Feeding and egglaying

[monicaei1]

Hello!

I have 4 Egyptian Fayoumis hens. They free range in my yard all day. I feed them laying pellets, cracked corn, oyster shells and flax seeds. They also eat alot of grass bugs etc. I was wondering how much you all feed your chickens, per bird per day? Mine seem to forget WHERE their food is. I will go out to refill it and they will run like they are STARVING, and I will find that the feeder is still mostly full. Once they are reminded where the food is they eat RAVENOUSLY. Is this a problem? Are my chickens particuarly stupid? I read that if they are not getting enough food they will not lay. And at 5 months old I am ready to start finding some eggs!

Thx
Monica

 

[cmom]

Mine will do the same thing. As long as you are free ranging and feeding them other things they won't eat as much feed.

 

[Schultz]

Our girls do the same thing. They happily free range and when it's back to the coop, they act like I have been starving them. I find that our girls get all the nutrients they need and lay just fine

 

[harewizard]

I have to say "Ditto"!

I let my 4 girls free-range for about 1.5- 2 hours till bed time. As the sun does down and they slowly make their way back to the coop, they all congregrate at the feeder, pecking as if they were starving. By the size of their crops, I don't know how they fit anymore food in there.