overfeeding

[captbridgers]

if you have an automatic feeder that continuously provides feed, will the chickens over-eat?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Meat chickens can but layers and dual purpose birds wont.

I leave feed out all day. Take it in at night just to keep bears out of the run and away from coop.

 

[captbridgers]

They eat all I put out in the run. They have the auto feeders in the coop. Thanks for your input.

 

[RonP]

24/7 food in the coop for the flock, layers, not meat.

They spend most of the day in the run, looking for anything else...

 

[MeepBeep]

To better clarify some hybrid meat layers like the common Cornish X will overeat if given 24/7 access to food, as this type of hybrid breeding altered their natural ability to realize when they are full...

For almost every other breed of chicken they will only eat the number of calories they need each day, regardless of what is offered and thus rationing is not advised or needed...

 

[RJSorensen]

For my dual purpose heritage breeds and even my Bantum flock, I offer a pellet free choice in their coops, 24/7. In the winter they eat a fair amount from it, but any time they can be out free ranging, they just turn up their nose to boring old pellets. They want green grass and bugs n' seeds. Kitchen scraps rate high as well. I have sort of learned to gauge the health of my flock, by what I see them not eat.

I believe it to be true that chickens are able to regulate their intake to suit the need and the season. Meat birds and bred to be flying pigs… not much more to say regarding them. Chickens are a ton of fun.

Best to you and your birds,

RJ