Eating more

[-Chanticleer-]

Might sound like a stupid question. Do chickens eat more come fall/winter? All of a sudden they are acting like they are starving when I put their food out. I put it out each morning and it stays out all day until I bring it in at night. But lately I’ve been seeing them eating to were there crops are visibly full. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Packing on the winter fat...
Ours are on the back side of their fall molt which they slow down on eating I'm sure because they're hurting from feather loss and being cold. Some now are veracious eaters now like they are catching up after getting over their molt.

 

[Brooks_]

I free feed and don't look that closely, but it would stand to reason that with molt, they would eat more for extra protein.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

I free feed and don't look that closely, but it would stand to reason that with molt, they would eat more for extra protein.

Mine are all under a year except the one rescue I have. The rescue has always been a glutton. But it makes sense just didn’t know chickens fattened up for the winter.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

Yeah, we have a mixed age flock. The adults that are over a year, and the fresh layers.

We've started having to take out the food after the morning feeding as they will kill it & then by dinner time they're starving. (Refusing to forage & instead just eat & laying around in the run or inside the coop & filling it with poop. *facepalm*)

But the other night, when we put the food back out, even though they were acting like they were starving, some had crops soo full but were still eating as much as they could. Others didn't have as much.

I do not want to starve them but I also can't afford gluttonous birds either. lol
They're not really starving anyway as they can forage; they have 2 runs; 1 is really large, and they have been given pumpkins to eat. (Have 3 large ones still to give them.)

 

[wrathsfarm]

I free feed all day long also. During molt and when temps start dropping cold overnight I give them a little scratch grains before bed for a little added boost.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

I free feed all day long also. During molt and when temps start dropping cold overnight I give them a little scratch grains before bed for a little added boost.

View attachment 3661306

I’ll have to try that that way I know they are getting a balanced diet.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

Yeah, we have a mixed age flock. The adults that are over a year, and the fresh layers.

We've started having to take out the food after the morning feeding as they will kill it & then by dinner time they're starving. (Refusing to forage & instead just eat & laying around in the run or inside the coop & filling it with poop. *facepalm*)

But the other night, when we put the food back out, even though they were acting like they were starving, some had crops soo full but were still eating as much as they could. Others didn't have as much.

I do not want to starve them but I also can't afford gluttonous birds either. lol
They're not really starving anyway as they can forage; they have 2 runs; 1 is really large, and they have been given pumpkins to eat. (Have 3 large ones still to give them.)

Mine forage as well and eat any bugs lizards or whatever else they can find. The only extra I give them is two boiled eggs split between 8 birds and a handful of scratch occasionally. If I remember to while I’m out I get them carrot tops and spinach.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Mine forage as well and eat any bugs lizards or whatever else they can find. The only extra I give them is two boiled eggs split between 8 birds and a handful of scratch occasionally. If I remember to while I’m out I get them carrot tops and spinach.

If you've got an over abundance of eggs scramble them up raw with the shells during molt. I don't do it just during molt but at least once a month simply because I have way too many eggs.

 

[nuthatched]

Yeah, we have a mixed age flock. The adults that are over a year, and the fresh layers.

We've started having to take out the food after the morning feeding as they will kill it & then by dinner time they're starving. (Refusing to forage & instead just eat & laying around in the run or inside the coop & filling it with poop. *facepalm*)

But the other night, when we put the food back out, even though they were acting like they were starving, some had crops soo full but were still eating as much as they could. Others didn't have as much.

I do not want to starve them but I also can't afford gluttonous birds either. lol
They're not really starving anyway as they can forage; they have 2 runs; 1 is really large, and they have been given pumpkins to eat. (Have 3 large ones still to give them.)

What do you feed your birds? Careful with giving them too much treats, let alone treats full of fiber and water