Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[colburg]

I have a question about free range egg production. We recently cut back on the feed because there are plenty of weeds, alfalfa, clover, bugs etc. and the egg production has gone down about 25%. Is the lower egg production a result of the lower feed? Another thought is that the summer heat is causing laying issues. They have water and shade, but we hit 105 two days ago so maybe that's it.

If it's the reduced feed, I know how to overcome that issue, but if it's the heat, maybe it's something we just have to expect every year and live with.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

I have a question about free range egg production. We recently cut back on the feed because there are plenty of weeds, alfalfa, clover, bugs etc. and the egg production has gone down about 25%. Is the lower egg production a result of the lower feed? Another thought is that the summer heat is causing laying issues. They have water and shade, but we hit 105 two days ago so maybe that's it.

If it's the reduced feed, I know how to overcome that issue, but if it's the heat, maybe it's something we just have to expect every year and live with.

Probably the feed. Altering the diet alters their capacity to produce. For optimum production, you want to provide free access to feed and free-range. That way they can balance their own diet.

 

[Ranchhand48]

Hello there! I have just set 35 Wyandotte eggs and am very excited! I love the breed both aesthetically and for egg production; however, I was wondering how it ranked among other breeds as a table fowl. Obviously they are large and meaty birds, but in terms of thriftiness and flavor how do they compare to heritage Rocks or RIR's?

 

[colburg]

Quote: That's what we figured. So for the homesteading peice of the puzzle, did the old homesteaders just live with lower production? Because you know they weren't shelling out HARD earned money for chicken food. Or, assuming that most chickens back in the homesteading days were closer to heritage/SOP birds, were they more adapt at laying when chicken food was scarce?

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Hello there! I have just set 35 Wyandotte eggs and am very excited! I love the breed both aesthetically and for egg production; however, I was wondering how it ranked among other breeds as a table fowl. Obviously they are large and meaty birds, but in terms of thriftiness and flavor how do they compare to heritage Rocks or RIR's?

Flavor-wise and texture-wise, they're comparable, but much will depend on the strain. When bred to the Standard, they are shaped differently than the other two. Depending on the birds you have, you're going to have to select them to a point of meatiness, but that's ok. It's part of the journey. I'm glad you're excited about your Wyandottes.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

That's what we figured. So for the homesteading peice of the puzzle, did the old homesteaders just live with lower production? Because you know they weren't shelling out HARD earned money for chicken food. Or, assuming that most chickens back in the homesteading days were closer to heritage/SOP birds, were they more adapt at laying when chicken food was scarce?

Yes, chickens produced less. Eggs were often seasonal, and breeds that laid through-ish the winter were much appreciated. Having said that, it does and did (perhaps, to a certain extent, to their unawares) have to do with selection. IN theory, if you have your breed for the long haul, you can select for and breed from those that produce with less input. Over multiple generations, it should strengthen.

 

[bnjrob]

That's what we figured. So for the homesteading peice of the puzzle, did the old homesteaders just live with lower production? Because you know they weren't shelling out HARD earned money for chicken food. Or, assuming that most chickens back in the homesteading days were closer to heritage/SOP birds, were they more adapt at laying when chicken food was scarce?

Don't forget that the chickens (and pigs) also got leftovers and kitchen scraps, including milk/cream from the day's milking.

They were also adapted to foraging and getting scraps from the beginning of their life so their bodies became accustomed to working efficiently without manufactured feed.

From some of my research, it seems that the consensus is that today's medium sized egg was the norm for chickens from the early 20th century on back in history, not large eggs like people are accustomed to seeing in the grocery store today.

I imagine that one could get their flock to be decent layers without feeding them commercial feed. But it would take a change in lifestyle for the owners and the chickens, by truly going back to older ways of doing things and take several years of breeding to get the chickens accustomed to having decent meat and egg laying qualities on a non-manufactured diet.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I have been mulling this over quite a bit this week.

Here's what I think.

Farmland, a homestead, was mixed agriculturally without pestacides. Lots of insects, etc thrived on a good peice of property. Grasses, bushes, small trees, perhaps a section of big trees. THe Land reflected the natural state of the local plants/ponds/ hills etc and also the effects of the human farmers modifying the land.

I suspected that the hens produced a smaller egg than the large we now expect, like the medium egg of the sussex or buckeye. And productions was lower, perhaps3-4 a week. I have noticed in my SS ( lay a med egg everyday) that with layer pellets and water available, the shell quality varies with how many hours they forage. THe best being only from 2-8 pm. Most of the insects have been eaten and are absent now. I don't see how the production line of birds that I have could possible forage enough to meet the output.

I am reprogramming my expectations on egg production to be able to move toward a cheaper source of eggs using more foraging and reduce the purchase of expensive milled feed. ( COnversly, I could move toward HIGHER production and increase the feed consumption to the point of purchasing commercial feed in bulk.)

 

[BGMatt]

Don't forget that the chickens (and pigs) also got leftovers and kitchen scraps, including milk/cream from the day's milking. 

They were also adapted to foraging and getting scraps from the beginning of their life so their bodies became accustomed to working efficiently without manufactured feed. 

From some of my research, it seems that the consensus is that today's medium sized egg was the norm for chickens from the early 20th century on back in history, not large eggs like people are accustomed to seeing in the grocery store today.

I imagine that one could get their flock to be decent layers without feeding them commercial feed.  But it would take a change in lifestyle for the owners and the chickens, by truly going back to older ways of doing things and take several years of breeding to get the chickens accustomed to having decent meat and egg laying qualities on a non-manufactured diet.

"Good" egg production was much different (150 eggs a year was amazing back then, now it's considered below average). And while egg laying is genetic, nutritional science has come so far that is a big contributor.

If you want maximum production out of your birds, or indeed even what we consider "normal" these days you need to feed them a properly (professionally I might add) mixed diet and NOT rely on foraging or scraps to feed the birds. It's just that simple.

 

[Pathfinders]

"Good" egg production was much different (150 eggs a year was amazing back then, now it's considered below average). And while egg laying is genetic, nutritional science has come so far that is a big contributor.

If you want maximum production out of your birds, or indeed even what we consider "normal" these days you need to feed them a properly (professionally I might add) mixed diet and NOT rely on foraging or scraps to feed the birds. It's just that simple.

I agree completely. Thank you for saying this.