How much should I feed a large group of animals? UPDATE Page 4 - #32.

[kuntrygirl]

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So let's just say 156 (chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys) x's 1/4 lb? I guess add a little more for the geese, ducks and turkeys because they eat more? I'm terrible with conversions/adding but will try to add it up and see what I get.

 

[lleighmay]

I rounded up your number of birds to 170 to account for the larger size/bigger appetites of the turkeys, geese, and ducks. Divided by .25 that comes to 42.5 lbs feed/day. To simplify things you could just feed 1 50# bag of feed a day and everyone should have plenty. During inclement weather if they couldn't get out to range you could bump it up a little.

 

[laughaha]

I don't even think my geese ate that much feed per day when they freeranged. They had access to the feed, but didn't eat much at all of it. My geese mainly grazed. Now that they are in lockdown (for trying to WALK south for the winter), that is a different story ENTIRELY.

The geese and turkeys aren't laying eggs so they need less feed now than in spring. Don't know if your ducks are laying or not.

Isn't the 1/4lb per day per adult bird rule if they AREN'T freeranging?

Honestly, if I were you I'd free-feed and see how much they will go through. My chooks prefer stuff they find over feed. Morning ritual- grab a couple quick bites of feed then off to freerange. Then in and out for the rest of the day- grabbing bites of feed here and there. I am feeding the powdery stuff as they don't seem to like it as much as pellets so they eat less of it than they would be with pellets.

I am going through 100lbs of feed and 25lbs of BOSS and approxof 15 lbs treats (not dry catfood anymore) every week and mine seem fine with this. I have somewhere between 80-100 chickens ranging in age from 1 month to 2-3 yrs old with most being POL within next month or so. I expect once they start laying, I will go through alot more feed. The 5 geese weren't eating much of it, but now they sure are. The chooks freerange from dawn till dusk.

According to the 1/4lb rule (and averaging my number to 90) I should be going through 157.5 lbs of feed per week for the chooks. I am feeding probably right around 140lbs of feed per week for the chooks AND the geese. I guess it's fairly accurate as the chooks probably get more than 15 lbs of feed on their own per week. This isn't counting what the bunnies dump out of their dishes and the chickens get- probably a couple lbs per week of alfalfa pellets.

UGH- hadn't done the math in awhile........YUCK!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

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Thanks for adding that up for me. I was still trying to figure out how to turn on the calculator.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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LOL @ "Now that they are in lockdown (for trying to WALK south for the winter), that is a different story ENTIRELY."

100lbs of feed every week.

Sounds like your feed bill is a nightmare.

My chickens are the same way as far as eating what the bunnies dump out but that's not too too much. I have heard of BOSS but not sure what it is. I will have to look it up. What type of feed do you feed your chickens and what does it cost if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Hillsvale]

I free feed in a indoor feeder, it holds about 40 kilo's of pellets... this is for each the layers, geese and turkeys, we go through very little feed...

meaties are a different story of course, they are pigs and get fed morning and night and freerange the rest of the day.

 

[Olive Hill]

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I cannot even begin to imagine feeding that many birds store bought feed. I'd be broke. I buy in bulk from our local mill. Because we raise our birds for meat we do not feed certain common feed ingredients -- animal by products, preservatives, etc. -- so we have it custom milled to our specifications so as to not contain those ingredients. Even if we did not require a custom mix however, I would still buy in bulk from the mill for the discount. If you're not doing this already definitely look into it.

Hanging your feeders, if you do not already, will help to reduce any waste, but keep in mind it's just a part of having birds as well. You cannot feed them enough and ensure they waste no feed, it just won't happen. They're going to spill it. My ducks take whole bills full of feed and walk around spilling it out all over the place, and then what's left they dunk in the water and make a bigger mess. It's the nature of the beast.

