Feeding chickens

[Jessi1210]

hello all I am pretty new to having chickens, from the reading I've done I've settled on feeding them purina flock raiser- as I have ducks as well that share the food
The birds were all in a coop at night and free range during the day, but I still kept their food supply constant and full.
As of a few days ago we created a pretty large run around their coop so they aren't able to have as much grazing as before. However there is still a quite of bit of grassy area they have access to.
I also have oyster shells to offer (which I haven't done yet because they are just now three months old- probably very soon though)
And meal worms as treats.
I have also given them some fruits and veggies as treats. I didn't realize the wide variety of food/treats they can have!

I go through a 50lb bag of feed every 3-4 weeks.
Does this sound about normal?
When it their feed dispenser gets empty they will follow me around outside until it's filled. Haha.

So I have assumed free ranging isn't enough, to really keep them satisfied?
Any suggestions on different things to offer to help keep down costs of purchased feed?

I will attach a photo of their area.

 

[hlhutchinson]

I have 4 chickens they free range in our yard when we are home, I make fodder for them about once a week they get it (need to set up a system so they can have it daily) and give them veggies when we have extra. A 50 lb bag lasted us about 2 months that was a starter/grower feed pellets. This is our first time with chickens so... we are now using a grower/finisher feed that's a crumble

 

[Jessi1210]

Ours is crumble too. Honestly I'm not sure what fodder is will have to look that up! (Does that make me a bad chicken mom?)

 

[hlhutchinson]

Ours is crumble too. Honestly I'm not sure what fodder is will have to look that up! (Does that make me a bad chicken mom?)

No this does not make you bad. I only just do me out about it Hehe I like this link to make fodder due to I only have 4 chickens and don't need much. I make it as a treat for my girls.
http://bharabbitry.weebly.com/growing-fodder.html
Or this one

 

[lazy gardener]

Jessie, it would be helpful if you told us how many birds you have! How many chickens, how many ducks? Age of your ducks? An adult DP chicken would be expected to eat .2 - .25# of dry feed per day. I'm not sure about ducks, depends on age and breed. If you want to economize on your feed, consider giving them fermented feed. There's an excellent article written by Tikki Jane in my signature that explains all of the how and why of fermented feed.

 

[Jessi1210]

Jessie, it would be helpful if you told us how many birds you have! How many chickens, how many ducks? Age of your ducks? An adult DP chicken would be expected to eat .2 - .25# of dry feed per day. I'm not sure about ducks, depends on age and breed. If you want to economize on your feed, consider giving them fermented feed. There's an excellent article written by Tikki Jane in my signature that explains all of the how and why of fermented feed.

Haha! Sorry! I thought I did include that- 6 chickens and 6 ducks.
4 of the ducks are just babies yet only a couple weeks old

 

[Jessi1210]

Ducks are muscovy- the two older ones are 3 months old- chickens are the same age

 

[Fishybiz]

No this does not make you bad. I only just do me out about it Hehe I like this link to make fodder due to I only have 4 chickens and don't need much. I make it as a treat for my girls.
http://bharabbitry.weebly.com/growing-fodder.html
Or this one

for those seeds do you get them at a nursery or are those seeds for example at a Sprouts or Winco (for human consumption in the bulk bins)able to grow? I don't know if those are "raw", "roasted", etc. If "raw" can those seeds grow?

 

[hlhutchinson]

I went to a natural grocery store (its pricy this way) and got some that were for sprouts. Others say they get the grain at a feed store in bulk much cheaper but I wanted a sm amount to start out with and see if it was something I wanted to do. I don't think the toasted will work. Look for sprout seeds or ask your feed store what they recommended. When the first seeds that I got run out I will go to my feed store and get it in bulk

 

[hlhutchinson]

This is a good link talked about the seeds
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/02/sprouting-grains-for-chickens-fodder.html?m=1