Welcome to our special Range Management Forum!

Poultry World has assembled a panel of experts to deal with your range management questions. Perhaps you are facing a particular disease or pest challenge. Or maybe your birds are reluctant to range properly. Or you might be considering some form of range enrichment.

For the next week you will have the opportunity to put your questions to our panel of experts on this forum – anonymously if you so wish.

Simply click on the “Reply” tab above and enter your question in the “Message” box. (If you are not already registered, you will be asked to do so after hitting “Reply”. This should only take a minute or two.) The appropriate member of the panel will then give you a detailed response within 24 hours. It’s as simple as that!

WHO’S ON THE PANEL:

Richard Turner, partner in the St David’s Vet Group and founding member of the St David’s Poultry Team and Datapoul. Richard has been at the forefront of establishing bespoke Veterinary Health Plans tailored to individual farm needs.

Steve Clout, poultry feed specialist with Humphrey Feeds. Steve has worked in poultry throughout his career and is a highly respected member of the Humphrey Feeds team of on-farm poultry specialists.

David Scott, managing director of breeding company Lohmann GB. David has been involved in the poultry industry since 1986. Originally running a commercial layer operation in Aberdeenshire, David moved to Worcester in 1992 to start marketing Lohmann birds in the UK.

What advice could the team provide on how best to control disease immediately outside the popholes?

I am thinking about planting Miscanthus (elephant grass) on the range to encourage my birds to range better. Is this a good idea and does anyone have any thoughts on the best way about doing this?

 I've seen people in Germany plant corn [I mean maize] for birds to range through during the summer, is this a good idea?

From a veterianry view i think it is very difficult to come up with a method of ground sanitisation. We have used various slaked lime products with some success but this relies on heat generation and is only surface acting. Various products to control worms etc in root crops such as swedes have also been used but with varaible success. The real issue is definign success. Probably our most useful system is to ensure that the first 6 foot outside the pop holes is not a range area, but either pebbles or raised wired area. The highest faecal load seems to be just outside the pophole , so removing the bird from this area and attempting good drainage is the best option in a difficult world. Sorry not to have an off the shelf product !

Richard Turner

I have 12000 layers in two houses on the new stocking density.  I have wire raised floors extending 3m from the popholes then 3m rubble. I also have a 'paddock system'.  The area directly off the wire is fenced off into 12 paddocks along the length of the shed and extend 30m out into the range. The birds only use 2 paddocks at a time (1 per house).  The aim is to change to a new paddock every 6 weeks.  In hot dry weather i leave the birds on one paddock for longer and if it is wet and cold I change them more frequently.   Just make sure you have a paddock that has been shut up for a few months before rehousing a new flock.

The aim of the wire, rubble and paddocks is to reduce worm and disease burden directly outside the popholes, as mentioned above.  It also greatly reduces poaching which in turn leads to cleaner eggs.  I don't think that it is possble to rid the whole range of disease all you can do is minimise the hens exposure to it as the area outside the pophole is used the most it makes sense to concentrate efforts there rather than the whole range.

I'm not sure if maize would be consided a culivated crop, i.e arable, if it was it would probably fall foul of the various industry standards.  Elephant grass is a good idea, but it may grow to thick to be of any use as cover.

The RPCA Freedom Food standards do suggest ways to 'enrich the range'.  However i have found these pretty useless at attracting birds onto the range.  What i have found is:

