How Much Feed?

[19disbre]

I want to feed my chickens the minimum of a feed I may ferment in order to get more bang for my buck. The will be in a tractor for the night but will be let out during the day, I want them to free range as much as possible to keep my feed costs as low as they possibly can be. I will be doing 25 CX's along with 25 Red Rangers. Also I want them to clean up there feed quick. I am trying to come up with an answer that is as exact as it can get, I would like to give them X amount of feed each day so I can fill a bucket to a line and thats what they get.

 

[Beginner2015]

Try soaking your feed
Or fermenting it every so often
I give my roosters 4-5 oz. a day
Chickens do well when kept slightly Hungry because they scratch around for bugs more.
Just take what every feed your using and put it in a bucket with some water and leave it for a day or two
It's like the difference between eating raw and cooked spaghetti ...kinda

 

[19disbre]

The first time I typed this question I had added that I was going to ferment my feed but decided to take that out just because it would change my answer I got and thank you that was type of answer I wanted to get, I want them slightly hungry, I think what I am going to do is have them in tractors for the night and while I am there let them out I don't live where they will live so it may not be all day since sometimes I cannot be there morning and night but most days I am there 8-5 or something like that and I will feed them when I leave so that they are hungry all day and have to forage hard and so I can get them back in their tractor. Thanks

 

[19disbre]

Anyone else? Beginner2015 what kind of chickens do you have?

 

[Folly's place]

I don't think this is a good plan at all. What kind of "free range" area do you really have? Your Cornishx birds are programmed to sit and eat all the time, grow really fast, and be butchered at seven to eight weeks of age. They aren't meant for that kind of life at all. The Rangers will forage well, but still grow fast and need balance grower available. Chickens in general will eat frequently during the day, and should have an available balanced ration. They will forage anyway and eat the goodies out there very well. Breeds geared to the active free range lifestyle are your best bet, BUT they aren't fast growing meat birds. Mary

 

[r-dale]

19, Ive answered your posts before. Little old advise that was given to me by the old guy that got me into this ag biz. "No one ever starved a profit out of a pig". You are dealing with meat birds. Load them up with as much as they can eat. The faster you can get them big the cheeper it will be for you. You don't sound like these are going to be your pets, so the faster you can move them out the better. You'd said on an earlier thead that you had a limited growing season. So in that time you can minimize their feed and do one turn, or maximize their feed and do 6 turns. Which makes more biz sence to you? The more you give them the more you get in the end, and the faster that end comes the better.

 

[19disbre]

oh, never thought of it that way thanks