Questions about chicks and pullets

[myfivegirls]

I don't know if this the right place to ask this question or not. But, here goes:

I know someone who got 15 Red Star chicks on April 19th, 2010, but theirs are from a breeder in PA rather than a hatchery . He said that one of hens did the "wings out, squat down and stop feet" dance the other day and that the they're as big as his other full grown chickens now. My pullets (4 of which are hatchery Red Stars) are the same age, within a day or two, but they aren't anywhere as big as his pullets or the two RIR hens I have now, MAYBE 3/4 their size at the most.
Could it possibly be that his chickens are bigger simply because have been fed primarily by chick grower (and not let outside) vs. mine that have been pastured from 6 weeks or so? My pullets have been eating their feed, but they don't seem to growing VERY slow.

So, my questions are this:
Does it make a difference in growth rate if chicks are raised mostly on chick grower feed, rather than on grower feed AND being pastured with access to bugs, grass, and other treats?

Have any of you noticed a difference in chick to egg-laying time depending on the time of year? Such as, spring (March, April) chicks that start laying in September or October vs. chicks started in July or August, raised through the winter, and that begin laying in late winter to early spring.

Thanks in advance.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
It does seem to me that my free ranged chickens grow somewhat slower than my friends' who are on smaller pieces of land or free range less often. They're constantly running around.

I also think that mine are strong and hardy for it, so it's a good trade off.

I can't speak authoritatively on this, but i don't think it necessarily has that much to do with the food being fed, in your particular case.