Feeding three hens too much mash?

[vantain]

I keep reading that a chicken only needs about 1/4lb of feed per day. My chickens (3) do not free range. I feed them Purina Flock Raiser, free choice all day long.

For the winter, I have been giving them a dog bowl of wetted feed as a mash. I feed this to them twice a day....In the morning, when I first let them out, and in the evening, about 30-45 minutes before they go to roost. They always finish what is in the bowl.

This seems like it may be a lot more food they eat than they should in a day. Then I hear that they won’t overeat. I don’t want to be over feeding them.

What do you all think? I know they eat from the normal feeders too, since I had to refill them today.

 

[CindyinSD]

Some will overeat. You should feed dry (not wet) weight around 3/4 lb per day for three mature hens. Bantams need less, larger breeds, more. In winter they need more calories to stay warm. I feed free choice though, and no problem so far with obvious overweight issues.

 

[SueT]

Keep giving free choice. Don't limit their feed.
I also give a wetted mash of the Flock Raiser. And also have a big feeder of dry crumbles available. They always eat all the moist feed.

 

[vantain]

Last night, I was not home to give them their expected wetted feed mash before they went to roost. They all had empty crops when I checked them about 1 hour later. I guess I set expectations for them, then didn’t deliver, and they went to bed hungry over it.

 

[CindyinSD]

If you’re going to be away, you can feed them early... it won’t matter and you won’t be stressed trying to get home before dark.

 

[vantain]

If you’re going to be away, you can feed them early... it won’t matter and you won’t be stressed trying to get home before dark.

They still had dry feed available, they just ignored it.

 

[CindyinSD]

Well that’s on them, then. I feed dry when it’s in danger of being frozen solid and my gals don’t think much of that, but they have food. They can eat if they’re hungry (and they will, if they’re truly hungry), so I don’t sweat it. Chickens will not starve themselves. You’d be surprised and maybe dismayed at the sorts of things they’ll eat if you’ve been fasting them for a day for some reason. Little princesses. They’ll be fine.

 

[Acre4Me]

Feed consumption increases in cold weather. You are in MN, so they will be eating more bc it’s cold.

When it is really cold here, or is going to be a really cold night, I try to give them feed mash around 3 pm so they can really fill up their crops before going to roost around 4 pm. In addition, when it is really cold (single digits or lower) I also provide dry feed in their coop so they can maximize the ability to eat during hours with light which helps them keep warm.

 

[vantain]

This morning, I weighed the food I have been giving them as mash to see what exactly it amounts to. Surprisingly, it is only 1/4lb of their regular feed. It sure seemed like more than that. So, since I feed that same amount to them in the morning, and evening, it only amounts to 1/2lb of feed for three hens. In between the two feedings of wet mash, they have free choice dry crumbles available, so I guess they are fine.