How early do you let your hens out to free range?

[m3torres]

that would be amazing! but I think OP said in the first post that the chickens in question are two years old.

My first flock from 2017 got annihilated in the Fall of 2022. The flock is from May 2023 through now. Same feed brand from a place called The Feed Store. I don't know how long they stay stressed, but the rooster's been gone since January, the mites almost 2 months, and they hardly molted. Today it rained so, they ate free worms. So no meal worms. Meal worms are not every day, I guess I misspoke. Meal worms are when I get around to visiting with them for a bit, and I spread them over a large area for them to scratch. If it's not meal worms it's 1 or 2 slices of bread soaked in water, another time it's left over meals (rare), or cuties. They love cuties. A cutie for each fluffy butt. In the summer maybe watermelon, and black berries from the yard when they grow.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

My first flock from 2017 got annihilated in the Fall of 2022. The flock is from May 2023 through now. Same feed brand from a place called The Feed Store. I don't know how long they stay stressed, but the rooster's been gone since January, the mites almost 2 months, and they hardly molted. Today it rained so, they ate free worms. So no meal worms. Meal worms are not every day, I guess I misspoke. Meal worms are when I get around to visiting with them for a bit, and I spread them over a large area for them to scratch. If it's not meal worms it's 1 or 2 slices of bread soaked in water, another time it's left over meals (rare), or cuties. They love cuties. A cutie for each fluffy butt. In the summer maybe watermelon, and black berries from the yard when they grow.

Ok yeah none of that sounds excessive. We should find out more about the feed. My guess is (and this is just a wild guess based on my own experience) is that they need a protein boost to recover from the molt even if it was light. Between the stress and the molt if they aren’t getting enough protein they might just be lagging nutritionally and can’t catch up. If they are on layer feed, for instance, it might take something like Feather Fixer or all flock to get them back to where they need to be. I stopped feeding layer feed a long time ago because I had a mixed flock with older and younger heritage breeds. I noticed a much quicker molt recovery. It is worth a shot if nothing else seems to be working. I would continue letting them out early if there are no dawn predators where you are.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

The funny thing is no one has shared any answers on sunlight really. So this is day two and I got two eggs in a row. That is a rarity. Been letting them out at 5:30am in Chicago and they go back to their coop by 7:50pm-8:15pm. Yesterday and today. I'll update if tomorrow is different.

I also have some anecdotal sunlight information. Right now my only two laying hens are in a chicken tractor in a very shady grove of chestnut trees. They have been laying an egg each almost every day. And they’re both four. Normally I would let them out but they are kind of being forced to function as a flock with the pullets I got a couple weeks ago. Once the pullets are big enough and pay attention to what the big girls are doing they will all get out to forage again.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

They don't need direct sunlight. During to darkest part of the year when days are hort, after everyone is done molting, I provide supplemental light every evening to give them a total of 12 hours of light per day. But the supplemental light can actually be just a nightlight, it doesn't have to be all that bright.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sorry, hit Post too soon. So even if your chickens are in the shade on a sunny day, they're still getting plenty of exposure to sunlight.

 

[m3torres]

Two cups is an insane amount of mealworms per day for four chickens. I don’t feed two cups of mealworms to three times as many birds in a month. Maybe I’m stingy.

Ok yeah none of that sounds excessive. We should find out more about the feed. My guess is (and this is just a wild guess based on my own experience) is that they need a protein boost to recover from the molt even if it was light. Between the stress and the molt if they aren’t getting enough protein they might just be lagging nutritionally and can’t catch up. If they are on layer feed, for instance, it might take something like Feather Fixer or all flock to get them back to where they need to be. I stopped feeding layer feed a long time ago because I had a mixed flock with older and younger heritage breeds. I noticed a much quicker molt recovery. It is worth a shot if nothing else seems to be working. I would continue letting them out early if there are no dawn predators where you are.

I thought that the meal worms were protein. They do eat the whole scoop (2 cups) but then again they run around and eat something all day.

Something I did change this weekend, we had bought a bucket and made holes at the bottom with four dangling washers and pvc pipe. The peck it and food comes out. It was an effort to lessen the squirrels and sparrows lounging around eating their feed. We created it just before fall and it holds 25 lbs. I thought that the added squirrels or sparrows were where the mites came from we also added the rooster within 3 weeks. Never had mites before. Could have been the rooster. Well anyway, my one layer was still laying but the other three weren't. Then one of them began eating the one egg, a different hen so I bought fake wooden eggs to their nest box. The whole point is that I felt they weren't picking the bucket enough do I gave them back their old feeder that they have all the access they want to the feed. That was Saturday, so maybe they wanted more food. And maybe that lead to the two days and two eggs per day.

I don't know, these Rhode Island Reds have been more hassle than my Orpingtons hens and my Plymouth Rock hen. And let me tell you about my one and only Naked Neck Rooster. He was aggressive. He was a rescused chicken. Didn't know if it was a rooster or hen so we called it Hooster. Once we knew we named him Bokoblin. He attacked me and my daughter on separate occasions.