• Use old farm implements, although not attractive the hens like to explore them.
• Make sure there is plenty of cover.  I use old trailers and manmade shades.  The birds like the dustbowl created by the shelter of the trailers, and make sure there is shade quite close to the popholes (i have some in the paddocks). set them out in a line so that hens can run from one to the other.
• If you use sandpits be prepared to top it up weekly as the birds do eat it.
• For natural cover you can use useful trees, i.e fruit trees, our range has been planted with a new plum orchard.
• Cattle.  The hens like the company of big animals.  If you don't want the hassle of cattle then you could try selling the grass keeping, but be wary of sheep.
• Some hens like brashings, but they are not as well used as you think they would be.
• A bale of straw in the range, the hens love it.  Found out by chance when I was feeding the cattle in the field.  One small bale lasts a long time, as they spread it out it draws worms to the surface, they are there scrating all day.
• Wheelings.  Hens like the wheelings (more like ruts) greated when I went onto the range in the winter.  I was going to fill them this summer but the hens like them so they will stay.
• I chopped back some woodland last summer and burnt the brashing in the range, the ash is still there.  They spend ages dustbathing in it.
• Make sure the area outside the popholes does not get poached. You and I don't like walking in mud and nor do the hens.

I am convinced that the efforts of my range enrichment has helped the hens explore and range really well. 

eastern ranger:

I am thinking about planting Miscanthus (elephant grass) on the range

 

 As has been mentioned, Miscanthus may be too dense if the sole aim is encouraging birds to range. Willow is most commonly used but can create its own problems due to rate of growth. If you were looking to enhance the appearance of the range (e.g. if you're close to a village) there are a few hardy species of Eucalyptus which would give dappled shade and would be slower growing.

Miscanthus would be a good choice though if producing biomass for fuel is part of the plan as it is very high yielding.

 

I read last year about a free range farmer who was installing free standing solar panels on the range. It was suggested that they could be used as part of the range enrichment requirements for the RSPCA's Freedom Foods scheme, by providing shade and shelter. Is this the case, as I have since heard conflicting advice?

eastern ranger:

I am thinking about planting Miscanthus (elephant grass) on the range to encourage my birds to range better. Is this a good idea and does anyone have any thoughts on the best way about doing this?

A general issue with Miscanthus is that it can grow very tall and provides a dense covering, hence my concern would be losing sight of the birds on the range, plus the birds laying eggs within the crop. This sort of cover can also attract vermin and foxes onto the range. Miscanthus can therefore make the range more difficult to manage. Standard forage maize is a viable alternative, consider using a cob less variety of maize to discourage vermin. Kale crops can also work well in encouraging the birds to range.Another issue with planting cover crops on the range is keeping the birds off newly cultivated ground until the plants are well established.  Set up an efficient paddock rotation system - use a number of paddocks (depending on size of flock, position of houses) and only allow the birds access once the crop has sufficiently established. I would be interested to hear producer’s experiences of using this system and if anyone has any further questions related to setting up and running an effective rotation, both on smaller or larger ranges.Introducing other livestock is a good idea as this encourages the birds to range, and I agree with the other contributors to the forum who suggest using farm implements such as trailers - ensure the birds can find shade underneath, or have something they can jump onto, wheel axels for example. Such implements are far easier to manage on the range, ensure good line of sight and easy access in case the birds do lay here.Steve Clout, Humphrey Feeds

golden valley ranger:

I read last year about a free range farmer who was installing free standing solar panels on the range.

 

 

My understanding is that Freedom Foods will accept PV panels as part of a range enrichment scheme. Their only question would be 'Can the range be managed' and as the panels would need to be arranged in a way to allow access for maintenance, I wouldn't see that being a problem. Bear in mind that the efficiency of PV's is greatly reduced by dust/dirt settling on the surface so if an area of range became worn, or if the panels were located downwind from the poultry house, they would need quite frequent cleaning..

What is recommened for the most effective symbiotic partnerships on the range; also how can range management be utilised for maximum effectiveness as a carbon sink/carbon offsetting?

I've heard that planting herbs on the range can help the birds to self medicate. Which plants are the best to use, how should I sow them, and what ailments can they really help with?

debbie james:

What is recommened for the most effective symbiotic partnerships on the range; also how can range management be utilised for maximum effectiveness as a carbon sink/carbon offsetting?

