My new feeders and waterers :)

[BarnyardChaos]

It does I have no idea how to calculate food and water.. I guess I'll have to try bc it's always nice to see how much your using .. it seems like it goes by so fast. Thank you.

For feed, I just keep track of when and how much feed I purchase to fill their feed barrels to the top. Then when I need to buy feed again, I note how much feed was needed to fill the barrels to the top again, and how many weeks have passed since I last filled them. I divide the amount of feed consumed by the number of weeks that have passed. That gives me the total consumption per week for the whole flock. Then just divide the total consumption by the number of chickens you have to see the amount of feed per chicken, per week, that they're eating. Divide it again by 7, and you'll see the amount of feed per day, per chicken.

For water, you do the same thing. Fill their waterers to the top; then next day at about the same time, fill them again and measure how much water was needed. (OR, measure how much water they each hold, then the next day measure what's left before you fill again. Subtract the difference.) Divide that figure by the number of chickens you have. That's how much water they're each consuming in a day.

These figures are important to know and keep track of, as you will use them as a basis when adding medication to their feed or water when treating the whole flock. Also when you have to separate a chicken due to illness or injury, you can measure whether she's eating as much as she should.

And it's handy to use for budgeting or planning a weekend away, of course.

FWIW, I am always amazed that I fill the back of my SUV with TWELVE 50-pound bags of feed every month, just to feed my chickens. Yes, it seems like a LOT! But it's not, really. It's about average.

 

[Jmcintosh23]

For feed, I just keep track of when and how much feed I purchase to fill their feed barrels to the top. Then when I need to buy feed again, I note how much feed was needed to fill the barrels to the top again, and how many weeks have passed since I last filled them. I divide the amount of feed consumed by the number of weeks that have passed. That gives me the total consumption per week for the whole flock. Then just divide the total consumption by the number of chickens you have to see the amount of feed per chicken, per week, that they're eating. Divide it again by 7, and you'll see the amount of feed per day, per chicken.

For water, you do the same thing. Fill their waterers to the top; then next day at about the same time, fill them again and measure how much water was needed. (OR, measure how much water they each hold, then the next day measure what's left before you fill again. Subtract the difference.) Divide that figure by the number of chickens you have. That's how much water they're each consuming in a day.

These figures are important to know and keep track of, as you will use them as a basis when adding medication to their feed or water when treating the whole flock. Also when you have to separate a chicken due to illness or injury, you can measure whether she's eating as much as she should.

And it's handy to use for budgeting or planning a weekend away, of course.

FWIW, I am always amazed that I fill the back of my SUV with TWELVE 50-pound bags of feed every month, just to feed my chickens. Yes, it seems like a LOT! But it's not, really. It's about average.

This is wonderful thank you.