Friend might be rationing her flock too severely??

[MareeZoCool]

My friend has 12+ hens, and 1 Rooster, all are Ameracaunas, beautiful bunch. She pokes fun at me for serving my hen & roo table scraps daily. Along with their chicken feed - in constant supply.

We're having some deeps snows, and my birds are still roaming as they please. She has her flock locked up, for days on end. I asked about the qnty of feed & treats she's serving 12+ birds, "One half a coffee can of feed in the morning another 1/2 can late afternoon, NO TREATS" And she's collecting 12 eggs each day!
I asked her WHY not feed & treat her ladies better. Her reply,
" They're just egg layers to me, not my pets...... like your spoiled brats are with you."

 

[thechickenchick]

Really? That just doesn't sound like enough. The chickens lower on the pecking chain may not be eating at all! I will admit mine are spoiled, although they are not brats

Pets or egg layers they still deserve to be fed properly.

 

[RM44]

Well, if she's getting 12 eggs a day from 12 hens (consistently, and been like that for a while), then she must be doing something right. I can see different folks having different beliefs about pets vs. food source. I felt a lot differently about my cats and dogs before I had kids. They used to be my kids (the cats and dogs). Now they are my pets, and would fall lower than that if I had to spend more time managing my kids.

It's tough when someone doesn't share the same values as you and you have to see it all the time, but I'd say she's entitled to her opinion and her way of life. If her birds are producing consistently and are healthy, then I'd leave her alone. Maybe employ the "don't ask don't tell" policy and it might not bother you as much. I wouldn't like it if my neighbor said something like that to me (the "well, mine aren't spoiled brats like yours!" stuff), but the first thing I'd do to avoid her saying that is that I wouldn't talk to her about the chickens anymore.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I would think I would give them just a bit more, due to the weather, but I would think that if she doesn't give them enough, that they will go on strike. I am cheap on mine, but they have a large yard to roam in. No reason not to give them my table scraps. What else will I do with them? Is it possible she is just playing with your mind?

 

[granmahen]

I worry about feeding my hens enough all the time. We don't have snow, but some days are quite chilly. Two of the ladies are laying again after taking the winter off. I don't like to keep food available for them (5 hens were going through almost 100lbs a month), they do free range a few hours every day, but I give them 4 cups to share mornings and then 2 cups to share afternoons. I looked at a site (can't remember where) that worked out the ratio. Hope its enough, they sure attach the food. Oh, they also get snacks which are our left over left-overs.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I guess it kind of depends on how big that coffee can is.

One thing is that if she gives no treats, their ratios are probably right on target - no messing up the numbers with extra treats.

I don't think i would worry. Enjoy your chickens and don't worry too much about hers. If the chickens aren't sick, then that should be the sign that she's doing o.k. with them.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
Wouldn't it depend on the breed, size of coop, quality of food, ect.?

One extreme is as bad as another. Too many treats leads to overweight hens who will have trouble laying... underfed hens could suffer from vitamin deficiencies and lay smaller eggs.

Everything in moderation is the point.

Do her chickens look healthy? Does she put vitamins in the water? She obviously has met their basic needs by getting 12 eggs a day. I feed mind more than they eat in 24 hours and what they end up eatting is probrably half of a coffee can (larger one)... they are always welcome to eat more but they don't. That is one flock of 9.

 

[RocketDad]

. . .I asked her WHY not feed & treat her ladies better. Her reply,
" They're just egg layers to me, not my pets...... like your spoiled brats are with you."

I get tired of this snotty snobbish attitude. It rears it's head once in a while here (and at the feed store) and never fails to irritate me.

Kick her in the ankle for me, would you?

People often forget that their personal experience base does not reflect the totality of human existence.


/rant​

 

[Keri78]

Don't take it to heart..like others have said if they are laying like she says they are they are obviously doing ok. I spoil my girls too they are our pets that happen to lay eggs!!!

This is rediculous to most people and I understand that. My stepmom has 14 RIR girls just for eggs and she takes great care of them but they are chickens for eggs...and not a whole lot more! They have a nice pen and coop and are fed and clean and happy but are not the main focus of the day...like many days at our house(LOL). I'm a stay at home Mama to four boys(all homeschooled) and we just LOVE our chickies!!! Our have a full bucket of feed at all times and treats and free range when we are not snowed in like this!!!!

My girls HATE the snow!!! They will not put on of their "brattie" little toes in it!!!

Sooo..ummm..yeah..they have been in the barn since last week and we are about to get pummeled again with 12plus more inches by tomorrow!!! Anyway, if your friend is feeding twice a day I wouldn't worry about it...they are eating. Everybody is different when it comes to kids & animals...

Blessings, Keri

 

[MareeZoCool]

THANKS! You all helped me to see how smart my friend really is!

and let me realize just how much more I need to listen to her, and keep reading th wise words written here!