Egg Production
"Worm!" That's the magic word that brings the chickens to a frenzy of anticipation. They watch with great interest as we work in the garden, and immediately recognize when the work brings a worm to the surface and it's tossed into the chicken coop. They've even learned to catch them in mid-air and are real entertainers.
And it's not just worms, they also love crickets, caterpillars, grasshoppers and even sowbugs!
What does someone feed chickens?
The worms are a delicacy, too fattening if given in quantity, and the table scraps and leftovers are the regular food for these chickens. The finicky cats turn up their noses at stale dried cat food, but the chickens love it. In fact, they'll eat most any regular kind of food.
They will occasionally get a handful of bird seed. As mentioned before, chicken feed is currently around 40 cents per pound . A couple of hens will But around Month-old Barred Rock hens cost $10 each, and a 50 pound bag of quality starter mash is less than $20. That gets them to the point where they begin laying. Then a 25-pound bag of laying pellets is around $8, and they will eat a couple of handfuls each day. But these do not eat much bought feed because of the garden and table scraps tossed their way. In fact, these hens prefer the scraps and will fight over the goodies, and turn up their beaks at chicken feed. A real delicacy (to them) is the worms and bugs and larvae that come out of the vegetable patch and the orchard. They also appreciate a daily handful of Crimson Clover greens, an excellent cover crop that rotates into the unused garden beds during the rainy season.
What do you do with them after they quit laying?
Healthy chickens will lay for several years, well into their fifth year, but production will slow down. Many chickens become pets and live out a long life scratching around in the garden. But if you're interested in egg production, after their third year you may wish to replace them with fresh layers. Post an ad and give them away, or sell them for a nominal sum.