The 1/4 lb per chicken rule of thumb is a non-freerange guideline and you can expect a lower amount of feed per bird with them free ranging, but how much less depends on the quality of the range they have to forage in; which will vary even on the same property with the time of year, recent weather patterns, etc. You could be looking at as little as 1/6 lb per chicken per day or, in more food-scarce times, as much as the maximum or more if the birds are in heavy production. So, in other words, in the times when the earth is bountiful and there is ample foraging opportunity you may be able to feed as little as 150 lbs of feed per week. During other times -- winter, for instance -- you will be feeding 300+ lbs of feed weekly with your current flock. The times in between will vary in between those two according to how much forage is available, what weather conditions are, etc.

I would also caution you against mixing a prebagged feed with corn to stretch your bucks. Doing so compromises the nutritional density of the feed and saves only minimally at best as the birds must eat more to meet their nutritional needs.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I cannot even begin to imagine feeding that many birds store bought feed. I'd be broke. I buy in bulk from our local mill. Because we raise our birds for meat we do not feed certain common feed ingredients -- animal by products, preservatives, etc. -- so we have it custom milled to our specifications so as to not contain those ingredients. Even if we did not require a custom mix however, I would still buy in bulk from the mill for the discount. If you're not doing this already definitely look into it.

Hanging your feeders, if you do not already, will help to reduce any waste, but keep in mind it's just a part of having birds as well. You cannot feed them enough and ensure they waste no feed, it just won't happen. They're going to spill it. My ducks take whole bills full of feed and walk around spilling it out all over the place, and then what's left they dunk in the water and make a bigger mess. It's the nature of the beast.

The 1/4 lb per chicken rule of thumb is a non-freerange guideline and you can expect a lower amount of feed per bird with them free ranging, but how much less depends on the quality of the range they have to forage in; which will vary even on the same property with the time of year, recent weather patterns, etc. You could be looking at as little as 1/6 lb per chicken per day or, in more food-scarce times, as much as the maximum or more if the birds are in heavy production. So, in other words, in the times when the earth is bountiful and there is ample foraging opportunity you may be able to feed as little as 150 lbs of feed per week. During other times -- winter, for instance -- you will be feeding 300+ lbs of feed weekly with your current flock. The times in between will vary in between those two according to how much forage is available, what weather conditions are, etc.

I would also caution you against mixing a prebagged feed with corn to stretch your bucks. Doing so compromises the nutritional density of the feed and saves only minimally at best as the birds must eat more to meet their nutritional needs.

WOW ! I have my work cut out for me. I will have to call around to see what mills that will be able to help me as far as feed. You must have been reading my mind because I have been using cracked corn to stretch the feed but now since you have mentioned that, then I have to stop that. I'm not sure what to ask for when I call the local mills but maybe someone there will be able to help me out. This is Louisiana, so I already know I will have limited resources. I think many older farmers are still stuck on just throwing some corn on the ground and allowing them to free range is still a good idea but I don't think that straight corn is good for any animal.

Everyday is a learning process. I'm so glad that I posted my question and even more glad that everyone is posting such great information.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

BOSS= Black Oil Sunflower Seed

I have large feeders that I purchased, and I fill mine once a day.

I have feeder in every pen, and there are many pens, (for different ages / breeds)
there are a total of 167 chickens on my property, (ages 1 month-3 years)
I go through 200-300 pounds of feed every week.....from hanging feeders

I have 2 pens that get 20% protien Layer Pellets
5 pens that get flock raiser/grower (20% protien)

+ they all get a couple of cups of Crackled corn & Sunflower seeds every 2-3 days for scratch on the ground......in the morning, before I release them to free range....
I only have 1 pen (layers) that wastes/spills food, and they usually clean it up themselves when they scratch around just before bed.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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I like the way you have yours set up in different pens. I wish that I had mine that way. Everyone is together on about 1 acre of property due to them ranging from 2 months old and older. I have a couple of pens where I do provide lay pellets. I wish that I could provide lay pellets to all but many of them are too young to eat lay pellets at this time. I have starter/grower in about 5 stalls for the day care babies to eat their starter/grower.

Good thread. Great information. I'm taking notes.