ability to forage : hatchery vs. farm chicks

[danahud]

We got our 2nd set of chicks this year and while I am very happy with our older flock of chicks purchased from TSC. I've noticed a distinct difference in their ability and desire to forage for food in their lot.
My little farm chicks took right to foraging where as my chicks from TSC are more like dogs in need of help to find goodies around the yard.
Has anyone else noticed a difference in their flocks?

 

[CarolinaShep]

My TSC birds aren't the best foragers. I have them in a coop with a feeder I have slowly been weaning them off of since I have begun letting them free range during the day on my five acres. They seem to be doing ok but they all consistently check the feeder for food.

Should I continue providing feed or just let them be organize free rangers????

 

[danahud]

My chickens pretty much quit laying without layer pellets. I do not offer it free choice though. my 7 adults get a big cup full in the morning and that is it. The rest of their diet comes from foraging in their lot or I. The yard and they lay very regularly.

 

[Going Quackers]

Well none of mine are from TSC but no i have not, now if they are chicken raised vs non you would likely see the hen raised chicks get on it quicker as they have been started on the concept much younger.

I have no hen raised chickens here but my main flock is awesome at foraging! and free range without a rooster too.

 

[Going Quackers]

My TSC birds aren't the best foragers. I have them in a coop with a feeder I have slowly been weaning them off of since I have begun letting them free range during the day on my five acres. They seem to be doing ok but they all consistently check the feeder for food.

Should I continue providing feed or just let them be organize free rangers????

My hens have feed access in their coop and go in where the ducks are fed, they absolutely need access to feed, it does not effect the girls foraging at all. They shoot right out of the coop in the AM to see what is out there, mine cover acres.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

There is quite a bit of difference between breeds when it comes to foraging ability. Breeds like Brown Leghorns or any Mediterranean type chicken for that matter are quite good at rounding up their own groceries, but some of the heavy breeds are just not designed by Mother Nature to expend as much energy as it takes to feed themselves.

Chicks come out of the shell pecking at every dot and spot that they see whether it is eatable or not. The things that they find tasty they eat, and the next thing like the first gets eaten as well and so on. I would say that a chicken is 99.99% instinct or self taught and .001% human trained.