Feeding schedule?

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Welcome to BYC!! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

There are two methods of feeding: hand feeding and free choice. If you are a busy person then free choice is probably the best option. RIRs generally don't pack on the pounds so they won't need supervised food amounts. Keep the food away from predators. But, if you want to, hand feeding works great also. You have to do that about two or three times a day.

Be sure to check out our learning center too. Feel free to ask any questions. We are so glad you joined!!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/housing-and-feeding-your-chickens
 
I'm assuming you have a coop for them to sleep in at night to keep them safe from predators?
Each of my coops (with the exception of the duck coops) has a feeder that I keep at least partially full at all times. The birds have access to their coop, the feeder and the nestboxes all day. My rule is feed goes inside, in a feeder, treats are fed outside.
Some people dislike keeping food in the coops, claiming it draws rodents. Haven't seen a single rodent yet and doubt anything smaller than a possum would stand a chance against my LF brahmas.

As a reminder - you don't mention the age of your birds, but layer feed should not fed before 16 weeks or when you get your first egg; whichever comes first.
 
Not to hijack, but on the same subject. I have 2 hens about 14 weeks, & 5 more about 8 weeks all integrated in the coop. All on starter now. When, & if the older start laying, is it OK to stay on the starter until the younger catch up? Thoughts? Jim.
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Mountain Peeps has really set you straight! I like the free feed method as hand feeding can be time consuming. So I leave feeders out with feed in them all the time. As for the layers, as Mountain Peeps has said, don't start in with the layer feed until they are a few weeks from laying. If they are all the same age and one of them starts to lay, you can get the rest of them on layer feed. You will know when it is time to lay when the combs, faces and wattles turn really red. The pullets will squat for you too. At this time you can get them all on layer feed, oystershell on the side.

Great to have you aboard and welcome to BYC!
 
iawoodchip said:
Not to hijack, but on the same subject. I have 2 hens about 14 weeks, & 5 more about 8 weeks all integrated in the coop. All on starter now. When, & if the older start laying, is it OK to stay on the starter until the younger catch up? Thoughts? Jim.
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Just keep them on starter offering oyster shell on the side for the older birds until the younger ones are ready to lay. All my coops have oyster shell dispensers. I have some coops where I keep them on a flockraiser type into adulthood and offer the oyster shell on the side.
 
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great to have you joining the BYC flock
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BYC has a very useful learning center
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I try to keep some lay feed available for my layers at all times
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Gritsar wow - glad to see you around, it's been too long.!! Who could forget Thor, and Loki is the perfect name for his successor.

I miss your stories - since BYC changed format years ago I haven't been able to find most of my old favorites. Hope you are well.
 

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