How much to feed free range hens?

[crackers]

No offence taken at all. You were quite right. Thank you and everyone else for your advice.

 

[Bullitt]

Hello,
Your title is misleading.

I was expecting a discussion on supplementing free ranged chickens with feed, not about them being broody.

Whatever.
Good luck on un-broodifying your girls.

~Mary

He asked how much layer feed should be fed to free-range chickens. But he also asked if feeding too much causes hens to go broody.

 

[Bullitt]

Our 7 hens are free ranging every day in a wooded and semi-grassed area with lots of bugs and so on available. We also feed them layer pellets. However, in recent months, 3 of them (Maran cross Rhode Island Red) have gone broody several times and we wonder if we are feeding them too much? I read somewhere that 30-40g pellets per bird were about right. Does anyone know?

What breed of hens do you have?

 

[crackers]

One Lohman Brown hybrid, 2 Black Rocks and 4 Marran/Rhode Island red crosses (obviously the Marran is the dominant gene since they look just like Marrans). It's the three of the latter that keep going broody on us. My picture is of Olga, the main culprit!

 

[Nimue]

I've been wondering the same thing, as I have 7 newbies that are just starting to lay, and 6 firsties that are well established. Generally, 4 oz. of pellets/crumbles apiece is recommended, depending on free ranging capacity and breed requirements, and when I added that up it came to 4 pounds a day! Honestly, I've been filling a large plastic coffee can and calling it good, and that weighs in at about 31/2 pounds. They get lots of BOSS, too. I give them a good supply of greens from the garden, because in the summer it is dry around here, the only bugs I ever see are sow bugs and ticks! I hope this helps, I was concerned the newbies weren't getting enough, and not starting to lay, but 2 have started the last month. I have one Orpington who is the Brooder around here, twice a year or so, but I also see that when they are getting too much attention from the rooster they go into a broody spell often moulting at the same time. Time out! I hope this helps, fresh eggs are where it's at.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: If you want maximum egg production, give them as much as they want