Are my hens getting enough food?

[FancyPants]

Hi All! I'm wondering if anyone has a similar situation as me and can give me some advice.

I have six free-range hens. They are completely free range, and are never locked up. I make them a big salad (odds and ends of produce from the house) every other to every two days, two handfuls of layer feed about twice to three times a week and a handful of scratch about once a week or a little less. Plus I'm out there most days giving treats like peaches and other fruit.

I'd like to encourage the hens to eat natural food as much as possible so I'd rather not get a feeder for feed. But more so, I want them to be happy and heathy! This appears to be the case, but I'm wondering if they are getting enough food.

Is there a way to check if their weight is healthy. Like on a dog you should be able to easily feel their ribs without seeing them obviously. Is it obvious when a hen is underweight?

What is a typical diet/schedule for others in my situation?

Thank you!

 

[digitS']

It was once very common, and still is in some places, to keep chickens without giving them feed thru the warm months of the year. Often, they ranged over a fairly large area of acreage and cleaned up after other livestock that had greater value and were fed. Producing a clutch or 2 of eggs and raising a few chicks was all that was expected out of these birds, however.

Most modern breeds have very high nutrition requirements because of their egg production capabilities. I think that if eggs are important to you and your birds do not lay well, free-ranging is not meeting their or your requirements.

You could simply weigh them and see if they are within the range expected for the breed. It would give you some idea. Breeds of Chicken - Oklahoma State University

Steve

 

[MIKE555444]

Can your chicken survive free range with a small amount of feed... yes. BUT without doing lots of research you can't know if they are getting all the nutrition they need to be healthy by free ranging.

If quantity of eggs is important, I recommend that you supply them with all the layer feed they want and also let them free range.

 

[FancyPants]

Thanks for the feed back!

I will definitely try weighing them. I haven't had any issues with egg production. I have two laying hens right now, a silkie and a wyandotte and I often get an egg a day, and at least every other day.