Are they supposed to eat this much??

[BarredRockGirls]

I have 13 Barred rock Pullets that are 13.5 weeks and 3 Pekin female ducks that are 9.5 weeks . The ducks are about 7 lbs each and the chickens are a good 5lbs now . Every 2 days or a bit less they go thru 13-15 lbs of Flock Raiser... That's about a bag a week now.... Omg! They are Fully Free Ranged . I thought that would cut down the food bill ?

My question is .....is this normal?

I do leave it in there at night. Should I take it away ? Cut it w scratch?

They also range all day 7 am -8 pm and get treats! There's no waste on the floor either ...

Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[BarredRockGirls]

I was wrong I just weighed them - the duckies are 10 lbs 9lbs and 9lbs respectively lol and the 4 chickens I sampled were all 5 lbs right on.

 

[lburress]

I have 9 right now and they eat a 40 lb bag every 3 weeks. I think you should take it up at night. see if there is a noticeable difference. you do a more than I do but that seems a bit much.

 

[BarredRockGirls]

Yes ill start w that. Thanks . It was lasting longer but lately it's just gone so quick? Do they go thru growth spurts ? Lol like jeesh

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Look up niacin and ducks to make sure your ducks get enough niacin.

That is a lot of feed for only 16 fowl that are also free ranging. As far as the chickens go (I don't have ducks) you can start cutting with scratch just a little as the grower feed is 17% protein and FLock Raiser is 20%. Scratch is 10% around here.

But make sure they continue to get greens (grass is fine) for vitamins. Don't cut it too much.

A lighter weight hen should consume 4 oz. of feed per day. So your chickens should be eating around 4 lb. per day,not including ducks (LOL somebody check my math as I am tired).

It is best to make sure rodents aren't getting it, or wild birds. You can use a treadle feeder for chickens (don't know about ducks) if it is a wild bird problem. Squirrels too will take feed from coops.

 

[BarredRockGirls]

I thought flock raiser had enough niacin in it for ducks .
My ducks don't forage very well . They lay around . Unless there's a hose running they can dabble in ... They sit. By the pool or in a shady spot in the yard or they get bored and when I can't hear them I go out and find them back in the coop laying on their nest . This is prolly why they are heavy already ....

 

[aart]

I would second that you make sure you don't have mice or rats feeding also, I've read more than several stories about excessive feed usage being attributed to rodents.

 

[BarredRockGirls]

we have a rat guard running all the way around our coop and its netted at the top in between the rafters the only door in or out is a main people sized door . no chicken/ duck doors . they all go out they main door in the morning when i unlock it and go in it before i lock it .... i dont see how anything rodent wise could be getting in... but thank you !!

last night i took away the self feeder the chickens have and the duck dish . this morning outside i put out a scoop ( 3lbs) for the chickens in a dish where they mostly congregate and a half scoop in a different area by a water bucket by their pool for the ducks. between that and foraging should be plenty right ???

 

[Den in Penn]

You will know when you take up the feeder tonight. If its empty they need more. ChickensAreSweet was almost right 13 hens coop will eat 3.25 lbs a day. If they are good foragers then they will eat less of the bought food, provided they haven't already eaten everything available in their range. One other thing if the feed is outside then things like wild birds can eat it too, so watch for that.

 

[BarredRockGirls]

I didn't put any food in the coop today . Just outside . But the chicken hens haven't ate all theirs just yet it's only 4pm they are great foragers tho
the ducks have eaten all theirs but they foraged A LOT more than they ever have so maybe this will work idk