Alpacas are a reliable deterrent to foxes.  They feed off the range and are best kept as a minimum of two.  Horses and Donkeys too work well with poultry.  Sheep work well with poultry however Sheep can carry the Coccidiosis parasite that affects poultry.   In order to support carbon offsetting in the range, it would be best to plant trees which provide shade and cover for the flock.  Clover provides a good source of nitrogen replacement and lucerne is best to support egg yolk colour.

 

 Two qns - How often would you reccomend checking range muck samples for worm counts? And how can you avoid wasting worming medication which is not needed and builds up resistance??

to be fair i am not sure.....certainly we use oregno, some garlic , and a range of herbal extracts. However in high doses they will be possibly toxic and lead to egg taint. so my advice is not to go down this route

crispino:

Two qns - How often would you reccomend checking range muck samples for worm counts? And how can you avoid wasting worming medication which is not needed and builds up resistance??

 

I would recommend taking 1 x 500g pot sample of muck every two months from the range.  It would be advisable to take a cross section from the range starting outside the popholes, working right to the end of the range to ensure a broad spectrum of samples.   Laboratory results usually take one week and cost approximately £8.Signs of worm infestation in the flock are a change of general appearance in the birds, and pale eggs can be an indicator.  The time of the year is a key factor – worms are not active over winter and the most susceptible time is during the spring and summer months.There is both a licensed in-feed and water based medication available to treat worms.  My experience is that in-feed medication is the most frequently used option due to its ease of administration through the feed.

 

in some cases capillaria can develop very quickly and monthly samples of the birds would be needed. where ascarid worms are an issue, 6 weekly sampling is better. the main problem is sampling error and making sure the sample is representative

If two rotational paddocks are used alternately, what is the optimum rest period?

has anyone got advice 4 me on treeplanting ?  shd I plant them in cluster or spread out? near or far from the popholes?  and what types of tree?? fruit trees? (great forum, by the way!)

How do i stop my hens from eating their eggs please?

Hello panel. Can you tell me what signs should I look outfor that the birds may be suffering in hot weather and what should I do to mitigate this? AT what house temperatures will I see changes, if any?

Hilltop:

If two rotational paddocks are used alternately, what is the optimum rest period?

To comply with the Freedom Foods regulations, a whole flock (i.e. 56 weeks) is the optimum rest period. 

django:

has anyone got advice 4 me on treeplanting ?  shd I plant them in cluster or spread out? near or far from the popholes?  and what types of tree?? fruit trees? (great forum, by the way!)

It is preferable to plant trees in clumps for best shade cover.  Trees with invasive roots, such as Willow, should be avoided.  Cobnut trees work well.  Clumps should be between 8 - 12 trees, planted 3m apart.  As many clumps as possible in the range reduces the potential for disease as the birds can range across a greater area. 

Regarding fruit trees, we do have a producer using an old apple orchard where the apples are used for cider and the birds have good feather cover.

loobiloo:

Hello panel. Can you tell me what signs should I look outfor that the birds may be suffering in hot weather and what should I do to mitigate this? AT what house temperatures will I see changes, if any?

Signs of stress, including heat stress will can show up in a variety of ways. Pale eggs, drop in egg size, extra water consumption, reduced feed consumption to feather loss are some of the indicators.  There are many variables to considers depending on the age of the birds, their level of production, what point of production they are at and the fluctuation in not only day to day weather patterns, from also from morning to evening temperatures.  There is no hard and fast rule as to the house temperature as these factors mentioned above need taking into account.

Preventative options in the house can range from a fogging system as used in broiler units to circulation fans to stimulate air flow.

 

fat ally:

How do i stop my hens from eating their eggs please?

 

Egg eating is a habit that is difficult to stop.  This habit tends to start with floor eggs which can become cracked by hens either treading on them or landing on them, resulting in the others birds rushing in.  The introduction of Oyster Shell to the diets can sometimes reduce this problem by increasing the calcium the birds are looking for.  Encouraging the birds to lay in nest boxes where the eggs are safe is the first prize.