Free feeding or controlled?

[feldon]

I have been feeding my flock in a hanging 5 gallon feeder, just filling it up as it went down. I'm wondering about feeding them once a day, a given quantity. The feed has been going down at an incredible fast pace. The coop is critter proof so only the hens have access. They also get table scraps & greens from the garden. How do you all feed your flock?
feldon

 

[BeckyLa]

Yep, that's how I do it and my birds are happy, healthy, and are good layers.

 

[aran]

sorry becky i didnt understand...you do the free feeding or the set amount once/twice per day?

 

[chickenwoods]

i have a 3 gallon feeder that i fill half way up that i refill every 3 days.there is only 6 birds feeding off that one.

For my juviniles i have a one gal. milk jug that has holes cut it in for them to stick their heads in.i refill it every day. thers also 6 feeding on it.

I think that if you have cornish hens that they will overeat, and it will kill them..I have never raised cornish hens.I just thought i would bring it up so someone with more experience could emphisize on it more.

 

[BeckyLa]

What I meant is that I do what feldon said he has been doing. Free feeding everyone all the time. Since the birds have different feed requirements depending on whether they are free ranging or not, babies, juvies, laying or not, etc, I just let them eat as they feel the need. Everybody is healthy and nobody is over weight.

 

[rooster-red]

I tried limiting my flock to fedding twice a day, had problems with the hens gorging themselves and the ones that are low on the pecking order hardly got anything.

Free access works best for me.

 

[jessied1227]

Same thing here, Rooster Red. If the feed container is empty for any length of time, they eat like they've been starved for days.

My girls free range, get extras, and have free choice of feed. I go through 50 lbs of layer's crumble every two weeks for 12 hens.

Jess

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

I do free access as well and make sure everybody eats