feeding question

[Kimberly4403]

I too use fermented feed and only allow my groups out for a few hours a day.

My feed routine is:

A scoop in the morning (each group goes nuts for that).
The scoop is approx. 5 1/2 - 6 cups, the 5ish cups of FF will last a group of 10 birds for the day.
I only feed as much as they can clean up by dusk (roost time), that way I don't have to worry about attracting animals or mold.


Two of my groups are utility birds and my juveniles, I leave a feeder of dry crumbles for them just in case they need more feed.
Honestly they hardly ever touch the dry crumbles anymore.

If I am going to allow them to range a bit I pick up all their feed, this way I can lure them back into the pen with some whole grains (quality scratch mix).\
I tend to only toss a hand full of scratch, dog food or ultra-kibble every few days.

Making sure you aren't overfeeding is the bigger issue, you don't want them to have feed left in the bowl by the end of the day, they should be getting just enough to last them the day.
Overfeeding = fat birds, fat birds = bad layers/breeders, bad layers/breeders = poor overall health and quality of the birds.

So its ok to leave fermented feed out all day? I suppose it wouldjust continue to ferment?

Do you ever give kitchen scraps?

So when you remove feed while they range do you put it back after or just leave them with the scratch?

Do you not give your birds food over night?

Ok thanks everyone for the input..

So when i let them out in the morning i will give them FF first as this is when there the most hungriest which means they will eat more and fill up on the good stuff.. Serve kitchen scraps a little later when they have had there fill of FF? They get 2-3hrs in the evening to range so remove any uneaten FF then so that there more tempted to come back to the coop to roost? Is there a point to giving them FF again when they come back to roost after ranging?

 

[Braxton Brigade]

So its ok to leave fermented feed out all day? I suppose it wouldjust continue to ferment?

Do you ever give kitchen scraps?

So when you remove feed while they range do you put it back after or just leave them with the scratch?

Do you not give your birds food over night?

Ok thanks everyone for the input..

So when i let them out in the morning i will give them FF first as this is when there the most hungriest which means they will eat more and fill up on the good stuff.. Serve kitchen scraps a little later when they have had there fill of FF? They get 2-3hrs in the evening to range so remove any uneaten FF then so that there more tempted to come back to the coop to roost? Is there a point to giving them FF again when they come back to roost after ranging?

It is fine to leave the feed out for the day, we never have given ours much scraps from our kitchen.
Any type of supplementation to their diet is usually something I have purchased specifically for the chickens.
Kitchen scraps would include vegetables, fruits, grains, meats and I also mix a few raw eggs (shell and all) into the dry crumbles on occasion.

I just pick their feed up so they will actively search for natural foods (bugs and whatnot) whilst they are free ranging.
I will then put their feed bowl back in their run so they can finish it.

I leave their food out for them if I am leaving them out until nightfall, just so they can finish up their days worth of feed.
They don't eat at night, or even drink usually. They roost and sleep for the night, they wake up quite early but don't get fed until I go outside in the mornings.