Switched to feeding once per day - chickens "starving"?

[Petra Pancake]

Because I don't have enough time lately, I have switched from feeding my chickens twice a day to once a day. The one time feed is of course double the amount and I do it around mid-morning. There is always some feed left from the previous day, so they can't really be starving, but they sure behave as if, hopping up and down all nervous. And they devour the food as if they haven't eaten in 10 days, even with yesterday's feed remains right next to it. Is that okay or am I doing them some kind of serious injustice?

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Why not just use a pipe feeder and pour in 10 lbs at a time? I only have to fill mine once every 10 days or so

Gary

 

[Blooie]

Those silly chickens will do that to us every time! Provide them water, then open the doors for them to go outside and they'll beeline for the nearest water puddle and act like they haven't had any water for days. <sigh> I think it's genetic.

Do they get any free range time, or is what you feed them what they get? Scratch or other snacks tossed in for them? Sometimes they'll attack fresh feed anticipating a little variety.

I fed once a week. Yep, once, sometimes twice, a week, depending on how much was left in the feeders. We had two large feeders in the run, and I just fed on as "as needed" basis - if they were low, they got topped off. If the food in them had gotten damp or something, then I'd empty them, clean them, fill them, and we were all good again. Mine got free range time, so they supplemented with that and with fruits, veggies and scraps occasionally, but they still acted like they were starving to death when we put them up in the evening. Silly chickens!