not feeding your chickens. anyone?

[sourland]

No feed in Oregon in the winter? Don't you guys get a lot of snow?

 

[Larkin]

We have over 40 acres for our chickens to forage, they choose to stay close to the house and their coop. I still have all their feeders full but I will say, in the spring/summer/fall when they are outside foraging, they drop a little weight. I think all the extra activity, running around makes them a bit leaner. Never to worry though, they gain it all back in the winter when they refuse to go out in the snow. I would worry too much if I didn't provide feed and fresh water to animals.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
Where did you get this "statistic"?

Just experience. Egg laying records, farm statistics exist from long ago. In the early 1900's, my grandparents kept flocks and records. An outstanding hen, back then, might lay 190 eggs per year. There were lots of reasons. The genetics weren't as focused as they are today. Feeding chickens was hit and miss. Poultry science was somewhat immature. Poultry feed? Some farmers fed their chickens with whatever they had, but others just let the chickens forage and pick spilled grains, etc as if they were virtually feral.

Again, as I said in my post, chickens here, up north, wouldn't even survive, let alone flourish if dependent on our local environment for 100% of their calories. The modern hen may have way more genetic potential for 250-280 egg production per year, but my concern would be this. Those same genetics actually seem to require better feed/vitamins/calcium/minerals to achieve. Your experience may differ and that's ok. Just my $.02

 

[centrarchid]

We did the no supplemental feed thing with games on some walks. This worked so long as birds has access to woodlot and bushy fence rows. Bird number had to be low as well. During hard winters shelled corn was only supplement. Once livestock are in picture, manure provides a very different but quality forage source. If grain was applied to livestock, then chickens got it directly as spillage and / or gleaned it from feces.

 

[Fred's Hens]

18 acres, in resource rich, relatively temperate Oregon may potentially be able to provide an equal or even better diet than I can provide through feed here. There's likely no "animal cruelty" involved. We might be discussing an extremely knowledgeable, organic, natural farmer here. Or, a somewhat callous owner. No way to tell.

 

[LiLRedCV]

So, I wonder... what did chickens do to survive before we domesticated them? Hhhmmm... Oh, that's right! They did exactly as this man is allowing them to do! Wow. They're surviving too... go figure....

We are in WA state. Our weather is much like Oregon's. We don't really get that much snow as our average winter temps - if you're in the lowlands - is 45 degrees. We do get a lot of constant drizzle tho'! We still have green grass during the colder months... It isn't known as the "Evergreen State" without just cause and that title just doesn't apply to all the pine trees alone!

Our flock of 40 free-ranges on 2-acres, but do we supplement with organic layer pellets and daily once-a-day treat of BOSS and all the calcium they want/need and occasional fruit/veggie scraps when available, but I only have to fill the 12-lb feeder with layer pellets about once a week (sometimes less) when the foraging is good (think spring/summer/fall). During the winter months I may have to fill it with layer pellets 3x week (the one 12-lb feeder, with 40 birds, has never gotten more than 3/4 empty before it's refilled), but they still forage for what they can (yes, my flock will even brave the snow!!)....

While we provide shelter in the form of a coop, it is neither insulated nor heated. Nor do we provide extended lighting during the winter months. We do, however, have clear corrugated roofing on at least 1/2 the roof to allow for as much natural light as possible tho'! Egg production is not so much a worry for us as this is our hobby, not our livelihood. We got our first flock for the eggs and natural bug control they offered us. Any eggs we may sell is just a bonus.

 

[johnsons-r-us]

I'm new in the last 6 months......to chickens. I fed mine as babies, but then when they started free ranging the yard (about 2 1/2 acres) I wasn't so concerned with feeding them everday. As summer when on they've gone weeks without "formal feeding". I give treats when we have extras. I will feed more regularly when it gets cold. I don't think they can find food if it snows. I have two girls laying, everyday since they started last month. The rest are sure to follow. With nothing other than free ranging I have great quality eggs! I have a very relaxed attitude with my small flock and hope I can keep it that way. They just like to hang out around the property, they go into the coop at night on their own, although about 3 months ago I had 3 decide they would rather sleep in the tree. I hope that changes as the weather gets cooler. The one tree sleeping hen loves to lay eggs under our deck, which I can't reach!

The other hen likes the nest boxes in the coop. So do I!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

I don't feed my chickens in the summer months, or my geese, guineas or ducks. In the fall once the grass starts to turn brown I start giving them feed again and I don't notice a huge change in egg production. I'll bet my birds are healthier and more fit then a free-ranged bird who doesn't have to forage for food.

 

[NorthestGeorgia14]

My granddad feed is chickens ever other day .

 

[dainerra]

I always have feed available, but they don't eat much at all when they are free-ranging all day