How much food to buy...how long to keep it around?

[cosmomcnugget]

I have 5 standard sized hens (well, they will be in another month or two

)

My question is how much food will they eat in a month (or a week or however you want to break it down)?

I know that it isn't good to keep it around for too long so I don't want to stock up on it, however larger quantities are much much cheaper at my farm store.

Thanks everybody for all of your help and good advice!!

 

[eggchel]

Consumption can vary greatly depending on the size, breed, age, etc of the chickens and whether or not they also are free ranged to forage for feed.

With only 5 chickens, it will certainly take a month or more to go thru a 50 lb bag so be sure to store it properly. It is very important that the feed not get moldy.


This document was published June 1992 as Fact Sheet PS-3, Florida Cooperative Extension Service.

GOOD RULES OF THUMB

Following are some useful general goals regarding feed consumption, feed conversion and egg production or body weight gain for small flocks.

Layers

An egg-type hen will consume about 85-95 pounds of feed/bird/year (23-26 pounds of feed per 100 birds per day). Egg production in a small flock should be about 200-240 eggs/hen/year (17-20 dozen). Feed conversion will range from 4.2 to 5.6 pounds of feed per dozen eggs.

Broilers

Ten broilers (5 males and 5 females) will consume 125 pounds of feed over 7 weeks (12.5 pounds per bird). Broiler body weights will average 5 pounds at 7 weeks of age. Feed conversion for broilers should be 2.5 pounds of feed per pound of body weight or better. Broilers (per bird) will consume feed over their growing period as follows: 2.0 pounds feed for the first 3 weeks; 4.0 pounds feed for the next 2 weeks; 6.0 pounds feed for the last 2 weeks.

Egg-type Pullets

Pullets should consume 18-20 pounds of feed/bird in 20 weeks. They consume this feed over time as follows: (at four week intervals) 1.0 pound, 3.0 pounds, 4.0 pounds, 5.0 pounds, and 6.0 pounds per bird. Body weights of pullets should increase over time as follows:

At 4 weeks 0.5 - 0.6 pound
At 8 weeks 1.3 - 1.4 pound
At 12 weeks 1.8 - 2.1 pound
At 16 weeks 2.3 - 2.8 pound
At 20 weeks 2.8 - 3.6 pound

 

[keljonma]

That was some great info, eggchel. Maybe even STICKY info, what do you think?