Feeders or throw on floor?????

[troutlakearts]

We have 6 chickens 5-6 months old. We have gotten 8 small eggs so far plus 1 without shell. We have been feeding them laying pellets and oyster shells in a home-made feeder. But they have to actually reach in with their heads to get to the feed.

Would we be better off just tossing it all on the ground because when we put extra on the ground, they eat it rather quickly??

Anybody have thoughts on this, please answer!!!

 

[lisahaschickens]

reaching into the feeder sounds correct to me. This minimizes "billing out" and food spillage. All my reading says to use a hanging feeder or a feeder up on blocks and keep it at the height of their backs.

 

[Catalina]

You will waste a lot of feed if you put it on the ground.

Chickens like any food that they think is a treat. If it's not in their feeder, it must be a treat!
But when they are hungry they will eat out of the feeder.

Soft shelled eggs are normal when chickens are learning how to lay.

 

[chilling in muscadine]

You don't want the feed to become wet and get moldy either. This is not good at all for your chickens. I also agree on keeping the feed bill down. I currently go through 50lbs a day so I try and save any I can. Congrats on getting eggs. Cool hugh!

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Quote:

I feed my 4 spoiled rotten adults crumbles in a pie plate on the ground and it still takes me about 4 months to go through 50lbs!

 

[Chicksdigit]

I have a home made self feeder that I put about half a bag of Start/ grow / lay pellets in each week and a open tray of one side scratch one side oyster shell food out of the feeder is always dry and clean...... sometimes the scratch tray gets a little messy because they like to walk around on it ......but this takes care of a dozen chickens which are laying between 4 and 7 eggs a day........ like yours, they are newbies too.

 

[robot rooster]

Is feeding them in a dog food bowl wrong? they like it...

 

[m2wandc]

Quote:
HOLY SMOKES!!!!!!

I'm guessing my 2 chicks will take FOREVER to get thru 50 pounds!

How many chickens are you feeding? (just curious what quanity eats up 50 pounds a day!)

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Quote:
HOLY SMOKES!!!!!!

I'm guessing my 2 chicks will take FOREVER to get thru 50 pounds!

How many chickens are you feeding? (just curious what quanity eats up 50 pounds a day!)

SHHHH, ya'll are gonna get me so busted. My SO has no clue we are using that much.

He would probably fall out if he actually knew.

Of course there is never a feed bill receipt laying around or anything. I don't see any reason to point it out.

I probably have around 200 birds now. I don't really know the exact amount but there is a bunch.

Oh, I remember when I had only 2 chickens. Do you think I am addicted.

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Quote:
The large dog food bowls work good. They are tall enough that the chickens don't waste food. I stumbled upon using them for some of my chickens when it became apparent I needed to try and cut down on the waste when I hit the 50lbs a day mark. Just keeping the food dry and not wet and moldy is good.