eating enough ???

[Elly]

My four gals (pullets) seem healthy enough,but I figured they would be eatting more. I give them layer feed in a feeder and a small amount of scratch (1/2 cup) daily that I throw out in the outdoor part of their run. I also give them veg. and fruit as treats,about three times a week. I have only had them for a week,but I haven't had to add any more layer feed to the feedeer...I had put in about two cups a week ago.

Should I be concerned

Thanks for your help
this form is great !!!!!

 

[fieldsems]

Are they free ranging at all or do they have acess to lots of bugs and weeds in their run if so then they won't eat as much feed if they are doing this.

 

[digitS']

Hi Elly, you didn't tell us their breed or what their ages are.

Here's a link to info on the University of Missouri, Department of Animal Sciences website.

For leghorn-type pullets and hens:
A 12 week old pullet eats 430 grams each week.
430 grams ~ 1 lb;
4 pullets x 1 = 4 lbs/week

At 24 weeks, a laying hen eats 595 grams of feed each week.
595 grams = 1.3 lb;
4 hens x 1.3 = 5.2 lbs/week

A cup of grain weighs about .5 pound, so you've given them (7 days x .25) 1.75 pounds of scratch and 1 pound of layer feed.

Steve

 

[mrpabaloogi]

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[Elly]

The breeds I have are 2 Light Sussex. 1 Jersey Giant X. The other one I'm not sure, she is black, I think the person I got them from said she was a Sussex X also.

They do get some free range, but very limited...the area is only 8x10, so not too much acces to bugs anymore there.

 

[cajunlizz]

How old are they ?

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Hi Elly,
How old are your pullets? They don't need layer feed until they are laying. If they aren't laying yet,change the feed to growing or finishing feed.
Check your feed to see if it seems moldy or stale. Could be the feed is
bad.
Has it been excessivly hot there? The weather could be a factor. Be sure they have shade and plenty of cool water.
Some others will have some good advise on things to check for. Seems, depending on their age, that they would be eating more than you posted. hmmmmm. Good luck and have fun with your new chickens.

 

[pkeeler]

I would think 4 birds should eat more than two cups of feed in a week. Definitely check into everything Keeper said. If the birds are less than 18 weeks old, I wouldn't feed them anything labeled as "layer." It is possible, if they just got in the run the last 7 days, that they found a lot of food out there that they liked better. Now that they have consumed it all, they will start eating the commercial feed. Do they seem lethargic?

I've never dealt with only four birds, could it be possible that 1/2 cup of scratch per day is enough calories?

 

[digitS']

Quote:
Each day, a leghorn-type hen requires about 320 calories. One-quarter pound of corn would have only about 450 calories.

So, one-half cup of cracked corn by itself wouldn't have sufficient calories for 4 hens, not even 2. And, that's for small breeds.

Steve

 

[Elly]

sorry if I reply wrong, but I'm not too sure how to reply inder questions...or maybe that isn't possible...anyhow

The pullets are about 15 or 16 weeks old...the guy wasn't too sure who I got them from. He was feeding them layer when I got them last Thursday so I picked up a bag of that with scratch feed mixed through it. They seem to have picked up the amount they are eatting now as I have had to add feed to the feeder and just got home from work and there was a good dent in it.

Should I change over to finisher feed?? I was concerned of changing their diet that they were use to.

When do I put them on layer?? before they start laying or after they start ??

Should I have oyster shell in there coop now??

Sorry for all the questions

, just worried that I'm feeding them something I shouldn't, thanks again for all your help

Elly