- Jul 4, 2011
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Hello,
I just joined the forum today. I actually came across this post while I was doing a search and this thread is what inspired me to join.
I have been doing an experiment over the past week. I have been raising my hens (Orpingtons and Araucanas) as free range for since I got them almost a year ago. We have one acre and I just let them wander where they will eating bugs, grass, and whatever else they can fine. I will usually throw them a hanful of grain in the morning and then let them on their own for the rest of the day. I was only getting around one egg per hen every 3-4 days. Then I started keeping layer pellets out where they could eat them when they wanted. But they still spent most of their time foraging and didn't really pay much mind to the pellets.
Just one week ago I took 4 of the hens and locked them in a medium sized chicken run and only allow them to eat the layer pellets from the farm store. I noticed an immediate difference in the amount of eggs I am getting. I used to get one egg from each hen about every 3-4 days. Since I have moved them to the "cage" I have gotten an egg from every single hen every day. I personally think it is because they are getting so much more nutrients crammed into every bite and because they have more time to sit and lay eggs. I think they enjoy free ranging so much they just don't want to take the time to go back to the nest and lay an egg.
I must admit there are a few other possibly reasons, even though I don't think they are correct. One could be that they are laying just as often, but I just cannot find all of the eggs. I don't think this is it because all of the eggs that they do lay free range are still in the nesting boxes I provide.
A second possibility is that the darn magpies are stealing them. I have seen the magpies poke holes in the eggs and then fly away with them. But, I keep a pretty close eye and that mapgie would have to be taking an aweful lot of eggs for this to be true.
Anyway, just some thoughts. I still think free rangning eggs are much better quality and much kinder to the hens and much better for you. But I do believe a caged hen can be more productive.
I just joined the forum today. I actually came across this post while I was doing a search and this thread is what inspired me to join.
I have been doing an experiment over the past week. I have been raising my hens (Orpingtons and Araucanas) as free range for since I got them almost a year ago. We have one acre and I just let them wander where they will eating bugs, grass, and whatever else they can fine. I will usually throw them a hanful of grain in the morning and then let them on their own for the rest of the day. I was only getting around one egg per hen every 3-4 days. Then I started keeping layer pellets out where they could eat them when they wanted. But they still spent most of their time foraging and didn't really pay much mind to the pellets.
Just one week ago I took 4 of the hens and locked them in a medium sized chicken run and only allow them to eat the layer pellets from the farm store. I noticed an immediate difference in the amount of eggs I am getting. I used to get one egg from each hen about every 3-4 days. Since I have moved them to the "cage" I have gotten an egg from every single hen every day. I personally think it is because they are getting so much more nutrients crammed into every bite and because they have more time to sit and lay eggs. I think they enjoy free ranging so much they just don't want to take the time to go back to the nest and lay an egg.
I must admit there are a few other possibly reasons, even though I don't think they are correct. One could be that they are laying just as often, but I just cannot find all of the eggs. I don't think this is it because all of the eggs that they do lay free range are still in the nesting boxes I provide.
A second possibility is that the darn magpies are stealing them. I have seen the magpies poke holes in the eggs and then fly away with them. But, I keep a pretty close eye and that mapgie would have to be taking an aweful lot of eggs for this to be true.
Anyway, just some thoughts. I still think free rangning eggs are much better quality and much kinder to the hens and much better for you. But I do believe a caged hen can be more productive.
