Alexandra Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I just inherited a small flock of chickens. I am interested in growing purslane for them b/c I have heard it increases the omega 3 content of the eggs. I was wondering if there are any other things that I can do for them to help the nutritional content of the eggs or just to make them happy in general. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright_Future Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 The best thing we did for our flock of orphingtons and aracuanas (sp?) was to free range them. Depending on the size of bird (heavy or not) and the breed, most birds do not like to be cramped up. If ours were overcrowded at any time they would decrease egg production. When we sold the flock, the people who bought them tried to keep them penned and the egg production went down dramatically until they let them out. Mind you, our birds had access to their hen house/shed, layer feed and water, but were still able to come and go as they pleased. We had about 20 hens before selling them off and could easily get 18 eggs a day even in the hot south, summer heat. The people we sold only 5 hens to had no problem keeping these penned because of the small number and they produced 5-6 eggs/day. If you keep them well fed (don't let the food run out), watered well, particularly in the heat, and do not over crowd them you will have a happy flock. As far as nutritional content of eggs, anything besides a supermarket egg has to be better in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Case in point: My sister and I live on the same street and both raise chickens. One day I was talking about the difference between my "yard" eggs and the store eggs, and how the yolks are so dark that it makes everything look almost orange when you add them (potato salad, tuna, etc.). She said she didn't notice a difference. Then it dawned on me; she has hers in a confined area within her barn on a dirt floor. I mean, they have room to move and run around, but nothing other than their feed to eat. Mine free range on about an acre (well, they did until one night when I didn't lock their coop and they all got murdered) and are able to eat tons of grass, bugs, etc. The difference is really pretty amazing. My eggs (yolks) are a totally different color. My hens were so much healthier looking. They were big, shiny, full-feathered, etc. Gosh I miss those fat gals!! On a lighter note, I am about to order me another "flock" of chicks and raise them. I can't wait. I love my chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 We have a little flock of Rhode Island Red bantams that run around our large suburban backyard everyday. And I'll ditto the thought that their yolks are deep orange, and they are just happy girls who do all the fun thinks chickens to, to our delight and theirs. I have tried on thing (which may be "folly") but our feed store has flax seed cheap in bulk. So I've mixed some in with the food hoping we might get an Omega 3 "bump". Now I don't know if those flax seeds are being ground in the chicken's gullet and are therefore being absorbed, or if it is just "roughage" passing through. I don't know. I suppose if I were more industrious I'd grind fresh flax seed every day but.... Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I keep my 6 hens in a coop. It is a large coop, though- they have room to scratch around in the dirt outside in the sunshine & eat bugs, or go under their shelter... they get kitchen scraps and fresh greens as well as their laying crumbles... they seem happy and healthy and I get the dark yolks. Technically, because they aren't stuck in individual cages, my hens are considered free-range... but I call them cooped up. Ours used to be truly free range, but after losing 2 sets to roaming dogs, I decided a long cooped life is better than such a violent end. (Also- this way I can find all the eggs every day!) Now- I never thought about Omega supplements! Neat idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I just inherited a small flock of chickens. I am interested in growing purslane for them b/c I have heard it increases the omega 3 content of the eggs. I was wondering if there are any other things that I can do for them to help the nutritional content of the eggs or just to make them happy in general. :) Depending on what you mean by "small flock", you can have a great time growing special greens for them. I've never thought about specifically trying to boost the nutrient value of the eggs because, IMHO, eggs from hens that are allowed to range and forage are healthy enough all on their ownsome. Plus, growing greens for a group of birds is sometimes a demanding proposition because they will rip through a patch of greens in short order if it's something they love. But, hey, no harm in trying. We raised about 130 layers at a time. They were confined to a fenced area, but moved to a new spot weekly, always on grass. The yolks in their eggs were "school bus yellow". They were healthy and happy, as well as safer and more manageable in a pseudo-confined setting than as free ranging birds. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I think it makes them happy when you spend a lot of time petting them and telling them how pretty they are, too :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 My 5 are in a suburban yard. Right now, they are penned into the area that will be my spring garden. They are busy every day scratching up the leaves and grass clippings that I put in there all summer long. They get all of the kitchen scraps, plus dried corn when it is really cold and layer pellets and are very happy. Once a week they scratch up the rest of my yard. In the summer once the grass comes out, they will keep it all trimmed low, eat all the weeds and control the spider and pest population. I think next winter I will plant winter rye so that they have more fresh greens next winter, but so far I haven't done anything but keep them fed, watered and locked away from predators at night. When it is sunny, we get about 4 eggs a day, when it is cold and dreary, only the rhode island red lays. Oh and the kids chase them and pick them most days. They love to swing with the girls and strut around the trampoline and they beg for scraps at the picnic table and peck on the back door and come running when we come outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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