Free effect on egg yields

[junebuggena]

That does make sense! I just assumed they may eat more as they need to keep warm. My meaties (that did lay eggs after a year old) ate all the time so they were always on rations so I never noticed with them. So I am still learning with layers (not meaties turned into layers, lol).

It takes a lot less energy for a chicken to keep warm than it does for them to produce an egg. They are wearing down coats all the time, after all.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

I say this is not a good idea. Depending on how many chickens you have, an acre is not a lot of grazing ground. Bugs will be gone quickly with some getting more protein than others. Then they will be eating mostly green forage? Do you raise a wheat crop, or or rye or barley where they can get nutritious grains? The loss of eggs and starving chickens will be the end result. Chicken feed is pretty cheap!