6 tips for a good free range

1 Make it big enough to avoid bare earth

How big is going to depend on your climate and your soil type, but a good rule of thumb is it should be big enough that your flock never have to walk on bare earth.

2 Have good pest control

Plant cover and a guaranteed dinner also creates a perfect home for mice, rats, possums, ferrets, stoats, hedgehogs and wild cats. Good fencing is a must, but you will also need traps and bait stations.

3 Plant lots of cover

Hawks can be a big problem on a free range. Lots of overhead cover helps to protect a flock. Trees interplanted with shrubs and avenues of grass are ideal.

4 Plant the right greens

Poultry will happily eat pasture plants, but you can enhance a range with vegetables, grains and herbs. Good options include: quinoa, plantain, vetch, kale, marigolds, wild strawberries, fennel, and (in low quantities) comfrey and wormwood.

5 Add snails to the menu

Lay a board on an angle over a garden bed and snails will naturally congregate. You can feed them raw, but a quick boilup (15-20 minutes) vastly improves their nutritional value.

6 Encourage worms

Earthworms and tiger worms are excellent sources of protein, fat and key amino acids poultry require for good health. The more you can keep pasture and soil in good health, the better the worm life.