Pasture alone enough to feed one chicken?

[Tracker1045]

This is entirely theoretical, as I offer grains to my 11 hens, but here's the question anyway: they live on 3/4 of an acre in coastal California near San Francisco--grass from beginning of January through end of May. The rest of the year there isn't much greenery, but still lots of dirt and weeds to scratch around in. Nobody else using the pasture. Could ONE hen ALONE live by what the pasture provides, without my offering grains? Again, this is hypothetical, but would be useful for me to know.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

No. Chickens need grains.

 

[Flockking]

She possibly could but would need time to time feed or something different

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Pasture alone is tough...they can’t live on grass alone and having enough bugs and other stuff is possible in ideal conditions, but most folks don’t have that.

 

[0die]

someone here did a recent free-range experiment. He gave them nothing and they did fine. Granted it was on a lot more that 3/4 acre. If there is year round foliage and bugs...they scratch all day cause what they want are bugs...