Successful 100% forage diet experiment (long post)

[ChocolateMouse]

I mean, sure that's good. But that's not most peoples birds. Not everyone wants game chickens and that's not the majority of chickens people own. That's like saying "Can wild chickens survive in the wild????" Yes. Duh. But the vast majority of people have domestic food-production style chickens and ask if they can just free range 24/7 like grandpa did and still expect eggs or good health or avoid mass predator losses and the answer is usually no. If you have ideal birds for wild living in a situation with tons of space and a good climate of course they're mostly gonna make it. But you're also giving up production.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I think this works because A) You're sacrificing lots of egg production. B) You're in a place where it's warm year round. C) You're in a place with lots of forage. D) You've got 50 acres. E) Somehow you have no predators that have found your birds.

I don't think anyone would say modern chickens couldn't survive in ideal free-ranging situations. But they wouldn't lay as many eggs or be as healthy and there's too many things that could go wrong for most people.

My chickens would be dead unfed right now with 1' of snow. I would lose a lot of egg production. Most people don't have 50 acres (backyard chickens) for their flock... Even if they could roam the neighborhood they'd all be dead by the end of the month from predator pressures - haws, rats, cats, coons, foxes, coyotes, dogs.... You're in an ideal situation and sacrificing a lot of eggs to make this happen. Most people aren't in that kind of scenario.

It's an interesting experiment... But lets be real, my neighbors Yorkie mix that hunts mice could probably live in the wild if she had 50 acres with a water source and warm temps year round. Heck I could too. XD

True. I do have a nearly ideal situation to support this. I'm sure there are others out there that do too.
I'm not suggesting that everyone should do it. Heck, I'm not suggesting that anyone should do it.
I'm just sharing the information and my experience for anyone that is interested.

As for egg production, I don't think there is any less actual egg production. I may not be finding all of them, but I do think that they are laying at an appropriate rate.
The egg quality is equal to, and in some ways better than, my barn flock that still receives some feed.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I do feed my Cracker birds, but only about 1/4 of what their normal feed intake would be. And much of what I do feed them isn’t chicken feed, it’s cracked corn and sweet feed (much cheaper than standard layer crumbles). I feed even less in the spring and summer. I think they’d get by fine without feed but it would make them range further around the farm. I like keeping them within a few hundred yards of the house.

I’ve found that scattering wood nest boxes around the farmyard about belly-high goes a long way towards discouraging them from hiding their nests.

Scattering nest boxes around sounds like it could work. I'm going to try that!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Well, no way to know until you can get an accurate count and keep the count going long-term.

But it's interesting still. I don't think it negates any of the laundry list of reasons why it's a bad idea for most folks but it's interesting.

 

[TooCheep]

My chickens beat predators. As well as any wild prey animals in the woods do it. That’s where the American hatchery system has went a long way in weakening chickens. It is NOT inevitable that a flock chicken will fall to predators. It might be inevitable for fat hatchery chickens that haven’t been exposed to predator pressures in generations, but chickens with the right wild instincts will learn to avoid predators just fine.

This is an area of concern for me in this experiment. Although the OP didn't identify specific breeds, from the picture, it appears that they are common egg laying/dual-purpose breeds. So I'd be concerned because:

• Our egg-laying/dual purpose breeds lay far more often than wild (or semi-wild) breeds. This is a drain on hens and they need more calcium and other nutrients to handle the additional output. Possibly more than they can find in their wild environment. We already know from lots of threads here that hens that don't get enough calcium are prone to serious egg production and physical problems.
• They won't even be trying to hatch all of those extra eggs, which means that there will likely be extra clutches of eggs around. That has got to be an attractant to some kind of predators.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

And a source of running water and possibly assistance with shelter...
I'm not sure this is practical, but may be possible in real need. You would provide a lot of the same inputs, you get far less from them and they still are very dependent on you.

Yes, up here it’s really more about “supplement” than full-on “independent living”. In the warm weather I see a 50% reduction in commercial feed reduction, maybe more.

But winter is tough. Warmed up here today so the snow melted, allowing for a bit more snacking on compost pile.

 

[TooCheep]

Yes, up here it’s really more about “supplement” than full-on “independent living”. In the warm weather I see a 50% reduction in commercial feed reduction, maybe more.

But winter is tough. Warmed up here today so the snow melted, allowing for a bit more snacking on compost pile.

This can be a good compromise if you have the right conditions. Basically, you are talking about much more free ranging when you have the right resources (woods to reduce hawk pressures and provide a variety of hiding places and forage) and they still tend to come home each night so that you have a better handle on eggs and reliable supplemental food/water/shelter.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

My chickens beat predators. As well as any wild prey animals in the woods do it. That’s where the American hatchery system has went a long way in weakening chickens. It is NOT inevitable that a flock chicken will fall to predators. It might be inevitable for fat hatchery chickens that haven’t been exposed to predator pressures in generations, but chickens with the right wild instincts will learn to avoid predators just fine.

I totally agree with you.
It's not that predators have somehow not found them yet. Predators are here all the time. I see hawks, foxes, and raccoons nearly every day.
I get that people will find it hard to believe, but it is what it is.
I cannot say whether it is just luck or if it is a natural instinct for avoiding predators kicking in.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

This is an area of concern for me in this experiment. Although the OP didn't identify specific breeds, from the picture, it appears that they are common egg laying/dual-purpose breeds. So I'd be concerned because:

• Our egg-laying/dual purpose breeds lay far more often than wild (or semi-wild) breeds. This is a drain on hens and they need more calcium and other nutrients to handle the additional output. Possibly more than they can find in their wild environment. We already know from lots of threads here that hens that don't get enough calcium are prone to serious egg production and physical problems.
• They won't even be trying to hatch all of those extra eggs, which means that there will likely be extra clutches of eggs around. That has got to be an attractant to some kind of predators.

Someone asked what breeds they are and I listed the breeds that donated the eggs I hatched. Basically, all of the experimental group will be either Olive Eggers or Marans.

Their eggs have thick enough shells to bounce when thrown on the ground. Cracking an egg to cook takes a few strikes against the counter to break it enough to open. The membrane is thick and you have to forcefully puncture it in most cases. Obviously, I don't supplement calcium. I do live on the Edwards Plateau, however, which is basically an ancient limestone sea bed. Natural sources of calcium are plentiful, even in the creek water itself.

Extra clutches of eggs may actually be the reason predators are NOT killing the chickens. Perhaps they are getting their fill of eggs? Again, I don't know why the birds are not being killed. They've been out there for over 6 months and they are surviving just fine.

Edited to add: Thinking about the breeds...there may be random mutts in there too, if that matters.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Well, no way to know until you can get an accurate count and keep the count going long-term.

But it's interesting still. I don't think it negates any of the laundry list of reasons why it's a bad idea for most folks but it's interesting.

I don't sell eggs but I do give away all that my family can't use. Egg production isn't a big deal to me and I'll never strive to get an accurate count. As time goes on and this experiment ages, I'm sure I'll learn new ways to maximize the outcome. Input vs. Output at this point is weighted heavily in my favor as the energy I'm expending is practically nil and the $ cost IS nil.

I agree that it's a bad idea in most chicken-keeping situations. BUT, I think it's a great idea for those that have a suitable location.