My wife and I have never free ranged our flock even though we live in the country. Neither of us wanted to have to worry about them going into our neighbors yard or going missing due to predators. We have been keeping chickens for two years now, and have very happy and friendly chickens. We have 1 favorelle, 3 EE's, 3 SS, 2 BR, 1 RIR and 3 Seabright hens.
We converted a sheep pen into our chicken yard. It is a field fenced area of 25 x 40 feet (approximately). I have poultry netting covering the entire area. The yard includes a pine tree in it that the netting is attached midway up, which gives them an area to feel sheltered and they like to eat the needles as well. We have numerous logs that usually are along the edges of the fencing to minimize digging at the edges, The girls like to perch on them and peck at the deteriating wood searching for termites and ants and I also roll them around every now and then and the girls go nuts for bugs and worms everytime. Their coop is a three sided structure that has a roosting area made from branches, and a raised enclosed nesting box. Under the nesting box the ladies have turned into their wintertime dusting area, but during the summer they like using a particular area of their yard that is in the sun.
Every morning when my two sons go out to collect eggs and change out the waters ... I have them bring in two or three clumps of field grasses. We use a weeding tool to get them out by the roots, so they eat the greens and dig through the roots for bugs, during the summer I give them grass cuttings from my bagger and they love digging through that pile and picking out clippings to gobble down. I put in flock blocks every now and again or just throw them wild bird seed along with their scratch for a treat as well as give them left overs when we clean out the fridge and any chips, pretzles, bread and the like that go stale. I also give them their egg shells as we use the eggs so I have never had to give them oystershell. I microwave them up on the spot and crush right away putting them into my chicken bucket we keep at the back door for kitchen scraps, this goes out every morning as well.
When ever we open the back door the chickens all come to the entry of their run clucking at us. When we look out he windows at them they are all walking around their run or perching on logs or under the tree doing what chickens do. No matter who goes outside they are right there wanting to be talked to and petted.
I think you will find that chickens are resiliant, and will adapt to whatever they have available. The few times our birds got out of their yard they were all just along its edges picking at the grass that is just out of their reach. The do not in my opinion long for the wide open spaces. Good luck!
