How do you know your free range flock is getting enough food?

[Vickydolittle]

Hello, I free range my flock, they are 17weeks old and free range on 2.5 out of 10 acres. How do I know if they are getting enough food? I was supplementing in the evening so they go back to their run/coop and I could get a good headcount, but recently they've been acting famished and a couple are getting a little food aggressive so I split that meal two times a day. However, I want them to continue to search on their own (we have plenty of bugs around and I've seen them catch them), but my husband feels like I may be overfeeding them. They also haven't laid their first eggs yet, but it is still in the mid to high 90's if that has anything to do with it as well. Any advice is much appreciated! (I also gave them some crushed eggshell on the side in their run as well.)

 

[Bawkbok]

Ours free range in the early morning and early evening precoop time when the weather is "cooler". I too see them eat bugs, fresh greens, a lot of picking and scratching the ground. Then when they return to the run, they immediately go to the feeder and chow for a minute or two, get a drink and settle down. I think you need not worry as they seem to self regulate. They take what they need and walk away.
In some book (can't recall the resource now) I read where they need or like to eat every 3-4 hours. We leave the food out from sunrise to sunset and pick it up at night, this way they can eat freely at will. I think there are some breeds who have a propensity to obesity if they have no opportunity to range at all and get little exercise. It sounds like you have no worries. Others more experienced than I can add more value here.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

17 weeks is still early for most breeds to lay. How much are you feeding them daily and for how many chickens? You can’t really overfeed free-ranging chickens with chicken feed. Chickens that get fat are ones that do not have access to adequate space to exercise and are being fed fatty or carby extras in excess.They will eat what they need and forage for the rest. My chickens have access to 30 acres and they still go through a good amount of feed. However, they are also constantly foraging. It is in their nature to forage hence why they are always scratching at the ground. Feeding them a proper amount of food will not keep them from foraging. If they are acting hungry feed them accordingly. Starving a chicken will not make it suddenly forage more it will only cause health issues and nutrient deficiencies down the road.

 

[Vickydolittle]

17 weeks is still early for most breeds to lay. How much are you feeding them daily and for how many chickens? You can’t really overfeed free-ranging chickens with chicken feed. Chickens that get fat are ones that do not have access to adequate space to exercise and are being fed fatty or carby extras in excess.They will eat what they need and forage for the rest. My chickens have access to 30 acres and they still go through a good amount of feed. However, they are also constantly foraging. It is in their nature to forage hence why they are always scratching at the ground. Feeding them a proper amount of food will not keep them from foraging. If they are acting hungry feed them accordingly. Starving a chicken will not make it suddenly forage more it will only cause health issues and nutrient deficiencies down the road.

I fill up a 3 quart scooper which = 12cups, I have 16 chickens. I also give them leftover fruits/veggies that we have very often. One of the breeds is a cinnamon queen which is a hybrid and apparently supposed to lay sooner, but I guess you never know. I figured with most of the other chickens not to expect eggs until late October.

 

[Perris]

I fill up a 3 quart scooper which = 12cups

what exactly are you filling this scooper with?

 

[Vickydolittle]

what exactly are you filling this scooper with?

It's a high protien chick starter food

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Feel their breasts. If they have definable breast tissue consistently over time, they’re probably fine. If they feel emaciated at the breasts, either they’re not getting enough, they have parasites, or they have a sickness such as Marek’s that interfering with digestion.

Don’t forget grit. Many free-range chickens find their own well enough. But that’s heavily dependent on your soil type. If your land isn’t rocky, you’ll want to pour them out some rocks to pick through. Granite is a good choice.

 

[Vickydolittle]

Feel their breasts. If they have definable breast tissue consistently over time, they’re probably fine. If they feel emaciated at the breasts, either they’re not getting enough, they have parasites, or they have a sickness such as Marek’s that interfering with digestion.

Don’t forget grit. Many free-range chickens find their own well enough. But that’s heavily dependent on your soil type. If your land isn’t rocky, you’ll want to pour them out some rocks to pick through. Granite is a good choice.

That's what I was thinking too! Thank you, around their breast area always feels nice and round. We have lots of rock/crushed gravel and I also recently put grit in their run as well for just in case

 

[Penpal]

If your chickens are still growing then they will eat a little more and a little more because they are bigger and bigger and growing. When you get some really cold weather and loose the bugs you'll see them eating more feed.