Expensive feed needed if free ranged?

[Viking84]

I have 17 birds that will be let out of their coop each day from sunup thru sundown. They will have over 1 acre to free range. With that amount of free range, do I still have to feed them the same as I would if they were cooped up 24/7 with expensive top shelf feed? Or can I mix in some cheaper scratch type feed along with the high priced high protein feed?

 

[Perris]

it partly depends on the quality and variety of your forage where they will free range. If it's good, you'll need little supplementary feeding. If it's not, you'll need more. It also varies through the year and with the weather etc..
That apart, it's useful to start a routine of a 'come here' call and offering them something delicious towards dusk to encourage them to come back to the coop in good time for bed, scratch or meal worms for example.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

it partly depends on the quality and variety of your forage where they will free range. If it's good, you'll need little supplementary feeding. If it's not, you'll need more. It also varies through the year and with the weather etc..
That apart, it's useful to start a routine of a 'come here' call and offering them something delicious towards dusk to encourage them to come back to the coop in good time for bed, scratch or meal worms for example.

X2

 

[15WildTurkey]

Another alternative that will stretch your top shelf feed is to ferment it. Then you can give them breakfast. They will forage the rest. If you want any info on fermenting let me know. I follow the easiest laziest method.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It is best to provide a complete feed all waking hours year round. With good forage, in summer they will consume about 1/3 to 1/2 what they will in winter but you don't want to cut them off from all the nutrients they need altogether.
Don't mix anything with the feed.

 

[Viking84]

Another alternative that will stretch your top shelf feed is to ferment it. Then you can give them breakfast. They will forage the rest. If you want any info on fermenting let me know. I follow the easiest laziest method.

Fermenting sounds interesting. Used to do something similar with hogs back in my teenage years. What does fermenting chicken feed require?

 

[paneubert]

Fermenting sounds interesting. Used to do something similar with hogs back in my teenage years. What does fermenting chicken feed require?

A leak proof container, water, and time. That is it.

 

[Timothy Menezes]

What's top shelf for you? Do you mean organic?

Yes, my chickens free range too. While I don't buy expensive food, I do make sure its good quality and reasonably fresh. I will buy the Purina Layer for $14.99, or Nutrena Layer for $14.50, depending on which is on sale. I go easy on the scratch so can't remember how much it was, but thinking it was like $10.

I have 2 feeders, one with above mentioned layer pellets, and the other one is full of grower, flock raiser, meatbird, or whatever else catches my eye that day, with calcium on the side of course. Those pellets are usually around $15 as well. I don't think I even go through a bag a month with 10 adults, and 9 pullets. The foraging is good here as it never gets cold, so there are bugs / grass all year.

 

[15WildTurkey]

You just need a bucket , your feed and water.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I have 17 birds that will be let out of their coop each day from sunup thru sundown. They will have over 1 acre to free range. With that amount of free range, do I still have to feed them the same as I would if they were cooped up 24/7 with expensive top shelf feed? Or can I mix in some cheaper scratch type feed along with the high priced high protein feed?

Well, if they are free ranging that much, then they won’t go through the expensive high end food very quickly, but it will most likely be higher in nutritional value.I would give them the better food, my eight girls go through one 50 pound bag every five weeks and that is $32, so it only turns out to be about six dollars a week for me between my eight chickens. The food would probably last you a really long time since yours free range from sunup to sundown, might only end up costing you one or two dollars a week.