Will providing feed while in a tractor reduce foraging?

[hen-at-home]

Hi all,

If I provide mash for my 7 and 8wk olds while they are in the tractor (I will always provide fresh water) will they do less foraging? I searched for an answer to this question and I found the majority of you make feed (like the bagged purchased stuff) available for your hens all day. I decided I would do the same and put a small feeder in the tractor. I move the tractor around on the lawn every one to two hours and I throw in kitchen scraps occasionally too. I just wondered if they will reduce the amount of foraging they might normally do because I want them to act as organic lawn maintenance machines and I wouldn't want to deter that!

 

[shopchicks]

Yes, it will reduce foraging. If you do a search on Joel Salatin's chicken raising techniques, he moves the tractors, then waits an hour or so before putting feed in, so that they will forage more instead of going for the easy feed.

 

[snowflake]

I through a little scratch feed and boss down and they do a good job of getting the scratch and eat idea, I have 26 8week olds in a tractor and move it every day or two and they have the grass well cut and that is some long grass as our mower is brook and DH has been working on it for a week.

 

[elmo]

That method might work for adult chickens, but I would never restrict access to feed for growing chicks, just in case. You have no way of knowing how much food is in a particular patch of grass.

Additionally, what I've observed with mine is that they always forage first and go for the chicken feed after. Fresh bugs and seeds are tastier than processed food, it seems.