I never had heat for hens before, always made sure to cover coop good so no drafts, don't know why he died, if it was too cold or maybe mite related. I think he brought the mites.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I thought that the meal worms were protein. They do eat the whole scoop (2 cups) but then again they run around and eat something all day.

Something I did change this weekend, we had bought a bucket and made holes at the bottom with four dangling washers and pvc pipe. The peck it and food comes out. It was an effort to lessen the squirrels and sparrows lounging around eating their feed. We created it just before fall and it holds 25 lbs. I thought that the added squirrels or sparrows were where the mites came from we also added the rooster within 3 weeks. Never had mites before. Could have been the rooster. Well anyway, my one layer was still laying but the other three weren't. Then one of them began eating the one egg, a different hen so I bought fake wooden eggs to their nest box. The whole point is that I felt they weren't picking the bucket enough do I gave them back their old feeder that they have all the access they want to the feed. That was Saturday, so maybe they wanted more food. And maybe that lead to the two days and two eggs per day.

I don't know, these Rhode Island Reds have been more hassle than my Orpingtons hens and my Plymouth Rock hen. And let me tell you about my one and only Naked Neck Rooster. He was aggressive. He was a rescused chicken. Didn't know if it was a rooster or hen so we called it Hooster. Once we knew we named him Bokoblin. He attacked me and my daughter on separate occasions.

I never had heat for hens before, always made sure to cover coop good so no drafts, don't know why he died, if it was too cold or maybe mite related. I think he brought the mites.

I think the meal worms have as much fat as protein. It sounds like the rooster brought in the mites and it’s possible an illness the hens are still fighting off. The low egg count might be the only hint they’re sick because by the time you know a chicken is sick it’s usually progressed too much for them to hide it. I would keep doing what you’re doing but keep an eye on them

 

[BigBlueHen53]

never had heat for hens before, always made sure to cover coop good so no drafts,

But do you have good ventilation? There needs to be good airflow above the chickens' heads. Allow 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird. Otherwise you get buildup of ammonia which is toxic plus humidity which in cold weather can cause frostbite. Chickens are no more delicate to heat and cold than other birds if they have good ventilation as long as they don't get wet and aren't actually in a direct draft.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

As for mealworms and other treats, anything other than their scientifically formulated crumbles, I've learned here not to give them more of that stuff than 10% of their total daily diet. Which is about 1 Tbsp per bird per day. If they're filling up on table scraps and scratch and so forth, they're eating that much less of their balanced nutrition, and that's not good. It's like letting little kids fill up on cake and ice cream and then wondering why they're overweight and malnourished.

 

[BDutch]

I have been reading this thread and my thought is, the main problem is that the chickens are still not fully recovered from the Red mite infestation, or maybe from a disease the rooster brought into your flock.

Are you sure the red mites are all gone?
Check at night with a torch + Make rolls from conjugated/ribbed biscuit paper and attach these under the roost and check daily. Paint the inside with diatomaceous earth if there are possibly still mite eggs hatching/ nymphs coming out of the cracks. DE only kills young mites, not the adults. If you still have bloodsuckers you need to clean thoroughly every week until they are all gone.

Besides, the food can be off balance, but chickens that free range and have a lot of exercise dont get off balance as quickly as the ones who live on a concrete floor. I would give chick feed if they need extra proteins and a balanced feed as long as the chickens don’t lay much eggs. Oyster flakes on the side, for the one who does lay. Give the chickens a choice what to eat is not bad in general but be careful with snack food. Not so much mealworms and no salted or sweetened left overs. I give mine max one handful mealworms /4 chickens a day.

Chickens are individuals, and maybe one chicken is more affected from a disease or the mites than the other. If the rooster you brought in was sick and spreaded something infectuous it could have damaged the health and ovaries of your chickens too. Some health issues heal after a rest or moult, some don’t.

Chickens flourish better if they have sunlight for a couple of hours each day as long as its not too hot. Lots of air and lots of light is good. Much space and hiding places is good too. Maybe a extra window could help, or more ventilation. How big is your coop? How much sqft ventilation gaps are there? Could you post a few photos from their coop/run outside space?

An auto pop door on time or sunlight (brightness) can help to let them free range at the times which are best for your chickens.

And good to know, chickens who get older >18 months start to moult every year and need a period to recover without laying. Most chickens moult in autumn and have a recovering period of 1-5 months depending on breed, age and individual.

Giving extra sunlight for extra eggs is not good for their health/longevity. But it often suits people who cull their chickens after 3-4 years of age. Healthy chickens with no inbreeding issues can lay up to about 10 yo, but their winter (or hot summer) breaks get longer every year. Its not just the hours of light that triggers to stop or start laying. Weather extremes, stress and health issues can let them stop to lay too ( article @BYC Project Manager)

Last thing I want to mention if you ever decide to add a rooster or new hens again. Quarantine if there are doubts about their heath (article @MaryJanet about quarantining). And read about natural rooster behaviour (article , know your rooster by @Shadrach).