Raising Meat Chickens ONLY on grass?

[n8mont4]

I want to raise some cornish cross chickens 100% on pasture with no added food. Is this possible? I have raised cornish cross before, and they only seemed to forage when I took away their feed. What about raising a heritage chicken 100% grassfed?

 

[Chipper]

It sounds like Freedom Rangers would be a good choice for you.I think they can get most of what they need on good pasture but,not all of it.Good Luck !

 

[ocap]

i am going to try to approach 90%, moving cages daily. I have enjoyed Polyface Farm video(s) on youtube: hogs, cows, rabbits and chicken on pasture

 

[Pathfinders]

I am somewhat skeptical, I have to admit. I think it would depend an awful lot on what sort of "pasture" you're talking about. What sort of grasses? Clover? Red clover or white? Fescue? Alfalfa? Bermuda grass? Orchard grass? I mean, it would really make a big difference. And if you're devoting that much space to chickens, and that quality of hay/pasture just to birds, I personally think you'd be wasting the grass.

I do think the Polyface Farm model would be the way to go, but even Joel has to feed his chickens a commercial feed ration. I don't know of anyone who raises their birds solely on pasture alone.

But hey, if you do it, please keep really good records. Take video, be meticulous. And write it up, because I know lots of us will want to know how you do it!

Best of luck with it.

 

[jasmer]

I would probably find a way to add other things to tje diet as well. Maybe a garden patch for chicken food and a worm farm? Depending on what is growing in your pasture and whatnot it may or may not be well rounded enough.

Perhaps you can seed some perennial forages into the pasture. Dandelions are obnoxious but very edible. Theyre a superfood of sorts. Some fruit trees to drop fruit for them. We are going to pasture our xhickens as well but we are also growing sunflowers and farming worms and stuff to supplement.
What kind of pasture do you have?