A large study was done between 2001 and 2004 when battery hen treatment was under fire from animal right activists. Free range hens exposed to a litter based coop systems at night when roosting had greater incidence of illness and death because of infection and bacteria in the litter, be it straw or wood chips. Caged hens had less disease related deaths because litter dropped away from the wired cages they lived in.
Hygiene, bio-security and education reduces risk to bird health with litter based housing of free range hens.
bchge
free range, definitely. Ideally from my own hens!
Barn hens are limited to the space available within the structure of the barn or facility in which they are housed. While barn hens are not confined to cages, they are confined indoors to reduce exposure to predators and disease. Barn hens are NOT free range, they are cage free which seems to confuse many people.
Eggs from battery hens, i.e. hens that are kept in cages (known as batteries) where several hens live together in one cage. These hens cannot roam freely as free-range hens can.
free-range" eggs produced by hens that are allowed to roam freely and are not confined to a cage. However, because production is limited, "free-range" eggs are more expensive
Hens that are kept in barns for most of their lives are fed crushed/milled grains mixed with animal-based proteins and mineral supplements. It's important that hens receive adequate calcium and phosphorus for good egg production and to keep the hens healthy.
Confusing isn't it. Lets get this cleared up for you.Certified Organic eggs are eggs from hens who are fed a diet of organic foods. Grains that have not been grown with chemicals and the hens are not treated with medications. "Organic eggs" does not always mean the hens are free range or even free run. Organic eggs can come from chickens kept in cages all their life. They are just not fed with foods that have insecticide or chemical fertilizers applied while growing.Free range eggs. These eggs are collected from hens who have the run of the yard and can forage outside in fields and bushes. Free range means exactly that, the hens are free to go where they wish, free range hens sleep in a chicken coop at night safe from predators but are allowed out during the day to supplement their food with whatever they can find. Not all free range eggs are "organic" The free range hens can be fed with medicated grains, treated with health preventative medicines and can also eat greenery treated with chemical fertilizers, which makes them NON organic.Free run eggs. Sounds a bit like free range but there is a big difference. Free run eggs are from chickens who are not kept in cages but who are kept in large barns. These hens are allowed to roam around the interior of the barn but do not have access to fresh air, fresh food and greenery.
Your hens should still lay in their nesting boxes, even after they are let out to free range. If they dont (are young/inexperienced) then they will lay werever they see fit. If your hens are ex-battery hens, they will not even lay in boxes; they just drop eggs were they are standing. (If you dont keep the door to the coop open, you should!)
Usually in the chicken coop. You can often find hens in the barn if they are free range as they will go in there to nest in the loose hay. A quiet dark area is the best place to look.
free range chickens are free to run around outside, and have lots of space and grass to be as natural as possible battery chickens are kept in barns of thousands, and can hardly move because of the other animals. they are unhealthy and lots die due to the poor conditions. free range is normally more expensive to buy, but is better for the chickens
The yolk of a free range egg is normally darker orange in color. Much more tastier than a poor caged bird. If you buy from a local farmer then they will be able to tell you how their chickens are kept. Eggs from the supermarket come from commercially raised chickens. The USDA has no regulations on what constitutes are free range egg. Therefore a non-free range chicken can have free range eggs. And a commercially raised free range chicken is usually not free range.
Sometime this happens if the hen has had a fright, or somtimes in free range supermarket eggs, when hens roam with cocks the egg can be fertalized and you can see the developing chick. which is why i just keep hens.