13 pullets: how many feeders and drinkers needed?

[TracysChickys]

I have one 5 quart drinker and one 7 lb feeder for 13 pullets. Is that enough or do I need another feeder and/or drinker?

 

[MountainWoman73]

That should be okay. Depends how often you want to fill and clean them. I personally like having a second waterer as backup so I have to check on it less often.

 

[sealer39]

I like to have two of each at opposite ends of your run or one of each in the coop. If a chicken decides to knock over the waterer they’ll have a back up.

 

[TracysChickys]

Excellent points from both of you. I think having two of each would be a good idea for me also.

 

[rosemarythyme]

2 of each set a distance apart is a good idea, helps to reduce conflicts over food, and a backup waterer is always a bonus in case anything fails with one.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Yup, how often do you want to fill the feeders? For 13 birds, one feeder is plenty. They will work out a pecking order and not fight over the feed. A small feeder holding 12 pounds would last four days before needing refilled, our medium feeder would last 13 birds about seven days, the large feeder about 10 days, and our extra large feeder holds a whopping 63 pounds and would need refilling every three weeks.

An alternative is to use two feeders set apart as others have recommended. Two feeder will feed more birds as one will usually be available if the other is being used. Two feeders would feed around 20 to 25 hens just fine. The more feeders you have the more birds can be fed. Commercial flocks using our feeders can get by with as many as 50 bird per feeder but you are talking about two dozen feeders in a flock of a thousand hens and they are refilling feeders every other day. Free range commercial flocks can double that but those folks aren't usually trying to max out eggs production anyway.