Do laying freerange foragers require layer-specific feed?

[TwoBrownHens]

Do 5 free-ranging adult hens foraging on about 0.25 acres of wild organic garden require any extra layer-specific feed? They get lots of fresh greens, fruits, veggies, food scraps etc on a daily basis. Eggs are collected daily (*Asking for a friend)

 

[SueT]

Offer oyster shell free choice. They'll take it if/when they need it.

 

[SueT]

PS Are they getting any actual chicken feed? Optimal nutrition promotes optimal egg production.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Do 5 free-ranging adult hens foraging on about 0.25 acres of wild organic garden require any extra layer-specific feed? They get lots of fresh greens, fruits, veggies, food scraps etc on a daily basis. Eggs are collected daily (*Asking for a friend)

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Bare minimum they will NEED access to some crushed oyster shell or other calcium source....

Beyond that... 1/4 acre is not really that much and it depends heavily on the weather and pasture quality.

People raised birds for years on scraps alone... it can be done. The birds just might not live as long as they would have... and the eggs might not be AS nutritious for the family.... you are what you eat. Production can often be slightly diminished (about 10%) not enough for most back yarders to notice but major for suppliers.

Most folks think of food scraps like rice and pasta or vegetables. This can heavily diminish protein and amino acids.... maybe getting enough depending on bug content of pasture but this changes seasonally in most locations. 22% protein was shown in studies to give the highest hatch rates, Noting vegetable protein and animal protein are not the same quality.

It isn't ideal... and I would consider adding a supplement like Rooster Booster brand Poultry Cell on occasion but that adds cost and defeats the purpose... but your friend can try!

More ideally... my free range birds on a lush acre in the PNW eat their flock raiser ration first thing in the morning... and forage whatever else they can and want... saving me about 30% with ration available all day... But forage behavior is also heavily impacted by weather. At least eating the formulated ration loads them with essentials first.

Your friend can also feed the used egg shells back to the hens. They usually like them quite a bit but is not usually enough to negate the need for oyster shell free choice on the side. Simply make sure the shells are set so they dry and not stuck together where they can mold, then crush a LITTLE (not powder fine as it goes through the gizzard to fast to absorb that way) and put out there.

Molt around 18 months coupled with shorter days can make it hard for those hens to get enough nutrition... AND, FWIW... ALL things immune system related ARE effected by nutrition. To fully sustain a bird free range... my research shows they need 1 acre per bird, last time I looked into it.

I'm sure armed with plenty of knowledge and a helpful friend like you... your friend will figure out what works for their flock!

 

[Mtnboomer]

B

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Bare minimum they will NEED access to some crushed oyster shell or other calcium source....

Beyond that... 1/4 acre is not really that much and it depends heavily on the weather and pasture quality.

People raised birds for years on scraps alone... it can be done. The birds just might not live as long as they would have... and the eggs might not be AS nutritious for the family.... you are what you eat. Production can often be slightly diminished (about 10%) not enough for most back yarders to notice but major for suppliers.

Most folks think of food scraps like rice and pasta or vegetables. This can heavily diminish protein and amino acids.... maybe getting enough depending on bug content of pasture but this changes seasonally in most locations. 22% protein was shown in studies to give the highest hatch rates, Noting vegetable protein and animal protein are not the same quality.

It isn't ideal... and I would consider adding a supplement like Rooster Booster brand Poultry Cell on occasion but that adds cost and defeats the purpose... but your friend can try!

More ideally... my free range birds on a lush acre in the PNW eat their flock raiser ration first thing in the morning... and forage whatever else they can and want... saving me about 30% with ration available all day... But forage behavior is also heavily impacted by weather. At least eating the formulated ration loads them with essentials first.

Your friend can also feed the used egg shells back to the hens. They usually like them quite a bit but is not usually enough to negate the need for oyster shell free choice on the side. Simply make sure the shells are set so they dry and not stuck together where they can mold, then crush a LITTLE (not powder fine as it goes through the gizzard to fast to absorb that way) and put out there.

Molt around 18 months coupled with shorter days can make it hard for those hens to get enough nutrition... AND, FWIW... ALL things immune system related ARE effected by nutrition. To fully sustain a bird free range... my research shows they need 1 acre per bird, last time I looked into it.

I'm sure armed with plenty of knowledge and a helpful friend like you... your friend will figure out what works for their flock!

Be careful feeding your birds the old egg shells. They can become egg eaters and damaged eggs prior to collection.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I give my free range Brahmas free choice layer pellets enriched with oyster shells. They prefer wild forage (access to the whole farm but stay within about a 100yrd radius of coop) but rely more heavily on the feed in winter. Their 100 yrd radius includes mowed lawn, mixed forest, and 2yr overgrown pasture so plenty of seeds, bugs, nuts and berries on which to chow. For 20 birds I go through about 60lbs of feed per month in the warm months and up to 200 lbs in the winter.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Your chickens need oyster shells and possibly a high protien source growing in that garden to eat. Minimum.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Unless you have nearly wild type chickens, who will produce maybe 30 to 60 eggs per year only, and live where they have much more and varied foraging opportunities (think SE Asia jungle), then it's a bad plan.
Modern chickens, depending on breed, will produce 150 to 300 eggs per year, and might grow to 3x the size of those original birds. And few of us have adequate forage to sustain our birds anyway.
Offer an all-flock feed free choice, and separate oyster shell, and then enjoy whatever they can get out there, which will vary by the season, at least.
And be prepared for losses to predators, at least occasionally. Sometimes one bird, sometimes all of them!
Mary

 

[EggSighted4Life]

B
Be careful feeding your birds the old egg shells. They can become egg eaters and damaged eggs prior to collection.

Nope!

Been feeding eggs shells back to my birds for about 10 years now... The ONLY time I get egg eaters is when a soft or brittle shell is laid and accidentally broken open. It's a crime of opportunity.

I keep wood or ceramic eggs in each of my nests to show the nest isn't being raided as one bird will hide her eggs if the nest is empty. They also help detour any curiosity pecks from new layers checking out the boxes and such.

I have even taken out whole boiled eggs and put it on the ground and step on it to open the yummyness inside. I DO make sure they don't see and recognize the WHOLE egg and see me destroying it.

In general, chickens aren't the brightest and they don't associate broken shells in the run with whole eggs and yummy yolks.. they haven't received or made that association... SO FAR.

Most of us do it without issue. But it's great that you recognize it COULD cause issue and alert us to it, Thank you! It's a very common concern for folks. With proper precaution, it is a non issue.

 

[Mtnboomer]

It has been an issue for me. I fed my first birds shells and in only a few days began finding eggs in the box with pecked holes in them after months of no damage. They were not accidentally crushed by clumsy hens or cracked upon delivery from hitting the bottom of the box but had holes poked in them.
I stopped giving them shells and dispatched those birds. Since then no further damage to the eggs of current birds. I now save my egg shells to be ground up and tilled into the tomato beds in the garden (prevents "black ends" as a result of calcium deficiency).
All birds are different and what isn't an issue for some may be for others. Like you said, I just wanted to bring it to attention that it is a possibility.