l_ouise Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Hello. I have been letting my three chickens free range around the garden and it seems to have been a bit of a mistake with us not being able to let them free range all day every day. When they get up in the morning, they no longer eat their pellets but spend their time rubbing up the gate to get out. They have the Eglu standard run inside a 3mx5m fenced area but it isn't enough - they want out! I have left them all morning and most of the afternoon and they will only have eaten a tiny amount of pellets. Then i let them out and they will eat everything in sight like they have been starved. Is it ok them not eating their pellets if they are free ranging for a couple of hours per day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I'm interested in replies to this too! Ours were f/r in garden from 9am til 7pm but were locked in run for a couple of hrs in morning when they did eat pellets. Now they're in an area fenced with 50m of electric netting so I just let them straight out in the morning and they don't seem to be eating as many pellets. I'm keeping a close eye for the next day or two cos I had filled their feeder right up to empty a bag of pellets so maybe they are eating but it's just not as apparent. I'm thinking though that if they're f/r'ing, they'll be picking up lots more bugs etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 It will impact on their laying, but if they are happy, and you are happy, why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Mine free range all day and are eating very few pellets. Even when shut in for a few hours in the morning they are keen to wait for all of the yummy things that they know are waiting in the garden The result is 1 egg per day instead of 4 I can get them to eat if I soak the pellets into a mash. It would be nice to have more eggs but I have decided that they layed all winter in the awful weather and deserve a bit of a break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Mine free range all day and don't eat all that many pellets. I decided that I'd rather have happy hens than egg producing machines so I'm quite happy. My Speckledy started laying today so I got 3 eggs from 6 hens today. I'm happy with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l_ouise Posted June 5, 2010 Author Share Posted June 5, 2010 Thanks for the replies although i was hoping for more of a solution to get them to still eat their pellets but letting them out Should i just stop letting them free range and eventually they'll forget about trying to get out? Maybe i could plant more within their fenced area? Any suggestions or advice on a good chicken garden? What plants will be covered in bugs but not fall victim to the chickens themselves or poison the chickens? They are all still laying about 5 eggs per week and they have good shells etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 They are all still laying about 5 eggs per week and they have good shells etc I wouldn't worry about changing what you are doing then I only twitch a bit about mine not eating pellets as I would like a few more eggs (plus I had one laying softies but thankfully that has stopped now). I can't bear mine being shut in so I would rather let them out and have fewer eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OllieNLucys Mum Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I've noticed mine aren't eating as many pellets either I wondered if it was because the weather was warmer. All 3 girls lay every day which I wish they didn't as I am over run with eggs. Anyone got any recipes that use lots of eggs I used to let mine free range but don't any more as have become very attached to them. ( I do feel guilty though as their field only has grass as I can't include any of the hedges and trees in their netted area as the foxes could jump in from there.) I do wonder what they actually eat, they are always pecking busily so I guess they must be finding something and they have certainly made massive bald patches.I have put old straw bales in that attract insects and I guess more just migrate in every day. I am moving their netted area further up the field next week so they should have new supplies then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...