Feed management woes

[Brooks_]

I had read that chickens like when you have food constantly available for them, they feel more comfortable knowing that they can get food when they want. So, I put about a five gallon bucket worth of feed in their gravity feeder, which lasted about two days, they weren’t nearly as crazy the next morning, so that was a win. But after measuring the feed out, that was five days worth of feed that they went through in only two.

How long did you try that method? It will likely take some time for them to get used to having free choice feed and stabilize their intake. I free feed. What should only last me 9.5 days, lasts about 12. Yes, a lot of variables will play into individual results.

 

[FunClucks]

Are you sure you're not feeding anything besides your chickens? When was the last time you wormed them? If they have worms or something else is eating their food, it may take more food for them to get enough to eat.

I free feed using treadle feeders I got from www.ratproofchickenfeeder.net

They don't particularly like these feeders, but I know only my chickens get fed. I have two with a blocked line of sight at opposite ends of the coop so everyone can get some. I have had up to 19 chickens.

For a treat I put down moistened feed in a dog bowl. Frantic excitement for the exact same feed that's in their feeders, except it's wet. Nice full crops = nice big eggs. If I feed too much scratch, egg size decreases, so I make sure to keep to mostly commercial ration of 20% protein all flock feed. Their appetite peters off around bedtime, and they are most excited early in the day.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

I’ll get a picture this afternoon

 

[RDchicken99]

They don't eat more than they need to satisfy their nutritional requirements. Perhaps try a higher protein feed? We keep ours at 20% or higher.

I forgot to mention what I feed them! They’re fed 20% percent all flock.

How long did you try that method? It will likely take some time for them to get used to having free choice feed and stabilize their intake. I free feed. What should only last me 9.5 days, lasts about 12. Yes, a lot of variables will play into individual results.

I only tried it for a few days. This makes a lot of sense. I’m going to jimmy-rig my other gravity feeder together so I can have them both filled.

Are you sure you're not feeding anything besides your chickens? When was the last time you wormed them? If they have worms or something else is eating their food, it may take more food for them to get enough to eat.

I free feed using treadle feeders I got from www.ratproofchickenfeeder.net

Do you have any specific dewormers you recommend?

Thank you guys for the info, ya’ll have been very helpful!
I’ll be sure to keep you guys posted.

 

[Brooks_]

Do you have any specific dewormers you recommend?

I do not, but have read from a few here that said most any local vet can do a fecal float test at a reasonable price and then you will know exactly what type to treat for and go from there.

 

[FunClucks]

I forgot to mention what I feed them! They’re fed 20% percent all flock.

I only tried it for a few days. This makes a lot of sense. I’m going to jimmy-rig my other gravity feeder together so I can have them both filled.

Do you have any specific dewormers you recommend?

Thank you guys for the info, ya’ll have been very helpful!
I’ll be sure to keep you guys posted.

The dewormer varies depending on what type of worms or other organism is afflicting them. I collect fresh poop and take it to a livestock vet and he performs a fecal float. He tells me what organisms he sees, and I search this forum for the right medication and dosage and administration method. The vet also has a list of basic recommendations, but sometimes after some research I pick a different medicine. There are veterinary sites for chickens online somewhere that might also help, but I don't have the link for those.

The key is identification of what's in the poop, because all wormers treat different things.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

One thing I’ve found is that bored chickens eat a lot more. That run looks big but barren.

A compost area in one corner would probably keep them occupied and provide a little supplemental food to their diet.

 

[imacowgirl2]

Hello BYC!
After doing some calculations, I discovered that we have been giving the flock a little too much food. I am aware that you can’t really overfeed chickens, but keeping the rising feed costs in mind, I’ve figured that it’s best to not be giving too much extra.

This would leave me believing that maybe I should try ‘free-feeding’. I had read that chickens like when you have food constantly available for them, they feel more comfortable knowing that they can get food when they want. So, I put about a five gallon bucket worth of feed in their gravity feeder, which lasted about two days, they weren’t nearly as crazy the next morning, so that was a win. But after measuring the feed out, that was five days worth of feed that they went through in only two. As a test, I measured out two days worth of food into their feeder. This was before I put them to bed in the evening. The next morning they had eaten it all…

So, I’m back to feeding measured amounts in the morning, but I can’t figure out how to best work this. How do you all feed large flocks??

I’m stumped..

Definitely need to try it longer—I’m guessing you probably need to free feed for at least a week to get a true idea of how much they will consume on a daily basis.

I’ve noticed that my birds eat a lot more when they’re bored. If I have them confined to the run (mine free range 99% of the time), I try to toss a bag of leaves in for them to scratch through (and if I really want to keep them busy, toss a handful of scratch grains in the leaves!)…on days they have leaves to scratch through, they eat significantly less. Yes, they are probably picking some things out of the leaves to eat, but not a quantity equal to the difference in feed intake. If they are going to be confined in the run for a few days or more, I try to add a pile of mulch for them, or rake around some of the existing mulch into new piles and locations (I have no idea what make the same mulch in a new pattern/location vastly more interesting for scratching through!!). If I had to keep mine confined in the run permanently I would probably create a compost pile in there for them to scratch through, if possible.

 

[RDchicken99]

Here’s an update, everyone.
I’ve kept up on the free feeding and it’s lasting much longer. They are much happier now, too! Thanks for the help, I’ll be sure to put into practice all of your suggestions.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Gotta do some guessing with the info provided as it was stated a five gallons instead of pounds. But, if I remember correctly, a gallon holds around 8 pounds of pellets so 40# for a full five gallon bucket. You have 30 birds, assuming all or most are hens, at a quarter pound of feed per day, 7.75 pounds per day or one gallon of feed needed roughly. You kind of confirm this in your post saying that five gallons was five days of feed when you were hand feeding twice a day.

The part about putting two days of feed, assuming that is two gallons, in their feed tray in the evening tells us that something else is being fed. And the next morning it was all gone.

Are you absolutely sure you don't have a rodent problem? They say if you see one you have a hundred. No signs of entry, poop, urine, tunnels?