Do you guys keep your birds on a strict feeding regiment---same time every day. A buddy and I are keeping an egg laying flock and he was aggravating me today about keeping the birds on a strict schedule. He's raised dogs before and that's how he did with them. I've raised chickens for 35 years and have never had any particular schedule, just some in the morning whenever I decide to walk down there and some in the evening before roost time. I have no intent to change, just wondering what y'all did. Should have added, I'm talking feed, water is there 24-7. They are let out to free range in the morning and locked back into the secure run at dusk.
Food and water in the coop 24/7. Alfalfa pellets w/cayenne in the run every morning. Scratch and BOSS in run 2 or 3 times a week. Water available in run at all times.
My hens have free access to feed and water at all times. They watch for me and get excited when I come down to give them scratch in the late afternoon, and that time can vary within a couple hours. If it is below freezing I may collect eggs twice a day because my coop is unheated. I have left them overnight several times with their scratch treat in the a.m. and then late the next day when I return. While like many animals they learn and anticipate a schedule, they are also very adaptable and do just fine if it changes without complaints. Occasionally family schedules make me late and I bring out the scratch after they have gone to roost. Sometimes they come to get it and other times they stay asleep and enjoy it in the morning. Your birds will be just fine as long as they have access to food and water every day.
