Planning to Raise Free-Range Laying Hens? 5 Ways to Do It Right
Planning to raise free-range laying hens without a coop? Learn how to pick the site, fence it, build an open shelter, spread feed and collect eggs.
Laying hens are widely raised because they are highly profitable. Besides earning from the eggs they produce, farmers also earn from the meat of spent layers once they are culled. Even so, raising laying hens is not something to do carelessly. Many farmers complain of losses because they do not know the right way to raise them. To boost productivity, many layer farmers now raise their birds free-range, without a coop. Going coop-free also cuts the capital you need to invest. Here is how to raise laying hens without a coop the right way:
Contents
Prepare the Right Location
Raising laying hens without a coop starts with the right location. Not every site is suitable for keeping layers. The ideal spot has plenty of plants or trees where the chickens can perch during the day or at night. The ground should also be bare soil so the hens keep their natural behaviors, such as scratching and foraging for their own food.
Fence or Net the Farm Area
Chickens can fly out of the farm area if the barrier is low, so you need one tall enough that they cannot clear it. It can be netting, mesh screen or a high masonry wall.
Also read Layer Chicken Care and Management
Open-Sided Coop
The next step in raising laying hens without a coop is to build an open-sided coop. This type of coop has no walls; every side is left open. It consists only of a roof and the posts that hold it up. The structure gives the birds a place to rest and to shelter from rain and heat. Build it sturdy so it does not collapse easily in heavy rain and strong wind.
Distribute Feed Evenly
One of the biggest challenges of raising laying hens without a coop is feeding. Free-range layers scatter and form their own groups, so if feed is not distributed evenly, the birds will not grow and develop to their full potential. To spread feed evenly, place the feed rations and drinking water at the spots where the chickens gather. Even without a coop, farmers still need to watch the birds' nutrition, because it supports the hens' productivity.
Watch the Productive Hens
Farmers raising laying hens without a coop must keep track of the hens that have started laying. Even birds of the same age differ: some start producing quickly and others take longer. Farmers need to handle the eggs carefully and check several times a day so the hens do not eat their own eggs. They also have to be thorough when gathering the eggs one by one, unlike in a coop system, where eggs are easy to collect. Egg collection also takes longer than it does with a coop.
When Is the Right Time to Raise Chickens Without a Coop?
Many farmers want to raise chickens without a coop because of the productivity benefits. What you should know, though, is that this method works best once the birds have entered the grower period. During the starter phase, chicks still need a coop so they feel comfortable and calm.
That is how to raise laying hens without a coop. We hope you find this information useful.
