Enough food?

[GhostG]

Sooo... My sons family has a flock of about 20 chickens n roos, they feed them 6 cups of crumbles n then let them forage all day butt we are in Oregon n it rains constantly. I think they need much more feed as well as other kinds added but they dont agree, anybooty have any suggestions

 

[RojoMarz]

Why do you think they need much more feed? And, what other kinds added in? Not following the rain comment. Is the rain causing them to not eat the crumbles?

I don't think they need other kinds of feed besides the crumbles; crumbles are designed to be a complete food for chickens. 6 cups may or may not be enough. Think it would depend upon how much nutrition they are getting from free ranging.

 

[Aapomp831]

A mixed flock of hens and roosters should be on grower feed or flock raiser, and free choice oyster shell should be provided in the side for calcium supplementation for the hens. A feeder or two should be left out at all times and out away at night.

 

[K0k0shka]

They need to have access to feed at all times. I don't know why people think they can get away with buying/offering less feed if their chickens free range. Whatever they find free ranging is only a bonus. A snack. They can't sustain themselves on the occasional bug here and there. Especially in winter, when the ground is frozen, there's no fresh grass and the bugs are gone.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Chickens (depending on size and gender and age) eat roughly a 1/4 cup of food on average from what I've read. Free ranging helps if they are somewhere with plenty of nutrition like bugs and short, not stringy grasses.

A good rule of thumb is to see of there is good left over when they go to bed. If there is, then they have enpugh, if there isnt, add more until there is

 

[GhostG]

Why do you think they need much more feed? And, what other kinds added in? Not following the rain comment. Is the rain causing them to not eat the crumbles?

I don't think they need other kinds of feed besides the crumbles; crumbles are designed to be a complete food for chickens. 6 cups may or may not be enough. Think it would depend upon how much nutrition they are getting from free ranging.

They cant really forage because they the rain has been going for about 3 weeks straight, no lie, so all they're getting is 6 cups in the morning n nothing more. I used to feed mines crumbles , grain n vegetables n they were gentle as could be.

 

[svh]

Right now, my flock of 15 pullets/hens and 1 cockerel go through 40 pounds of all flock pellets, in about 10 -11 days .... That equals approx. 1/4 pound per bird, per day, or +- 4 pounds per day. This is in addition to 5 - 6 hours of free range daily. Food is left in the coop at all times.

It is winter now, and pickens are slim ..... Spring/summer ratios will be different, I'm sure.

I'm not sure how many cups of food that is as I use a large coffee can, filled twice, every day.

There is some being scratched out of the feeder, but the waste is minimal as they usually clean up their mess fairly well.