Pellet vs Free Range/Foraging

[U_Stormcrow]

and FWIW, off the top of my head, i can't think of any particular nutritional element likely to cause a rash of reproductive problems in your birds which wouldn't have much more noticable external symtops evident across the whole of the flock.

Excess fat certainly can cause problems, and there are plenty of very fatty diets out there for chickens (particularly coming fron certain youTubers), but there would be plenty of other signs of excess fat accumulation you'd likely notice before individual reproductive problems started to crop up, and those symptoms would likely be more closely associated with one another over time. Same with calcium deficiencies. Or selenium, or phosphorus.

 

[Aunt Angus]

How old were they? And what breed?

Were there other healthy ones from the same batch?

The first was a rescued hen. I don't know her exact age, but she was at least 5. She was a Golden Comet. I res ued her at the same time as an Australorp who had Salpingitis when I brought her home.

The second was a Welsummer I'd gotten as a chick from a feed store. She was about 3.5 years. She was a solo chick (long story - I know better now).

 

[raingarden]

This brings up the question of whether or not chickens know what is good for them. I am one the fence about it.

But, if nothing else, foraging improves their quality of life. I suspect "the good life" out on the range also strengthens their immune system and helps them stay healthy.

 

[Aunt Angus]

and FWIW, off the top of my head, i can't think of any particular nutritional element likely to cause a rash of reproductive problems in your birds which wouldn't have much more noticable external symtops evident across the whole of the flock.

Excess fat certainly can cause problems, and there are plenty of very fatty diets out there for chickens (particularly coming fron certain youTubers), but there would be plenty of other signs of excess fat accumulation you'd likely notice before individual reproductive problems started to crop up, and those symptoms would likely be more closely associated with one another over time. Same with calcium deficiencies. Or selenium, or phosphorus.

Again - logical. I know we have a slight selenium deficiency in our soil, which is why I have to supplement my goats' diet.

When we planted the pasture prior to VERY strict water restrictions and a host of weather-related disasters, we planted a mix of clovers, vetch, ryes, etc in a mix that was curated for laying hens. I was planning to use that same mix in the grow boxes and whole seed chicken feed in the fodder system.

I have to say that it ain't easy getting concrete answers about whether these reproductive issues can be caused by diet. I am just desperately trying to prevent it from continuing (if possible). All this death is getting to me, not to mention the amount of time it's taking to treat multiple birds for these illnesses. If it's something like injury or bumblefoot, I can look around and figure out what in the environment is contributing. This other crap showing up in my birds... not so much.

If it helps the ladies live better, longer, happier lives, it's all worth consideration.

I think.

Maybe.

Or maybe I'm just driving myself crazy over unrelated incidents.

 

[sdm111]

I'm currently trying to boost my flock's health after a bout of problems.

They currently get All Flock pellets with oyster shell on the side. I rarely give treats (maybe, like, 2x or 3x in the summer to combat heat - that's it). Fresh water daily. Spot clean coop daily, full clean weekly.

So I've been reading a lot about diet. I'm seeing some conflicting info. Of course balanced commercial feed is good, but what about free ranging/foraging? Is that overall detrimental to their health since it isn't balanced commercial feed?

I was thinking about starting a fodder system, but don't want to detract from a balanced diet. I also allow my birds to forage in the pasture daily, and I'm wondering if that's diluting their nutrient intake.

It seems counterintuitive to think that free ranging could be bad for them, but I've read several blogs/articles and a lot of BYC posts suggesting that anything other than pellets (i.e. letting them free range/forage) is bad for them. It's been suggested to me that I should stop letting them consume anything other than pellets, and I'm wondering if that might be better given that these birds are essentially laying machines...

Thoughts?

Whatever you hear or read at the end of the day they're chickens, just chickens. I don't care who says what let them free range if you like. Guess what people guess where everything that's in a pellet came from

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

It's like the suggestion before. I know you're in a funk, Goodness I would be too. Take the day away from the computer and go get your boxes planted. Each day you wait is one day away from some green. Both for you to watch grow and them being your mini grass clippers. I tell you mine come straight out of the roost and go for the green grass. I think these days it is because there is dew on it from the sprinkler. We have feed, oyster shells, grit. Several watering stations. They follow the shade. They have large dust bath areas. I started giving them frozen blueberries at the heat of the day...(I have noticed a difference in the smooth eggs since the blueberries.) I know it is a ramble, but I want you to feel good about what you're doing. Take care of you too!

 

[sdm111]

Again - logical. I know we have a slight selenium deficiency in our soil, which is why I have to supplement my goats' diet.

When we planted the pasture prior to VERY strict water restrictions and a host of weather-related disasters, we planted a mix of clovers, vetch, ryes, etc in a mix that was curated for laying hens. I was planning to use that same mix in the grow boxes and whole seed chicken feed in the fodder system.

I have to say that it ain't easy getting concrete answers about whether these reproductive issues can be caused by diet. I am just desperately trying to prevent it from continuing (if possible). All this death is getting to me, not to mention the amount of time it's taking to treat multiple birds for these illnesses. If it's something like injury or bumblefoot, I can look around and figure out what in the environment is contributing. This other crap showing up in my birds... not so much.

If it helps the ladies live better, longer, happier lives, it's all worth consideration.

I think.

Maybe.

Or maybe I'm just driving myself crazy over unrelated incidents.

It's hard to get concrete answers because nobody knows. Yet that's the same people you could be listening to about this very issue

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Call them your Chia Boxes, like the chia heads you can grow. I do want to suggest not using beans though

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Golden Comets and other "production" RSL are pretty famed for reproductive problems. If you got 5.5 years, I'd say that's par for the breed, with a few much earlier, and a few much later. I'd tend to put that event aside.

and your mix sounds excellent - inspired by three sisters method plantings? I'm not thrilled by rye, but there are worse choices, and it does well in places other grains do not.

 

[RubelliteRose]

The first was a rescued hen. I don't know her exact age, but she was at least 5. She was a Golden Comet. I res ued her at the same time as an Australorp who had Salpingitis when I brought her home.

The second was a Welsummer I'd gotten as a chick from a feed store. She was about 3.5 years. She was a solo chick (long story - I know better now).

I believe Golden Comets are more susceptible to reproductive issues. I don't have any myself, but I was under the impression that reproductive issue were fairly common after age 3 with Comets.
I haven't heard of Welsummers having early reproductive problems, but any chicken has a chance of developing them. I have a Dominique who developed Salpingitis not long after her first birthday( fortunately we caught it early and she is still around ).
It may not be related to diet at all and just be a run of bad luck.