I also noticed my free-range EEs were not only more productive layers, but I had higher hatch rates from those eggs than my Ameraucanas, which are penned.
Off-topic as well, but found these comments interesting because my Ameraucanas have all but stopped laying (I\'m getting about 6 eggs per week total from 7 birds), and the RIRs that hatched in Jan. haven\'t started laying. Last year my hens went into molt mid-Aug. I noticed that my birds started laying early this year, too. Last year I didn\'t get eggs until the end of Feb., this year they started mid-Jan. Anyone else experiencing an early molt and/or unusual laying cycle? It\'s crazy hot here for this time of year, more like Aug. temps, so maybe that\'s why?