Free range chickens lay LESS eggs?

[HotelChicka]

This is the first time in 10 years that we have had chickens......my memory is a bit rusty to a lot of details. We have three pullets who just started to lay, two of which havent laid anything in quite a few days.

My hubby did some research on line and read that, the more room the chickens have to roam, the more calories they will burn and, in turn, they will lay smaller egss, less frequently. So he suggests keeping them penned up.

We have small a run for our girls, about 10 by 4 feet, but we do allow them out almost daily, to graze in our yard. They LOVE it!

Still, we bought them to produce eggs, not for just lawn ornaments, and though I personally feel the best thing for optimal egg laying is a happy chicken, I need to know if my husband is right, and if I should keep them penned.

 

[sumi]

I've been keeping chickens for about 6 years now. Cooped up and free range. I found they lay better when free ranging. Once I had them cooped up for a few days while we set a trap for a predator and their egg production dropped quite a bit. I did give them lots of greens during that period. I've heard the free ranging hens burn too many calories argument, but I think that's just an excuse for cooping them up in battery cages.

 

[dainerra]

my girls spend most of their "ranging" time taking dust baths so I doubt they use a whole lot more calories. Plus, any calories burnt are offset by the richer diet when birds forage for themselves. Also, hens lay a certain size of egg depending on their genetics. The only way that they will lay less frequently is an inadequate diet that doesn't give them beyond the bare essentials for life.

I think that many people who believe that free-ranging = less eggs actually just have hidden nests somewhere on their property.

 

[aoxa]

I would say you have more of a chance of the chickens laying in undesirable locations. I have found hidden nests in various places in the woods. Little buggers

My hens that range lay well, but where they lay is hard to decipher. My cochin has been laying somewhere, and I can't find the nest.

 

[donrae]

When pullets first start laying they lay small eggs on an erratic schedule. It evens out, the eggs get larger and more regular. As stated, you're more likely to have eggs hidden and have to go on egg hunts daily. Plus, the eggs are better when the birds have a varied diet!
I've also kept free range and confined and not noticed a difference in production.

Now, if you rely on them to get all their nutrition from ranging, you'll have less eggs. You still need to supplement with a good feed for optimal production. I don't think that's the case here but just throwing it out for the peanut gallery.

 

[Fred's Hens]

my girls spend most of their "ranging" time taking dust baths so I doubt they use a whole lot more calories. Plus, any calories burnt are offset by the richer diet when birds forage for themselves. Also, hens lay a certain size of egg depending on their genetics. The only way that they will lay less frequently is an inadequate diet that doesn't give them beyond the bare essentials for life.

I think that many people who believe that free-ranging = less eggs actually just have hidden nests somewhere on their property.

This.

 

[Hooligans7]

We've been chicken herders for two years now, and they've always free ranged. As our two black sex-linked (black star) pullets started laying and a barred rock hen came back "online" after a hormone problem, about every other day for the past month they've batted 1,000 — five hens, five eggs — all in the nest boxes. On "Off" days we get four eggs. The only time an egg wasn't laid in the right place was when the three next boxes were occupied, and she laid it on the floor of the coop, which was easy to retrieve.
We have three barred rocks hens, two BSL (almost) hens, and one BR rooster that all hang out together scratching and pecking at the edge of the woods.

 

[3chickchicks]

Mine free range. I get an egg a day from each of them most days. They don't fight, they look great and have a great time hunting for their food. They help fight weeds and pests.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Growing up we free ranged and got plenty of eggs. I used to free range but people's dogs stopped that. I keep mine in a LG hen house and a big run , they were laying great until one day I go in and instead of 12 eggs I got 3 so someone please explain that and it has lasted a week.

 

[PeckPeckChick]

Lol sound framiliar?