Pellet vs Free Range/Foraging

Aunt Angus

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Golden Comets and other "production" RSL are pretty famed for reproductive problems. If you got 5.5 years, I'd say that's par for the breed, with a few much earlier, and a few much later. I'd tend to put that event aside.

and your mix sounds excellent - inspired by three sisters method plantings? I'm not thrilled by rye, but there are worse choices, and it does well in places other grains do not.
I can't remember all that's in it off the top of my head, but I'm fairly confident rye was in there. It may be inspired by 3 sisters. I just know my birds love it, it grows crazy fast, and I can buy it in whatever quantity I choose at the nursery up the hill.

I know RSLs are prone to problems. I wouldn't be concerned other than the deaths happened in quick succession after years of no problems. The loss of the Welsummer kills me, though. She had been laying great one week, then all bad the next. It was quick, which I suppose is better than having her suffer for weeks.

I find myself looking at my flock and wondering who is next. Marmalade is laying internally, so she's next. Poppy is probably not far behind as she's getting older and has slowed down considerably. Then maybe Julep... It's fricking depressing.
 

3KillerBs

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The first was a rescued hen. I don't know her exact age, but she was at least 5. She was a Golden Comet. I res ued her at the same time as an Australorp who had Salpingitis when I brought her home.

The second was a Welsummer I'd gotten as a chick from a feed store. She was about 3.5 years. She was a solo chick (long story - I know better now).

Getting 5 years out of a production sex-link is amazing! They're known for developing reproductive issues and you have no way of knowing what damage was done in her youth before she came into your hands. I'd chalk that up to natural causes.

The Welsummer wasn't *that* old, but chickens aren't long-lived. She may have been weak stock. After all, dark layers have been all the rage for a while so hatcheries are churning them out en masse and are probably not worrying a lot about selecting for long-term health. :(
 

Aunt Angus

Crossing the Road
Jul 16, 2018
8,767
22,091
942
Nevada County, CA
Golden Comets and other "production" RSL are pretty famed for reproductive problems. If you got 5.5 years, I'd say that's par for the breed, with a few much earlier, and a few much later. I'd tend to put that event aside.

and your mix sounds excellent - inspired by three sisters method plantings? I'm not thrilled by rye, but there are worse choices, and it does well in places other grains do not.
Just picked up some more seed mix. Here's what's in it:

"Contains intermediate ryegrass, Tetraploid perennial ryegrass, common Flax, Buckwheat, Tetraploid annual ryegrass, Ryegrain, Japanese Millet, Red clover (OMRI listed coating), Strawberry clover (OMRI listed coating), Alfalfa (OMRI listed coating), Ladino clover (OMRI listed coating), Broadleaf Trefoil (OMRI listed coating)"

At $3 a lb (and I get a discount if I buy in bulk), I figure I'll give it a go - in addition to ther pelleted feed, of course. Plus it's from a locally sourced, small family owned business.

I can add other seeds, of course. If you see anything lacking, I'd appreciate your input.
 

U_Stormcrow

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Jun 7, 2020
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Just picked up some more seed mix. Here's what's in it:

"Contains intermediate ryegrass, Tetraploid perennial ryegrass, common Flax, Buckwheat, Tetraploid annual ryegrass, Ryegrain, Japanese Millet, Red clover (OMRI listed coating), Strawberry clover (OMRI listed coating), Alfalfa (OMRI listed coating), Ladino clover (OMRI listed coating), Broadleaf Trefoil (OMRI listed coating)"

At $3 a lb (and I get a discount if I buy in bulk), I figure I'll give it a go - in addition to ther pelleted feed, of course. Plus it's from a locally sourced, small family owned business.

I can add other seeds, of course. If you see anything lacking, I'd appreciate your input.
You have a number of legumes there - with different but overlapping periods of peak production. They should self propogate to some extent in much of the US - though like my own experience, you will likely find some which fair better than others. I'm sort of ambivalent about the rye - its usually added to green up fast, secure the soil for other greenery, but reseeds poorly and is an ok, but not spectacular, nutrition source for your chickens. Japanese millet is sort of middle of the road as millets go - not as good as white (proso), much better than red (African). and if the buckwheet establishes, you should be well pleased.

