The work required to raise free-range chicken is outweighed by the benefits of having fresh eggs and poultry on hand.
The work involved in raising free-range chickens is easily outweighed by the benefits of having fresh eggs and poultry on hand. You can raise your own small flock of free-range chickens even if you only have a small backyard. Free-range chickens are able to forage for the grass, seeds and insects required for their healthy diet, and get proper exercise in the process. As a result, the eggs are much healtheir and contain a higher level of beneficial Omega-3 fats than non-free-range, store-bought eggs.
Instructions
1. Buy chicks from a local feed store or purchase them online and have them mailed overnight. Carefully research chicken breeds to find the best chickens for your needs and your climate.
2. Keep the chicks indoors in a brooder until late spring to early summer when the chicks' down has transitioned to feathers. When they are mature enough to weather the nights, move them outdoors into their chicken coop.
3. Build or buy a chicken coop with roosts and nests sufficient for the size of your flock. You should have one nest per four to five birds, and enough roosting space for all the chickens to roost at night.
4. Fence in a small area around the chicken coop with chicken wire to contain your birds. Build a fence at least four feet tall so they can't fly out. Also make sure that they can't fly onto the roof of their chicken coop, and then fly over the fence from the coop roof.
5. Keep your chickens contained within the fence for a week before you let them loose to be free-range chickens. Doing so, the chickens will learn about their surroundings and where their home is while they are fenced in.
6. Remove the fencing after the chickens have become familiar with their surroundings. At first they may not travel more than 10 feet from their chicken coop. Chickens do not stray far from the coop, so that they can run to safety if they become scared.
7. Close the chickens in their coop each night with a heat lamp if the nights are still chilly. You should also close the chickens in the coop if you are worried about predators. Their coop should always contain sufficient chicken feed and water for all the chickens. Although free-range chickens forage for a portion of their food, they may still rely heavily on the feed you supply for them.
8. Leave the coop open 24 hours a day for the chickens to come and go as free-range chickens do once the chickens are larger and the weather is nicer. The only reason to close the coop at night is if there are potential chicken predators in the area. Your chickens will be happiest, healthiest and cleanest when they have plenty of room to roam and forage.
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