Do chickens lay better while free ranged or in a pen??

[halecards]

Hi, my barred rock chickens are only laying one egg a day and there are 13 hens!! They are 11 months old and i don't get why! They were laying in march to may but they just stopped. Were feeding them egg laying pellets and they are penned up not free range...we tried that and it was an Easter egg hunt trying to find them! And they stopped when we were letting them free range...anyway what's your opinions or experience with doing this and not?? Thanks!!

 

[7L Farm]

Free ranged eggs are way better. Lock em back up in the coop. No excess to the run they will learn where to lay. Then let them range the bugs & grass make the eggs better tasting.

 

[MuskokaChick]

I have no comparison base for that...but what I do is...

I keep them in their pen and run until they lay their eggs (mine are laying all the eggs by about 10-11 am) once I get all the eggs, then I open the run for them to free range.

Except today...crappy easter egg hunt, but I was going out and wasn't going to be back till supper and felt bad for them *tsktsk* oh well, 3 eggs went missing.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I agree. I don't have easter egg hunts, wouldn't tolerate them, and I have two free range flocks.

There's significant evidence that free range eggs are better for you. More vitamins, more omega 3s, plus they just look better.

 

[halecards]

Thanks guys! Do they lay better while free ranged? Or is it pretty much the same?

 

[halecards]

Quote:
I agree. I don't have easter egg hunts, wouldn't tolerate them, and I have two free range flocks.

There's significant evidence that free range eggs are better for you. More vitamins, more omega 3s, plus they just look better.

Hey I love your picture of your German shepherd! I have one but he's 2 and a big doggy now!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I agree. I don't have easter egg hunts, wouldn't tolerate them, and I have two free range flocks.

There's significant evidence that free range eggs are better for you. More vitamins, more omega 3s, plus they just look better.

Hey I love your picture of your German shepherd! I have one but he's 2 and a big doggy now!

I think the actual egg production is the same, free range or penned.

Thanks for the compliment on Kane. He's a big boy now too - almost 19 months old and 108 lbs. at his last weigh in - but still very much a puppy in his mind. Big brother Jax (85 lbs.) stopped trying to push Kane around months ago. Kane on his first birthday:

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
I agree. I don't have easter egg hunts, wouldn't tolerate them, and I have two free range flocks.

There's significant evidence that free range eggs are better for you. More vitamins, more omega 3s, plus they just look better.

10-4.

 

[arianna]

I don't know if they lay better, but I do know that the eggs taste so much better if they have access to grass and greens.

 

[halecards]

Quote:
Hey I love your picture of your German shepherd! I have one but he's 2 and a big doggy now!

I think the actual egg production is the same, free range or penned.

Thanks for the compliment on Kane. He's a big boy now too - almost 19 months old and 108 lbs. at his last weigh in - but still very much a puppy in his mind. Big brother Jax (85 lbs.) stopped trying to push Kane around months ago. Kane on his first birthday:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/4810_kanebday6.jpg

He looks just like mine! Except mines got shorter hair. His name is Sam. I personally like the all black like yours and mine better then the tan German shepherds. I would post pics of Sam but I can't on my phone and my lap top isnt here right now