Free Ranging Question

[ChickCrazed]

For the last three months I have had my egg flock "free-ranging". Some of these birds are older and prior to me getting them had not done much free-ranging. Most of the birds are younger, though, and have been free ranging since they were old enough to be outside. My question is on supplemental feed. I have my egg flock and my two breeding flocks. My egg flock, even though they have 4 acres of goodies to eat all day long, seems to consume very little while "ranging" and is going through just as much food as the two flocks that are not able to free range. I have a feeder full of food with all flocks, thinking that the free-ranging birds would need a bit of supplemental nutrition. It is all they seem to want to eat though. Should I remove the supplemental food?

The "free-range" birds seem to spend 99% of their day sitting and dust bathing under a huge blue spruce in my yard. They do come out for about 45 minutes before bed and will eat some bugs/weeds then, but otherwise seem to be eating the crumbles.

The flock is a mixed breed flock of Easter Eggers, Marans, Barred Rocks, Welsummer, Wyandotte.

I don't want them to starve but want to save on a bit of feed while I can!!! I have the land for it!!!

 

[Chick Charm]

Your description of the free ranging birds sounds normal in the following respects 1) Eating at dusk in the open because the hawks have gone for the day, 2) Laying under a tree is normal and provides protection.

They will eat less feed free ranging. However you may be feeding other birds, insects, and squirrels ect. Other critters like chicken feed also. "IF" you have green grass or weeds and the like they will consume quite a bit. Maybe up to 1/3 of their diet. So they will eat less feed. How much less is debatable. If they have lots of cover they will roam and venture and cover a larger area.

Free Ranger for life. Wishing you the best.

 

[ChickCrazed]

I have my feeder inside the coop and plastic over the pop door to prevent wild birds from entering (had issues last winter). I also put the feeder 18" high so mice can't jump in. I am pretty sure it is the chickens doing all of the eating and I honestly don't think my feed bill has gone down one bit with the "free-ranging", I'm sure filling it up just as often. It sure seems to me like most birds would spend more than 45 minutes a day eating bugs and stuff. And I have such a mix of breeds that i should have at least one or two that are good "free ranging" breeds. Maybe I should just lock them up again, they would be safer and don't seem to be utilizing the freedom like they should anyway.

 

[RJSorensen]

I let my birds free range most of the day, in my case the feed use in the coop dropped quite a bit, in fact I was worried that they were not getting enough to eat. But I had a chance to see one of my birds along side another older bird and mine are bigger. So my thoughts are that if you don't have a lot of cover for them to hide in, shade in, hunt for bugs in, you are not getting what you want from your ranging.

If they are parked under one tree most of the day, they are essentially not free ranging, and are doing and eating exactly as you describe. Four acres of grass is not of much value without proper cover/shade. Perhaps a chicken tractor or such would be in order. You will have to look at the situation and decide just what is what here. Birds will never stay in the coop, if they can get out.

Just some food for thought,

RJ

 

[Chick Charm]

If given the chance most chickens will prefer to eat bugs & grass/greens and whatever they find in your yard over commercial feed. So hopefully you can analyze why the are not foraging as much as (I) we anticipate. Maybe more cover is in order as RJSorensen mentioned. Or maybe they just need more time to figure out the protein sources available to them. Realistically you should see less feed being consumed.

Wish ya the best.

 

[ChickCrazed]

Thanks for the input! Cover could be an issue, but there is SOME cover in the area. I guess I need to start thinking about how to add more. Here is a picture of their "area". The white shed is the coop and there is a line of small trees where the white stakes are, hopefully in another few months they will provide some additional cover since they are a fast growing variety (they are in the 3 - 5 ft tall range now). Their chosen tree is the spruce on the right, and there are a few more trees on that side (similar in size to the one in front of the spruce). I have yet to have a hawk problem (and may not since I have very large horses in the area) but am glad they have the natural instinct to keep to cover anyway.

 

[RJSorensen]

You don't have cover, except for that small pine tree. No bird will stand out in that yard and wait to be harvested by the hawks. You need to rethink cover. A sheet of plywood on cinder blocks 'may' get them to move, but I would not bet on that. Your nice grass is green, but unless there were to be total cloud cover, there not going to go out there much. You need to think English Hedge Row, cover over the top and low to the ground. A place that can be watered down to keep the earth cool for them to rest in. Chickens like temps of 75 F. Anything hotter and they will just shade up, if they can.

I supposed it was lack of cover in my post, your photograph shows same.

Best to you and your birds,

RJ