Egg quality issues and free-ranging

[Olive Hill]

I don't know that protein is what makes the egg whites thicker... I'm just not sure on that, but mine do eat a higher protein feed. (Mixed flock) So I suppose that could contribute. If you're concerned my suggestion would be to buy higher protein feed. Supplementing with Tuna, yogurt, etc is fine, if you really want to, but a high protein feed will be much more economical.

 

[Audry]

That's what I would have thought, the less commercial feed the better. I guess I'll just wait and see if it persists. The yolks are still dark yellow and the eggs are still far better than store bought, I just thought the weirdness of the whites was, well, weird.

 

[cmom]

We have fenced yards for our flocks. We used to let them free range unfenced but they kept getting into the gardens and the compost piles. In the gardens they would dig and eat especially the lettuce. They love romaine, so we decided to make fenced yards for them. Also, several of my neighbors have had chickens and have let them free range only to be picked off by predators (cayotes, racoons, foxes, hawks) and one neighbor actually had a boa snake get most of her flock. I haven't really noticed any difference in their egg quality. Once in a great while I may get an egg that is a little more runny than usual. I give them layer pellets and some scratch with oats and sunflower seeds mixed together as treats. They always have oyster shells and granite grit available to them too. They also get the vegie kitchen scraps. My DH usually goes out in the evenings and gives them their favorite treat, bread. They always have their feed and water available. We put auto waterers in their coops. Here are some pictures of our setup. During the hot part of the day they have shade and stay in the shade. They are only in the yards in the mornings and evenings when it's cooler as we live in Florida. When the weather gets cooler they are in the yards more. I have the yards gated so I can close a yard off to let it recover.