Amount of Feed Daily

[ezekielSM]

I live in an apartment next to a lot of woods..

The chickens live inside with us. We go outside with them all the time, and they get their free-ranging fun, then go inside with us at dusk. The coop/feed is in our living room.

 

[IRChicken]

Quote:
saladin is most likely stating feed quantity by weight. Cups are measures of volume also.
Liquid Measure vs. Dry Measure and Volume Measure. Types of birds being kept, Standard vs. Bantam.

I am only reporting what an egg farmer stated on quantity of feed, based on 100+ chickens of various ages that they raise and contributing my calculations from that standard.

"16 ounces is a pound all around," only applies in liquid measure.

I based my previous info on Google and the weight of a Bushel of grain. I now have better info to base calculations.
http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G4020

Based on Corn only:

Corn, shelled
56 pounds per bushel
44.97 Pounds Per Cubic Foot

We can calculate:
1 US bushel = 1.24445608 cubic foot
1728 cubic inches per cubic foot
44.97 pounds per cubic foot
1 cup = 14.4375 cubic inches

1728/14.4375=120 cups
1 cubic foot = 120 cups
45x16=720 ounces
720/120 = 6 ounces in weight of grain = 1 cup

This is just the math, a basic guide, real world results may differ. You should keep your own records.

Adult laying chickens consume vastly different amounts of feed. Factors influencing feed consumption include, but are not limited to, breed type, how much they exercise, climate (including variations in temperature, wind, humidity and precipitation), the caloric and nutritional density of the feed, and how much natural feed supplementation they obtain. Also, rodents and wild birds can greatly reduce the feed supply. This can be reduced by removing or sealing off the feed at night.

It is important, and enjoyable, to determine how much feed your flock is consuming. Begin keeping records of amount, type and price of all feed you purchase, the day you receive your first chicks. Be sure to record both the measured amount of feed as well as its weight. Include the number and ages of chickens you have, right in the same page as the feed records.

How Much Do Chickens Eat - Lionsgrip.com​

 

[caspernc]

Well my girls increase their protein by eatting the mice that get into the coop, or the little birdies that should happen to land in the run.....

......But it is what it is. i have a hawk that won't come into the pen. It sits on a tall post and calls and the hens gather around the post waiting for him to.......... "come on down"...... They eat EVERYthing! not angry birds but "Hungry birds!" Always, hungry birds! LOL

Oh yeah I have Barred Rocks. 27 weeks old.

 

[WalkerH]

I did the four ounces a day and noticed leftovers still on the ground. I was filling a gallon jug about a third of the way, but I suppose there was so much left over because I had just processed a couple meaties and was still feeding the same amount. I ended up ordering a feeder as lots of people have said it raises egg production. We'll see, if not I'm sure I can fine someone who wants it.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
I'm still confused. 24 lbs a day? Do you mean 24 ozs? Something else is eating their feed or it's all on the ground or down in their bedding.

Your average 4-5 lb hen eats around .25 lbs (4 oz) per day, this varies slightly with the temperature, rate of egg production, and age. They only eat to fulfill their energy requirements (and perhaps some mineral requirements if their ration is lacking). They do not overeat beyond that. They only eat what they need. A high production hen in moderate temperatures will eat around .25 lbs per day. In very cold weather this can rise to .30 lbs per bird or greater.

What are you doing with the grit and oyster shell? This should not be mixed into their ration, but offered on the side to be eaten as needed, and they should be eating it rather sparingly. Too much calcium can cause more problems than too little.

 

[aggie9296]

My 6 chickens free range and have food available at all times and go thru 25 lbs in 2 weeks, not 1 day. I fill a 13lb feed slightly less than once a week. And I don't think the sqirrels are getting any.

 

[DawnSuiter]

Saladin is correct, completely.
3-4 oz (weight) per day of high quality dry feed is standard by most breeders & sport birds, more like 3 for small and 4 for large fowl.
That is no more than 1/4lb per bird per day of a GOOD healthful product with a moderate blend of fat, calories, carbs & protein. It's just like with people food, the better quality you eat, the less of it you need to eat.

Overweight birds have health issues, at least many of them do and eventually won't lay reliably or may stop at all. If they are too fatty they will not be able to create a proper egg, with it's major protein requirements.
Free choice feeding USUALLY leads to mice or other infestations which is why so many people go through so much food I suspect. It's usually best to go out once or twice per day and toss them a little feed here & there, in the grass if you can, not just in feeders; it keeps it fresh, clean & you'll see your birds more often that way and they'll get to scratch about.
They will also come when you need them to as you can easily offer food.

IIRC - a hen needs around 2000 calories per day to exist and another 1500-1800 to create an egg, plus other non-dietary conditions must also be met to form an egg properly.

That is not to say they won't do fine on slightly more bu surely much more and you will see problems.

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
Ha! you mean my chicken needs more calories a day than I do?

even if they're not laying?
women need 1800-2000 cal a day, men need 2000-2400 on average.

a quick search on the internet tells me you've go an extra zero in there...

the number I turned up was 200 cal/day. and an egg is about 100 calories, so it makes sense that it might take 150-180 to make it.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
They only eat to fulfill their energy requirements. We provide layer feed ad libitum to 2500 hens. They eat the same amount every day, .26 to .28 lbs per hen, varying slightly with seasonal temperature changes. They drink 115 gallons every day, give or take a gallon or two. They eat to fulfill their energy requirements, to get the correct amount of protein in them to keep production steady, or to keep them from growing too fast, we adjust the amount of protein in the ration as necessary to get the desired effect.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
It's a little more than that. A typical layer ration formulation is about 1320 kcal/lb. If a hen is eating .25 lbs per day she is eating 330 calories per day. This goes up in colder temperatures as energy requirements increase. If the ration varies much from this energy density, feed consumption will also go up or down, but commercial rations are fairly consistent.