Ignoring feed.

[Henriettamom919]

I went through this once before and began fermented feeding. My girls loved the FF and had it morning and evening with dry chow available all day.

Between the weather warming up and having moved coops they're foregoing their actual food for free range, springtime goodies. They're eating grass seed, immature berries, loads of slugs, bugs and snails.

Egg production is great (literally daily even for my Buff Orpington) and the eggs are gorgeous. I've seen no decline in health. That being said I slept in until 9 am last Sunday and having been stuck in the run for 3.5hours they CLEARED their feed bowl.

Should I stop letting them out so early (I'm up that early most days anyway) or just leave them be? I'm just worried I won't know there's an issue until it's upon us

Oh! And to add to that my bottom chicken is now turning away when they *do* eat if my Alpha so much as looks at her! Carol doesn't even have to move on her and Henrietta just gives up and eats grass.

Ugh! As soon as I get one issue sorted they pull their crap and I'm back at square one! Much like raising human children!

 

[DobieLover]

All the behavior you described sounds perfectly normal to me. They'll forage if they can and supplement their intake with commercial when they can't.
Your head hen sounds very nice and seems to have her queendom in order. She doesn't need to waste any energy pecking a subordinate back in line when a mere sideways glance gets the job done.
I wouldn't change anything!