You could create a wire pen for them, dog/cat proof. They really don't need much space. I seen set ups around 2 meters by 1 meter with a nesting area for eggs. I suspose you could simply kill them for meat every winter. And get a fresh stock in Spring. You would get your money back in eggs/meat.

I never dealt with roosters because in cities you can't own them in the UK due to the sheer amount of noise they made. I knew a gyspy family who kept chickens by clipping their wing feathers and leaving them to survive on an natural island in the middle of a pond and they simply rafted over to the island to collect eggs. No predators and lots of bugs, a very good system.

What other plants to you have? If you don't mind me asking?