How much should I feed my chickens.

[Animals970]

Hi, I have 17 chickens and 10 young chickens. How much should I feed them every day?
We go through 50 lbs of feed every week, and its costing too much. Were spending about $40.00 or so every month, which does not balance out with the egg money. What should I do?

 

[Den in Penn]

Using the .25 pounds of feed a bird per day, they are eating the proper amount. (.25lbs x 27chickens =6.75lbs a day. 50 divided by 6.75 = 7.4 days. I'd say charge more for the eggs. Try to find a way to supplement them with other things, table scraps, pasture, or such. I don't see you getting cheaper feed then what your are using, at ten or eleven dollars per fifty.

 

[TimBaumann]

Hi. I also have about the same amount of chicken in my backyard. My parents constantly complained about the cost of the food. Then we decided to go to one of the larger fruit and vegetable shops and asked if we could come by every week and fetch the scraps which they throw away. Now we go there twice every week and the stuff they give us (mostly lettuce) is in great condition, always very fresh. I suggest going to your local vegetable shop and ask to get all their cutoffs weekly. It really helps a bit.
So that's one way to lower your cost slightly
Good luck with your flock

 

[JNB]

I agree with the other. Supplementing is probably your best bet. I have 25 adult hens and 14 juveniles. I go through about 150 lbs of feed a month Spring, Summer and Fall. In Winter Months the feed amount increases.
I free range my girls most days. I add grass clipping, raked up leaves. Depending on the season. I also get chopped orchard mix hay and give them the fresh sweepings from the barn floor.{ FYI.... Some people shy away from using hay mixes with their birds due to the fact that sometimes people have had issues like sour crop. I have not had any issues in the 3 years I have been using. I think the key is using the chopped and fine sweepings. Since what the birds usually eat is the seeds, fine leafs, and bugs that are in the hay mix.}
Not only do i feed my girls kitchen and garden scraps I also get the scraps from a few trusted egg customers and feed that. Also protein boost like BOSS help supplement. Here's a BYC Link with some more feeding methods.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/615228/home-feeding-ideas-and-solutions-discussion-thread

Two other great supplement and feeding methods I use through out the year are Meal worm , Farming them is fairly simple.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-raise-mealworms

Also I ferment a grain feed for my layers in the winter Months. Many people ferment feed all year and see a huge drop in feed bills Fermenting the feed allows for better absorption of nutrients and protein. Equaling less feed needed.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

 

[1cityslicker]

Hi. I also have about the same amount of chicken in my backyard. My parents constantly complained about the cost of the food. Then we decided to go to one of the larger fruit and vegetable shops and asked if we could come by every week and fetch the scraps which they throw away. Now we go there twice every week and the stuff they give us (mostly lettuce) is in great condition, always very fresh. I suggest going to your local vegetable shop and ask to get all their cutoffs weekly. It really helps a bit.
So that's one way to lower your cost slightly
Good luck with your flock

Good idea. Never thought about doing that. Maybe I'll ask our local grocer if they could do that.

To the OP. For six full grown hens and six pullets we go through about 50lbs every two weeks so that number sounds about correct. In the past couple of weeks consumption has gone down quite a bit because we fully free range them instead of free ranging when we arrive home.

 

[EmmaK1977]

I do the same thing with our local green grocer. We also get scraps from our neighbours who then buy the eggs. Win win !!

 

[Animals970]

Hi, I kinda forgot about this thread

So, all I have to do is contact my local grocery store (one I know the owners of) and ask if we can have the produce they can't sell anymore?