14 chickens go through a 50lb bag in 3 weeks. Is this right?

[write2caroline]

Chickens are foragers and omnivorous.

I would hold back on how much you feed them. Make it a treat rather than a staple. Scratch is more of a treat and not necessary. Or you can look at the fermented feed thread. They do seem to go through feed less when it is wet into a mash. Stretches it out more.

Right now I have babies in the brooder inside and 3 roosters outside. I have not fed the roosters any chicken feed since July when I lost the laying hens. They are quite good at ranging and feeding and none of them look starved or undernourished. I live on 5 acres of which 4 acres are wooded, so they have access to lots or land and so have have not breached the fence to my neighbors garden.

Feed is easy they will seek out the easiest food first..

Can you start a compost pile? Mine love the compost pile. Buggy wood stumps, If you have green and bugs in abundance then let them eat it. I would only feed them feed if you have to shut them in for some reason and they wouldn't otherwise have access to food.

I also feed them the scraps from cooking. And left overs sometimes.

When I was laid off last March money got tight and my neighbor shared she got all kinds of produce from a local grocery store - they tossed it on Wednesdays. I could not believe the quality of the produce that was being tossed. My chickens had a feast. My husband mowed the other neighbors lawn and tossed the cuttings into the compost pile and some into the run. My elderly neighbor was happy, her lawn was nicely manicured and my chickens loved the clipplings.

Caroline

 

[Fred's Hens]

For those who do NOT live in the south, or even the mid south or lower midwest, just thought I'd post this photo as a reminder of what is coming. Those of us who live in Canada or the northern tier of states face conditions that people just a few hundred miles south do not face. Permafrost and snow cover.

Our ground is rock solid from the end of November to early April and having lasting snow cover is common, not a rarity. There is zero foraging under these conditions. Plus, the endless, bitter cold temperatures equates to a LOT more feed to keep them warm. This is why northerners often prefer to cut down on the flock that gets carried through winter.



Different locales require different strategies.

 

[aoxa]

Soaking the feed really cuts back costs.

 

[aoxa]

For those who do NOT live in the south, or even the mid south or lower midwest, just thought I'd post this photo as a reminder of what is coming. Those of us who live in Canada or the northern tier of states face conditions that people just a few hundred miles south do not face. Permafrost and snow cover.

Our ground is rock solid from the end of November to early April and having lasting snow cover is common, not a rarity. There is zero foraging under these conditions. Plus, the endless, bitter cold temperatures equates to a LOT more feed to keep them warm. This is why northerners often prefer to cut down on the flock that gets carried through winter.



Different locales require different strategies.

Stop bringing it up. Winter is not coming... I am in denial.

 

[Irishhenman]

Try mixing your layers mix with some maize, wheat or oats. my hens get a ration of 1 part maize, 1 part wheat and 1 part layers pellets. Grains are generally much cheaper than layers. Fermenting grains can also reduce cost. I give them 1 part maize and 1 part wheat when I ferment food. I give about 60g of feed for each bird and they have always got fresh grass to scratch through. I am actually considering reducing the amount of feed they get because they are leaving some behind now. Buying feed in bulk also reduces costs. I buy one 50kg bag of wheat one 50kg bag of maize and one 25kg bag of layers pellets every 8-9 weeks (I have about 40 birds) That costs me about €25. In pounds that is about 275 pounds for 33 USD

 

[Angelicisi]

I cut my feed bill by 40% when I started fermenting the same feed I was buying. Now a 50lb bag of pellets lasts me 60 - 80 days on 10 birds. I love it and they love it.

 

[boyswillbeboys]

Different locales require different strategies.

I just picked up some BOSS for sprouting for once they are cooped all day, of course now they are getting ready to lay, I need to get the lights on early in the AM so they can learn to lay in the coop, before going outside.

 

[donrae]

Chickens are foragers and omnivorous.

I would hold back on how much you feed them. Make it a treat rather than a staple. Scratch is more of a treat and not necessary. Or you can look at the fermented feed thread. They do seem to go through feed less when it is wet into a mash. Stretches it out more.

Right now I have babies in the brooder inside and 3 roosters outside. I have not fed the roosters any chicken feed since July when I lost the laying hens. They are quite good at ranging and feeding and none of them look starved or undernourished. I live on 5 acres of which 4 acres are wooded, so they have access to lots or land and so have have not breached the fence to my neighbors garden.

Feed is easy they will seek out the easiest food first..

Can you start a compost pile? Mine love the compost pile. Buggy wood stumps, If you have green and bugs in abundance then let them eat it. I would only feed them feed if you have to shut them in for some reason and they wouldn't otherwise have access to food.

I also feed them the scraps from cooking. And left overs sometimes.

When I was laid off last March money got tight and my neighbor shared she got all kinds of produce from a local grocery store - they tossed it on Wednesdays. I could not believe the quality of the produce that was being tossed. My chickens had a feast. My husband mowed the other neighbors lawn and tossed the cuttings into the compost pile and some into the run. My elderly neighbor was happy, her lawn was nicely manicured and my chickens loved the clipplings.

Caroline

I'm cringing reading this as it's written. It apparently works for you, but as pointed out, most of the country isn't able to sustain a free range bird without feeding it during the winter. Advising folks to just not feed their birds really isn't that responsible. Plus, you're talking about non-producing birds, roosters. Most of us have hens for eggs and they need the appropriate feed to sustain the production we expect. Being able to feed your animals adequate feed is basic animal husbandry. I'm glad what you're doing works for you, but please keep in mind sweeping advice isn't always good for the entire country. Some folks take everything on these boards as gospel!

 

[poultrylubber]

I am planning on culling my three oldest hens this winter once they have stopped laying to go into molt. I also live in Northern Michigan were our winters can get pretty gross Last year my hens didn't even leave the coop.

 

[poultrylubber]

Okay today I'm goi to experiment. I let my birds out of the run to free range this morning then at around two or three I will feed them. I also want to see who all goes back to lay in the coop.