Chickens eating a lot lately

[coolcanoechic]

My chickens are 20 weeks old now and have not started laying yet, but I have noticed in the last couple of weeks or so, their food consumption has increased quite a bit. Do chickens usually eat a lot before laying starts?
I also let them out for a couple of hours a day to free range. I'm just curious. They have been eating like pigs lately.

 

[7L Farm]

Your brave letting them forage in your garden. They eat like crazy at that age. Letting them range will help with the feed bill. Nice garden by the way. My chickens would destroy my tomatoes if I let them in the garden. They will be laying soon so yes they need a lot of protein to produce the eggs. Have you been finding a lot of feathers inside their coop?

 

[coolcanoechic]

Oh yes, Lots of feathers!

My girls like tomatoes, but have not put 2 and 2 together, therefore, they have left my tomatoes on the plants alone. However! They discovered my swiss chard! They prefer to pick it themselves.

 

[7L Farm]

Forgot to mention your birds are very healthy looking their plump filled out nicely seems you take great care of your birds. One more thing I noticed your tomato plants aren't staked or caged. If you don't mind me asking what kind are they?

 

[coolcanoechic]

They are staked. I have some bamboo stakes in there holding them up. They are heavily trimmed since they are such chunky plants and I actually could not get to all the tomatoes at one time due to the foliage. Drum roll pleeeeeeze! They are your ordinary patio tomato plants from your local Home Depot and/or Lowes. I like them because they are heavy tomato producers on a heavy duty plant. The tomatoes are not large by any means, but I get so many that if I am not diligent in staking and tying, the plants will fold under all of the weight. Unbelievable! I really like them because they take less space in my small garden. Their taste is as good as any other fresh grown ripened on the vine tomato. I make sauce when they get ahead of me.

 

[coolcanoechic]

Btw.....I am glad to hear that they look plump and healthy. I thought they were a littly skinny, but I really don't know exactly how they are supposed to look at this age.

 

[7L Farm]

I cage my tomatoe plants but have now planted some clumping bamboo for privacy fence. I had a bumper crop of tomatoes this year. My gardens done for now its too hot now. I'm gonna use the bamboo to grow veggies on as well. Your chickens look great they will eat you out of house & home. I feed mine a lot of veggies year around it helps with the feed bill thats for sure.It shouldn't be long & yours should start laying. I have three flocks of chickens & some are due to lay pretty soon. Here's how mine looked right before they started to lay they were 18 weeks here.

 

[coolcanoechic]

Yes! Some combs are bigger than others. I'm guessing mine are taking their time. They have been foolin with the wooden eggs in the nesting boxes, so I'm guessing soon. The one with the copper collar is Maggie and she has always been the runt of the bunch.