Dual purpose hens

[chickenchic2]

How do I economically feed 28 dual purpose hens? We primarily wanted layers, but the birds are more diverse and very healthy. They do graze regularly and are fed 16% omega layer feed. We thought we had other animal visitors possibly sneaking in our barn, but no they eat that much food! Help!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm guessing they go through about 100 pounds a week?

 

[chickenchic2]

That's about right. I buy 2 50lb bags every week. And we have ample acres for them to graze on.

 

[nellynelly]

i have a simular sized flock (29 hens +2 roos). they eat 50 kilos (~100 lbs) of feed a month.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Something else is eating your feed or they are wasting a lot of it. I use pellets when chickens get to laying age and found it's far more economical as they don't throw it all on the ground and then ignore it like they do with crumbles.

A full grown bird will consume 1/4 to 1/3 pounds of feed per day depending on supplemental foraging. If your quality of forage is good they can consume even less. Taking the larger amount 1/3 by 28 birds in 7 days that's only 65 pounds of feed. Hence my thoughts your feeding wildlife or your birds are wasting the feed.

 

[chickenchic2]

We do feed them pellets. Im thinking the all day buffet approach is the problem.

 

[Fred's Hens]

You don't say where you live, but in most agricultural areas or areas adjacent to agriculture there is s local feed mill. Such mills don't spend much on advertising and often do not have websites. Their customers are small farmers and homesteaders as well as larger farms. Often these local feed mills will grind their feeds. The have an elevator and a grain mill. The feed begins as corn, oats, soy meal and a nutrient/mineral/vitamin package is added.

Such places bag in an old fashion feed sack and a draw string of binder twine around the neck.

We have a few such feed mills here. They aren't "next door" but close enough that when life takes up in that direction we stop and buy a couple 100 lb bags. The cost is sometimes 60 cents on the dollar when compared to a TSC or other rural store that sells pre-packaged, trucked in feed. Sometimes the cost is half what you'd buy two 50 lbs bags for at a TSC type store.

It takes some investigating and asking around. Once you find such place, you'll be hooked on the price, freshness and the quality.

 

[Fred's Hens]

26 birds, large fowl, large framed, will eat 8 pounds of feed per day which is 56 pounds per week, tops!!! This doesn't even take into consideration any feed reductions by foraging.

If you are feeding 100 pounds per week, you've got half the feed being lost. That level of loss, at today's feed costs, will bankrupt anyone.

 

[chickenchic2]

We are in Niagara Ontario. I will continue to search. Our dog feed has also skyrocketed at $145.00 taxes included for 2 50 pound bags. We have 2 75lb retrievers. Thanks for your insight.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Make sure you aren't feeding mice, rats, chipmunks, squirrels, wild birds, etc. When people are going through that much extra feed, that's often the problem.