50lbs a week????

[nop169]

We feed on average 150lbs of feed every 10 days. 50 lb Bartlett Laying Pellet 17%, 50 lb Bartlett Laying Crumble & 50 lb Scratch or 5 way scratch. I also use 50 lb of a gamecock feed mix every month for my call ducks & turkeys. Generally we feed a scratch/lay pellet mix 1:3 to the standard laying breeds, a scratch/lay crumble mix 1:3 to the bantam breeds and Laying pellet/scratch or gamecock mix again 3:1 to the turkeys, geese & ducks. We currently have 21 standard laying hens, 12 bantams, 22 free range muscovies (fed in evenings a limited amount), 8 call ducks, 7 blue slate turkeys, 7 Pomeranian geese & 2 peacocks. All of our poultry are caged in dog kennel tractors that we move every 3 days (except for winter once the grass/rye stops growing) so the access to greenery helps. The geese & muscovies eat the most per bird especially when they are locked in during late winter.
I think we balance it pretty well as everyone looks great & all are heavy (probably too heavy!). We tend to free feed everything except the geese & muscovies & use 30 lb feeders (hanging) that are never allowed to become empty.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
If you mix 3/4 cracked corn to 1/4 16% layer your feed is only going to be 10% Protein..
3/4 is equal to 75 lbs and 1/4 is equal to 25lbs so that would be like mixing 75lbs crack corn to 25lbs layer..
(8% (cracked corn) divided by 100 = .08 x 75lbs = 6% protein / 16% (layer) divided by 100 = .16 x 25 lbs = 4% protein / 6% protein + 4% protein = 10% protein)

Chris

 

[Hillbilly Rooster]

I go through 200lbs in just over a 1 1/2 weeks. I have 60 some chickens.

 

[CallyB57]

I have 23 chickens, but 6 of them are Silkies and they don't eat as much as the big Brahmas - probably evens out as the Brahmas eat more and the Silkies eat less, than average. I find that I use about 1 50# bag every 2 weeks, but during that time period I go through about 25 lbs of black oil sunflower seeds and about 25 pounds of scratch. Also, about 3 days a week they get a big basket of greens or a bag of warm sweetpeas to eat. They have only emptied their feed dispensers down to nothing a couple of times in 8 months, so I feel they are getting plenty. I think if I sold my eggs for what it cost to actually produce them, I would probably sell them for about $50.00 a carton.

I have 5 Silkies hatching out on Saturday...My first real hatched-out-under-a-mommy-hen chickens. Saturday is going to be a very exciting day for the grandchildren and me!!!

 

[sommrluv]

I don't think your usage is far off, but ducks this time of year naturally gorge themselves when it's cold out. They have an internal clock preparing them for migration. Did you ever see a flock of ducks in a cornfield?

This is where the idea of foie gras comes from...even if my DH kills a wild duck/goose, it can have a liver to almost rival the size of a commercially fed foie gras duck.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I don't use pellets or crumbles, I get my feed made to order at the local co-op.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I have 44 bantams and and a pair of call ducks. I go thru 200 lbs of layer crumbles, 100 lbs of gamebird feed, 100 lbs of scratch, and about 150 lbs of chick starter a month I mix 100 lbs of layer crumble, 50 lbs of scratch, and 50 lbs of gamebird feed at a time usually get em thru about 2 weeks until I have to restock again. In the spring and summer feed costs are cut in half because they free range.

 

[franko]

I have fourteen hens, Buff Orpington and Delawares and two roos. I saved so much by switching from crumbles to pellets. It turned cold her about two weeks ago and they won't stop eating. They can free range on five acres and they still tore up my back yard, looking for every last bug. When I go out to give them scratch before dark they almost run me down. They are twenty eight weeks old. I get eight to ten eggs a day. This summer they were skittish and now, I'm their best friend. frankoo

 

[greathorse]

They will eat 3-5 ounces per day each if they are adults I am not too sure about the ducks. It is close to right but I am guessing they are wasting some or you have birds or rodents helping themselves.

 

[tiffster011]

my husband just bought a 50 lb bag of grower feed for 18.50. Rip off!!