This year I've decided to give my hens much more free range time. I supervise it, but they pretty much stay in their path and come to the run for a dust bath and a couple hour rest/nap. They are out from about 9 am to 7pm. They come in and out to lay eggs. Sometimes I'll have to sit in the coop to keep a hen company, they do not like being alone.
Anyways, since I've given my hens more free range time, they barely eat the feed. They are actually getting much heavier now they are free ranging. This will be nice in the hot weather. It's very cool in the woods.
However, are they getting enough nutrients from the bugs, grass and worms? Our lawn was infested with army worms, but my hens wiped them out.
Is it okay they are not eating the feed as their staple diet? They ate quite a bit of feed during the winter. I also bought 15-20 pounds of alfalfa seed and sprout for them and ourselves during the winter and it kept their yolks orange. I still have over 10 pounds of seeds for next winter. I planted sunflower seeds all along their run yesterday, so they too will sprout in a few days for the hens. Their egg shells are still hard, but I do have oyster shell I provide.
I do worry about the feed situation. I'm not convinced the bugs have the nutrients that is put into the layer feed we buy. If they continue this rate, my feed will go bad. I've used 1/4 of a 50# bag the past month for 8 hens.
My husband and I are going to fence our 4 acre property next spring. We will do 1/2 next spring and the other 1/2 the following year. We will block off the unfinished are with chicken wire in the mean time inside the woods. This way I won't have to always watch my girls and this will keep stray dogs out, the stray dogs come in from the road or side year and not the woods. This will be very nice once finished. It will keep our dogs and cats in too.
Anyways, since I've given my hens more free range time, they barely eat the feed. They are actually getting much heavier now they are free ranging. This will be nice in the hot weather. It's very cool in the woods.
However, are they getting enough nutrients from the bugs, grass and worms? Our lawn was infested with army worms, but my hens wiped them out.
Is it okay they are not eating the feed as their staple diet? They ate quite a bit of feed during the winter. I also bought 15-20 pounds of alfalfa seed and sprout for them and ourselves during the winter and it kept their yolks orange. I still have over 10 pounds of seeds for next winter. I planted sunflower seeds all along their run yesterday, so they too will sprout in a few days for the hens. Their egg shells are still hard, but I do have oyster shell I provide.
I do worry about the feed situation. I'm not convinced the bugs have the nutrients that is put into the layer feed we buy. If they continue this rate, my feed will go bad. I've used 1/4 of a 50# bag the past month for 8 hens.
My husband and I are going to fence our 4 acre property next spring. We will do 1/2 next spring and the other 1/2 the following year. We will block off the unfinished are with chicken wire in the mean time inside the woods. This way I won't have to always watch my girls and this will keep stray dogs out, the stray dogs come in from the road or side year and not the woods. This will be very nice once finished. It will keep our dogs and cats in too.
