Feed consumption has gone down a lot since it got colder. Located in PA.

[Shadrach]

Yes. They are also molting.

This would account for the reduction in feed consumption.
Some hens go off thier feed when moulting so that is one possibility,
as one can see from this poll.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...off-their-usual-feed-when-they-moult.1498056/
While the hens are not laying they may eat around a third less feed, some maybe even less I've found.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Every winter I forget that they don't eat as much and I buy too many bags of feed that end up just sitting in my basement for months.

 

[Seaslug]

The molt could be the thing... our birds are well past molting and half (4 of the 8) are young birds who did not molt. We still are getting eggs, but with no supplemental lighting, the lay rate is down. But it could be why my birds are currently robustly eating.

 

[Apis mellifera]

The molt could be the thing... our birds are well past molting and half (4 of the 8) are young birds who did not molt. We still are getting eggs, but with no supplemental lighting, the lay rate is down. But it could be why my birds are currently robustly eating.

Same here. I have pullets and cockerels that have an excellent appetite now. The older hens are done molting by November, some it's hard to tell if they molted at all and are eating well.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This would account for the reduction in feed consumption.
Some hens go off thier feed when moulting so that is one possibility,
as one can see from this poll.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...off-their-usual-feed-when-they-moult.1498056/
While the hens are not laying they may eat around a third less feed, some maybe even less I've found.

Thanks @Shadrach

When hens are laying eggs they need to eat a lot to have enough nutrition to make those eggs. When they stop laying and molt they use what nutrition they were using for eggs to make feathers. I know a lot of people I respect on here say to increase protein when they molt but especially for the ones that typically lay a lot they use less protein and other nutrients to form feathers than they use for making eggs so they need to eat less. Then, when they finish the molt and are still not laying they need even less nutrition so they eat even less.

When the weather turns cold they use more carbohydrates and such to keep themselves warm. They may increase their feed intake because of that. It is a little more complicated than "They are molting so they need to eat more". As long as they have food available and they are acting healthy I don't worry about it. They can manage.

 

[Flixflaxnoob]

Thanks @Shadrach

When hens are laying eggs they need to eat a lot to have enough nutrition to make those eggs. When they stop laying and molt they use what nutrition they were using for eggs to make feathers. I know a lot of people I respect on here say to increase protein when they molt but especially for the ones that typically lay a lot they use less protein and other nutrients to form feathers than they use for making eggs so they need to eat less. Then, when they finish the molt and are still not laying they need even less nutrition so they eat even less.

When the weather turns cold they use more carbohydrates and such to keep themselves warm. They may increase their feed intake because of that. It is a little more complicated than "They are molting so they need to eat more". As long as they have food available and they are acting healthy I don't worry about it. They can manage.

Thank you. That makes sense. I was worried something was wrong with my feed.