that come to mind first are those with visual impairments, lack of recent selection for free ranging ability or selection for extreme growth / egg production performance that can not be readily supported by natural foraging. Polish and silkies, many of the fancy breeds, and Cornish crosses are examples, respectively. If forage quality is poor and weather is extreme, then any breed will be challenged. Generally speaking I am unable to match quality of health using commercial feeds only as what is realized by foraging only birds. Fed birds do spend less effort meeting nutritional needs but even the forage only birds have enough time to loaf most of the day.

 

[cupman]

Where we live we seldom get snow, if we do get snow it's usually for a couple days and that's it. It does, however, rain non stop all winter. Maybe that helps in finding bugs. Also I promise his birds aren't being neglected, we bought some birds at the same time and his leghorns look just like mine, and mine are a bit spoiled.

 

[welasharon]

Admittedly her in Florida we can grow vegetation year-round and lord knows we have lots of bugs so that makes a difference too!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

In addition to my earlier comment, I found that my birds got a lot more exercise when I didn't provide food. Now they stay much closer to the coop and hardly forage at all.

They are lazy, but seeing as winter is just around the corner here I want to fatten them up anyways.

 

[eggdd]

Quote:
actually, his are healthier and produce healthier eggs. you should ask him questions, take notes, and put his teachings into practice. he has something to offer.

 

[flowerchild59]

My flock charges the door to go outside. They are oportunistic feeders. When they can scrounge up more of their own food, they are happier and healthier.

 

[ECBW]

I believe that is entirely possible and wish I could go 100% free range. Growing up in a farming area in the old world, my school mates were mostly farm kids. Every farm had pigs and ox (to pull plows and wagons), and the obligatory chickens. It was in a subtropical climate. Feed was provided only in winter and mostly kitchen scrap. Chicken feed was a luxury and for the factory birds.

I am lucky to have some land but not so large. If left out all day, they will wonder into neighbor's land. So they get 2 hours daily. I notice the feed consumption fluctuates, often with the weather, climate, etc.

 

[Wynette]

I think it's fantastic to be in a situation where you can freerange your chooks 24/7; some of us simply are not, though. However, I will say that personally, even if I COULD freerange mine 24/7 (I work full time and would not feel comfortable doing so unless I was home, although I have plenty of land to do so), I would still offer feed, couldn't hurt, and may help if they can't get all they need foraging. JMO.