constructing a single chicken family unit for porch
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It happens all the time, it is just that I did not really track it like I do now. Previously it would be a "who cares situation". The significance is clear, continued investment beyond five weeks can conflict with re-nesting, therefore more offspring. This late in season re-nesting is a high risk activity since hen is in molt, she would be most vulnerable when predation risk is highest, and chicks will have the lowest probability of surviving through maturity. It serves hen better to continue investment in current brood because she can help them and her own fitness more than she could with a subsequent brood.
I have had gamehens come off nest with chicks in every month of the year but survival was not as good during fall and early winter, especially when chicks were denied access to insect forages by snow and extreme cold. Broods that did make where raised in manger area of barn and had to be given supplemental feed. There is also a quality issue where confinement during cold makes for small statured and often fat adults.
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MISSED FEEDING DURING COOL IMMEDIATELY RESULTS IN RANGE EXPANSION
This I did having run out of enough whole corn for both birds in pasture and the little dab put out each morning for the front porch flock. The front porch flock was all that had to be shorted because they had easy time adjusting and boy they did, Normally their free-range radius seldom exceeds a 200 foot radius from the house. Today when I got home from work they were way out side that radius nearly 400 feet to southeast of house when I saw them coming back. Last time any member of the front porch flock was that far away was back in 2011 which put them into area where fox got into them. Ranging increased more than it would have on a warmer day. First their energy needs increased because of the weather making it so they had to invest more time in foraging. The have to work harder to stay warm and the typically warmer loafing areas are not heated as much by the sun. Secondly the cool weather made it so the chickens had a harder to catch the most important prey this time of year, namely grasshoppers. When temperatures drop the grasshopper do not hop as much making them harder to catch because they are harder to detect. The typical foraging method when targeting grasshoppers works best when grasshoppers give themselves away by attempting to jump / fly away from a disturbance caused by chickens. Despite this hardship the front porch flock returned home with full crops and barely touched the handful of corn I tossed out for them. They pecked at some of the corn then hopped up on the roost a good 30 minutes earlier than usual and settled down for the night.
This I did having run out of enough whole corn for both birds in pasture and the little dab put out each morning for the front porch flock. The front porch flock was all that had to be shorted because they had easy time adjusting and boy they did, Normally their free-range radius seldom exceeds a 200 foot radius from the house. Today when I got home from work they were way out side that radius nearly 400 feet to southeast of house when I saw them coming back. Last time any member of the front porch flock was that far away was back in 2011 which put them into area where fox got into them. Ranging increased more than it would have on a warmer day. First their energy needs increased because of the weather making it so they had to invest more time in foraging. The have to work harder to stay warm and the typically warmer loafing areas are not heated as much by the sun. Secondly the cool weather made it so the chickens had a harder to catch the most important prey this time of year, namely grasshoppers. When temperatures drop the grasshopper do not hop as much making them harder to catch because they are harder to detect. The typical foraging method when targeting grasshoppers works best when grasshoppers give themselves away by attempting to jump / fly away from a disturbance caused by chickens. Despite this hardship the front porch flock returned home with full crops and barely touched the handful of corn I tossed out for them. They pecked at some of the corn then hopped up on the roost a good 30 minutes earlier than usual and settled down for the night.
Have you investigated Fermented feed. I am lurking on two of the Fermented feed threads.... One is a general discussion and the other is geared specifically for feeding up CXs for the dinner table.
From what I am gathering the process takes the whole grain and converts it to a more efficient feed.... therefore you dont have to feed as much and will have healthier birds along with lower feed bills.
Or would that be messing up your research. The first one is started by someone called Beekissed
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/645057/fermented-feeds-anyone-using-them
ANd the second is also started by Shadomane
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds
But Beekissed is on both. They start out with Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother still in it.... soak feed in it and enough water to cover the feed. The feed swells somewhat so you have to top it off till you achieve entropy... She does this with ANY kind of feed Wether it be prepared name brand pellets or mash or Grains mixed up from personal recipes.
deb
From what I am gathering the process takes the whole grain and converts it to a more efficient feed.... therefore you dont have to feed as much and will have healthier birds along with lower feed bills.
Or would that be messing up your research. The first one is started by someone called Beekissed
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/645057/fermented-feeds-anyone-using-them
ANd the second is also started by Shadomane
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds
But Beekissed is on both. They start out with Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother still in it.... soak feed in it and enough water to cover the feed. The feed swells somewhat so you have to top it off till you achieve entropy... She does this with ANY kind of feed Wether it be prepared name brand pellets or mash or Grains mixed up from personal recipes.
deb
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- #555
When it comes to overall health, birds fed the fermented feeds, or any formulation for that matter, can't touch the front porch flock's health. The front porch flock can acquire most of their energy from natural forages (all of it yesterday) and more than there protein needs by consuming the insects, even plants and the occasional vertebrate. Use of feeds is at best a second best option that is required when you exceed the carrying capacity of the area supporting free-range chickens. The front porch flock enjoy a special situation where they can get their nutritional needs by foraging so long as they invest enough effort. When they don't get out then some nutrients can become limiting. Currently my area is first limiting on energy hence the general use of small amounts of whole corn although they can readily compensate with a buggier diet. The free-range flocks in pasture around cockyards get a mix heavy on grains with some complete chick starter to supplement natural forages that are over taxed there. Birds in confinement get the complete ration and would benefit most from the fermented feeds but I have not explored such yet. For me, the use of wetted feeds (without fermentation) would reduce waste by preventing dispersal of feed once applied to ground.
