Food

[Artic Chick]

I am getting 6 barred Plymoth rock hens they will be 5-6 pounds .How much food should I be giving them .And is it better to feed them twice a day or just leave the dishes full and they graze all day .

 

[Melky]

You can let them graze all day or put max food out which would be 1/4 lb. per bird per day for an adult hen once in the am.

 

[Ms Clucky]

Just get a feeder and water and fill them up they will graze through the day on it. They will probably waste { throw out} a lot, but they will eat it. Make sure it don't get moldy though, it will kill them.

 

[Melky]

I do the latter and my BR does fine and is 6 lbs. meaning I just put out 1/4 lb feed per bird per day.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I never had dual purpose birds that ate 1/4 lb. of feed. It is usually 1/3 lb. or more per day.

 

[Artic Chick]

Thank you for all the advice. It's so nice to get questions answered from experienced people .This is my first experience with chickens and I want to take care of them properly .I also read not to give them scratch or greens until they start laying. Can anyone tell me why? Just curious .

 

[Melky]

Thank you for all the advice. It's so nice to get questions answered from experienced people .This is my first experience with chickens and I want to take care of them properly .I also read not to give them scratch or greens until they start laying. Can anyone tell me why? Just curious .

Scratch is called chicken crack it is just junk food. It has less than 10% protein and is a sweet treat. It is for adults 28 weeks and over. Dried mealworms is a better source of protein. Dried mealworms and greens can be given as early as 3-4 weeks with chick grit. Limit all treats to less than 10% of daily diet. Their feed should be the main food source and protein source. At 8 weeks they are on poultry grit. At 15 weeks can start oyster shell free choice on the side. At 18 weeks or laying they can switch from starter grower to a layer feed usually of 16% protein. Some people stay on all flock feed if have roosters or chickens of all ages.

 

[Melky]

Are you really in the artic and where?

 

[Artic Chick]

Are you really in the artic and where?

Ha ha , no I'm not in the Artic Although it gets pretty cold in Ontario Canada not Artic tempertures l have very dark black hair and turned grey early . I would say I was an "Artic Blonde" and it just kind of stuck.