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I also let them have constant access to feed. In the winter mine would eat 1/2 - 1 whole feeders worth a day, but now that spring is emerging they are barely eating any feed. Just small snacks through the day and before they lay. Otherwise its bugs and grass all around.
 
WallacetheKhakiCampbell said:
I also let them have constant access to feed. In the winter mine would eat 1/2 - 1 whole feeders worth a day, but now that spring is emerging they are barely eating any feed. Just small snacks through the day and before they lay. Otherwise its bugs and grass all around.
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My chickens eat alot. Nearly 1lb per chicken in a day. Thats how much they should be eating in a week.
 
THEChIcKeNwhisperer354 said:
In my area theres no snow and they get to free range all day long. I do give them mealworm and sunflower mix in the winter
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I do that as well - I start sunflowers seeds in the fall during the molt, I think because they need the extra fat or something like that? And then I switch to mealworms and soldier fly larvae in winter because we get a lot of snow and I figure they're not getting many bugs then. That's on top of the regular grain feed and kitchen scraps.
 
This was being discussed on another thread recently - how some chickens will gorge on grain whenever it's available, but others prefer foraging and will wander off to free range while there's still grain in the feeders. I think the conclusion was that each bird is different, depending on the breed and the individual, and you can't really generalize.

I think it also probably has a lot to do with where they live, what kinds of plants and bugs are available and how much access they have to pasture, and possibly also the quality of the grain feed. But I think maybe omnivores are just generally more idiosyncratic in what they like to eat. When you eat everything, you can afford to have favorite foods that are different from your neighbor's.
 
Tilhana said:
This was being discussed on another thread recently - how some chickens will gorge on grain whenever it's available, but others prefer foraging and will wander off to free range while there's still grain in the feeders. I think the conclusion was that each bird is different, depending on the breed and the individual, and you can't really generalize.

I think it also probably has a lot to do with where they live, what kinds of plants and bugs are available and how much access they have to pasture, and possibly also the quality of the grain feed. But I think maybe omnivores are just generally more idiosyncratic in what they like to eat. When you eat everything, you can afford to have favorite foods that are different from your neighbor's.
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They have about an ancre to roam and a compost to dig through. Theres tons of worms for them to eat.
 
FuzzyCritters said:
Free feed. It's better that they can always have access to food, so they can eat whenever they need too. Chickens are good at regulating their food intake and will not overeat.
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X2. I free feed, it has never caused problems. They don't overeat, they lay a great deal, and it means they all get food, even the lower ones in the pecking order.
 

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