Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
• Avoid strong-smelling vegetables or herbs that may taint eggs and meat.
No matter what type of feeding system a producer chooses, it is important to remain aware
of how birds are performing and the quality of their health. Sometimes the easiest method is
not the best for the birds or the economic viability of the farm. Robert Plamondon, a free-range
producer in Oregon, once made a very good point about how we tend to feed layers—one that's
particularly poignant for small producers who use heritage breeds and find it difficult to make
them economically productive. He points out: “A laying hen is a breeding animal, not a pro-
duction animal. She is in the same class as the cow. Laying hens are essentially giving birth
daily. For optimum results they should be fed like breeding stock and receive a daily portion,
and not like production stock with the feed trough running over . . . you need to handle the hens
and feel how much flesh and fat they are carrying. Barred Rocks will eat themselves into the
stockpot. Rhode Island Reds are not quite as prone, and Leghorns are not capable of this at
all.”
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