do my hens need layer pellets?

[farmert]

We have 13 hens that free range around the farm every afternoon for at least 4-6 hrs/day. They are constantly foraging and finding food.

Their morning breakfast includes layer pellets but they don't like them. Invariably, the pellets are left in the food tray.

My Q: since they do free range, do they need that layer pellet? It seems to be a waste of money and food.

I think of my grandmother and her flock of chickens. She never had brand name layer pellets.

Thanks.

 

[petrel]

I think that you should always make a quality layer feed available to them. So long as it is kept dry and clean, the uneaten feed shouldn't go to waste. They will eat it when they need it. The good news is that they always know what they need. If they are getting good stuff from your yard, then their feed intake will be minimal. You might want to make crushed oyster shells available to them, if you haven't already.

 

[farmert]

Actually, even though the feed is kept clean and dry, it does get old after a while. To me that is a waste.

My hens are in good shape, happy and sassy, and love to eat the natural foods found from foraging.

Again, what did grandmother do without brand pellets?? Her hens were happy and sassy too.

 

[yyz0yyz0]

At some point "back in the day" there was no such thing as layer pellets. Chickens ate whatever they could find as well as scraps that were thrown to them and maybe a handful of grains now and then.

I've seen posts on here where someone states " I remember my grandpa collecting roadkill to feed the chickens."

The flock your grandma had were probably free ranged most of the day and were probably on their own feed wise. They would raise a large flock through the warm weather and as things got cold and snowy most of the birds went to the table and they kept a few through the winter to build the next years flock and start the process all over again. Doing it like this might not give you the highest egg production possible but if you had no cost to feed the birds then any eggs you collected were welcome additions to the kitchen table.

 

[petrel]

Actually, even though the feed is kept clean and dry, it does get old after a while. To me that is a waste.

My hens are in good shape, happy and sassy, and love to eat the natural foods found from foraging.

Again, what did grandmother do without brand pellets?? Her hens were happy and sassy too.

I guess you answered your own question.

As yyz mentioned, so long as you aren't concerned about maximum egg and flesh production you could certainly leave them on their own.