My birds largely seem to ignore the trefoil, maybe you will have better luck.
Next year, depending on how your rye is doing, you will want to overseed with other near-grain grasses or "ancient" grains to fill in some and offer additional vertical height, which can then support some of the more traditionally "vining" greens.
 

Aunt Angus

Crossing the Road
Jul 16, 2018
8,767
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Nevada County, CA
You have a number of legumes there - with different but overlapping periods of peak production. They should self propogate to some extent in much of the US - though like my own experience, you will likely find some which fair better than others. I'm sort of ambivalent about the rye - its usually added to green up fast, secure the soil for other greenery, but reseeds poorly and is an ok, but not spectacular, nutrition source for your chickens. Japanese millet is sort of middle of the road as millets go - not as good as white (proso), much better than red (African). and if the buckwheet establishes, you should be well pleased.

My birds largely seem to ignore the trefoil, maybe you will have better luck.
Next year, depending on how your rye is doing, you will want to overseed with other near-grain grasses or "ancient" grains to fill in some and offer additional vertical height, which can then support some of the more traditionally "vining" greens.
Fantastic! I'm takin' notes!

Thank you!
 

U_Stormcrow

Crossing the Road
Jun 7, 2020
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the good news is, all those legumes are nitrogen fixers, and will improve soil quality with time. They are also (when the birds eat them, anyways) a high protein source, and while the AA levels don't tend to be balanced, the high relative amounts of protein often make them better sources for certain AAs, pound per pound, than better "balanced" protein sources of less total protein.

Here's the Feedipedia page for clovers (follow the links). I have white, yellow, and crimson in my own pasture. Mabe red as well (not a deliberate planting). Look on the "nutritional aspects" tab for white clovers, which discuss chickens particularly. The others, largely, do not - but have similar considerations for rabbits, sheeps, goats, and cattle, so I **ASSUME** that similar findings with red, yellow, crimson, etc clovers and chickens would be discovered as with white clover. Oh, i have "subclover" (subterranian clover) too - which has some useful studies out of Brazil w/ regard free range diets. I didn't plant it, its a native ddeposited on my soils likely by passing birds, and many of the studies are in Spanish, so I've not read them. :(

I have read this one.

I should mention the clovers took a while to become established - at the start of this year, I could hardly find examples of the yellow and crimson for photography - but with the more seasonal rains, they are croppign up in previously barren places.
 
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Aunt Angus

Crossing the Road
Jul 16, 2018
8,767
22,091
942
Nevada County, CA
the good news is, all those legumes are nitrogen fixers, and will improve soil quality with time. They are also (when the birds eat them, anyways) a high protein source, and while the AA levels don't tend to be balanced, the high relative amounts of protein often make them better sources for certain AAs, pound per pound, than better "balanced" protein sources of less total protein.

Here's the Feedipedia page for clovers (follow the links). I have white, yellow, and crimson in my own pasture. Mabe red as well (not a deliberate planting). Look on the "nutritional aspects" tab for white clovers, which discuss chickens particularly. The others, largely, do not - but have similar considerations for rabbits, sheeps, goats, and cattle, so I **ASSUME** that similar findings with red, yellow, crimson, etc clovers and chickens would be discovered as with white clover. Oh, i have "subclover" (subterranian clover) too - which has some useful studies out of Brazil w/ regard free range diets. I didn't plant it, its a native ddeposited on my soils likely by passing birds, and many of the studies are in Spanish, so I've not read them. :(

I have read this one.

I should mention the clovers took a while to become established - at the start of this year, I could hardly find examples of the yellow and crimson for photography - but with the more seasonal rains, they are croppign up in previously barren places.
Just wow. This is fantastic. I'll comb through this plethora of info when I have more time. But it's bookmarked!

And, luckily for me, I can read Spanish.
😉
 

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