feed for chickens in a tractor

[chachie]

Hi everyone,

I searched the site and found different answers so I figured I'd ask using my specific scenario. (I'm a newbie, sorry)

I will have four, 20 week old hens (laying) in a chicken tractor. How much feed should I expect to go through in a month? I'm in Ontario so I imagine feed consumption goes up a bit in the fall when it's cooler?

The other question I have is protein % in the feed. My supplier has 16.5% and 18%. I have read that 18% is better at 20-25 weeks then switch to 16.5% at 30 weeks. Problem is to by 18% protein feed I must buy a minimum of six 50 lbs bags which I think is a lot for only 4 hens. Can I get by using only 16.5%?

Thanks for the input

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The 18% is probably a grower feed.
You should switch to layer feed when they start laying
16.5 is plenty when they are laying. When molting they'll need higher protein.
That is too much feed to buy at one time because it gets stale.
They'll probably use around a pound or so a day depending on how much they waste.