Where you are located the free-range forage available is unlikely to be able to support the density of birds I have, thus requiring the adoption of feeds at lower flock size. You must also move through continuum of incomplete to complete diet faster as well.
The fermenting process may be explored later but I have to overcome concept of gimmick surrounding the use of vinegars in feeds and water. I have lots of locations feed must be applied, not just a couple of troughs, so time is a consideration when comes to all stages of feeding process which includes mixing, fermentation which will also require more space and organization, lots of packing of what would be heavier feed, and measuring out on the fly allotments given to each. Additionally, my birds have not lost ability to process course foods like has happened with Cornish X's. Use of over processed feeds would promote selection of wimps.
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- #556
Brownie still clucking this morning. Juvenile offspring also benefit her by tidbit calling to her, siblings and even Ralph when one finds the corn I hide in small piles out in yard.
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- #558
I might try it some day but only with American Dominiques being finished out as meat birds.
The definition of free-range varies greatly and the nutritional value can greatly accordingly. One can maintain a small flock without supplemental feeding of any sort so long as predators are suppressed allowing chickens to forage a wider range. The first supplement I have been using to keep birds ranging habits tight is dry whole corn. During winter months soaked oats (which are fermented naturally during soaking process) are applied in addition to corn. The fermented feed option could be used but with the front porch flock I do not think that would be better for birds and would ad to labor which is already substantial for birds in cockyards. Fermented feeds do have a negative that I associate with soaked feeds, namely they smell stronger and are more tempting to predators like raccoons and opossums.
The definition of free-range varies greatly and the nutritional value can greatly accordingly. One can maintain a small flock without supplemental feeding of any sort so long as predators are suppressed allowing chickens to forage a wider range. The first supplement I have been using to keep birds ranging habits tight is dry whole corn. During winter months soaked oats (which are fermented naturally during soaking process) are applied in addition to corn. The fermented feed option could be used but with the front porch flock I do not think that would be better for birds and would ad to labor which is already substantial for birds in cockyards. Fermented feeds do have a negative that I associate with soaked feeds, namely they smell stronger and are more tempting to predators like raccoons and opossums.
Good points all round....
deb
deb
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- #560
DAILY AVAILABILITY OF INSECT FORAGE VARIES WITH WEATHER
The front porch flock was again out in force foraging with insects being the principle items targeted with liberal amount of greens also injected. Much of the insects are captured because they are flushed by chickens which insects do better when it is warm although higher temperatures can also enable adult grasshoppers to fly beyond the pursuit radius of 50 feet. Most grasshoppers with the exception of the Carolina Grasshoppers do not fly far enough and are eaten. When it colder the grasshoppers hunker down deeper in the tall grass and do not flush making so they are more likely to be passed over (think Pass Over in biblical context as far as grasshoppers are concerned). Another aspect that extends beyond flushed grasshoppers in tall grass is the previously noted drift where insects come from somewhere else either the day before or as the chickens watch. With grasshoppers drift is easy to note. In the mowed lawn, the front porch flock can quickly as in the matter of an hour or two decimate the grasshoppers catching almost every last one. When weather is warm the grasshopper number can be replenished in the foraged over area by immigration. If temperatures are low, then the immigration rate is greatly reduced making so subsequent pass by flock will not be as productive. These observations are possible because much of the front porch flocks range is bordered by prime grasshopper habitat with continually emigrating populations. I think some grasshopper species are more mobile than others and the chickens might enable measuring that by periodically clearing an area out. Where the crane flies are involved, temperature is more important with respect to emergence. Colds days have reduced emergence. Drift also plays a major role there as well so when temperatures are optimal for crane fly activities are increased making so flock can stay in one area to intercept flies going through.
The front porch flock was again out in force foraging with insects being the principle items targeted with liberal amount of greens also injected. Much of the insects are captured because they are flushed by chickens which insects do better when it is warm although higher temperatures can also enable adult grasshoppers to fly beyond the pursuit radius of 50 feet. Most grasshoppers with the exception of the Carolina Grasshoppers do not fly far enough and are eaten. When it colder the grasshoppers hunker down deeper in the tall grass and do not flush making so they are more likely to be passed over (think Pass Over in biblical context as far as grasshoppers are concerned). Another aspect that extends beyond flushed grasshoppers in tall grass is the previously noted drift where insects come from somewhere else either the day before or as the chickens watch. With grasshoppers drift is easy to note. In the mowed lawn, the front porch flock can quickly as in the matter of an hour or two decimate the grasshoppers catching almost every last one. When weather is warm the grasshopper number can be replenished in the foraged over area by immigration. If temperatures are low, then the immigration rate is greatly reduced making so subsequent pass by flock will not be as productive. These observations are possible because much of the front porch flocks range is bordered by prime grasshopper habitat with continually emigrating populations. I think some grasshopper species are more mobile than others and the chickens might enable measuring that by periodically clearing an area out. Where the crane flies are involved, temperature is more important with respect to emergence. Colds days have reduced emergence. Drift also plays a major role there as well so when temperatures are optimal for crane fly activities are increased making so flock can stay in one area to intercept flies going through.
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