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TIL letting my hens free-range all day actually lowered egg production
Everywhere I read says free-ranging is better for egg laying, but I tried it with my 6 Rhode Island Reds last spring in Austin and they dropped from 5 eggs a day to 2. Turns out they were spending more time hunting bugs and less time eating their layer feed, so they weren't getting enough calcium. Anyone else see their egg count drop after switching to full free-range?
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cameron3181mo ago
...and honestly that whole "free range always equals more eggs" thing is a bit of a myth anyway. Free ranging is better for their quality of life and the nutritional value of the eggs themselves, but you're right, it almost always drops the total number. Another thing nobody talks about is how much energy they burn scratching around all day, that extra activity alone can slow down laying. Also, the calcium thing is huge but make sure you're offering oyster shell on the side, even when they're on feed, because their bodies will tell them what they need if you give them the choice. I'd say 2 eggs from 6 birds on free range in Austin is actually pretty normal for the summer heat alone, so you're probably doing better than you think.
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oscarthompson1mo ago
Isn't it funny how every time we try to optimize something we just end up trading one thing for another?
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