We have free-ranged our chickens for years. Our flock has ranged in size from 20 to 30 chickens and we only have layers. We sell organic free range eggs at farmer's market as well as to two mom-n-pop hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Last year the flock managed to migrate out to the road many times and a few stragglers made it into our corn/bean field across the street. Our road is about 1,200 ft. from the house. It's not a busy little road but do have hot-rodders and it's not unusual to see blood and guts on the road from time to time. This year the group wants to hang out near the road and have become more of a nuisance to drivers. We have lost three chickens so far this spring in the road.
Also the chickens have been more destructive in the vegetable gardens and flower gardens since last year. We have had very good success with chickens in the gardens over the years (I actually plant extras to compensate for the chickens) and they do a very good job of ridding us of unwanted bugs and voles in the garden. But the young sprouts have been decimated this spring.
So I fixed the big gate to the chicken run and patched several holes in the fencing and the chickens are penned up for the first time in their lives. Obviously they don't like it a bit. They are used to a protene rich diet of bugs, weeds, voles, mice, etc. How do you guys suggest we supplement their diet to keep them healthy. I know this change is going to cost more in chicken feed as we almost never had to but feed in the past. Penned up chickens is something new to us.
Also the chickens have been more destructive in the vegetable gardens and flower gardens since last year. We have had very good success with chickens in the gardens over the years (I actually plant extras to compensate for the chickens) and they do a very good job of ridding us of unwanted bugs and voles in the garden. But the young sprouts have been decimated this spring.
So I fixed the big gate to the chicken run and patched several holes in the fencing and the chickens are penned up for the first time in their lives. Obviously they don't like it a bit. They are used to a protene rich diet of bugs, weeds, voles, mice, etc. How do you guys suggest we supplement their diet to keep them healthy. I know this change is going to cost more in chicken feed as we almost never had to but feed in the past. Penned up chickens is something new to us.