help, my chickens are pigs

[hillbillycitygirl]

we have 40 chickens (hens and 4 roos) and they have access to a massive yard with tons of grass, dirt, bugs, water etc....but they are piglets. they eat SO much layer feed but we are hardly getting any eggs...granted about half of them are not quite to laying age (will be in a few more weeks) but we go through about 50# of layer feed (from the elevator) a week, what is up with that? Is this normal? If I give them less feed then they are basically attacking me throughout the day and as noisy as ever.
if I start lowering the amount of feed I give them, will that be okay or is this normal?

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

Well I have 12 chickens and go through about 125 pounds of feed in a month. SO I would say your amount of feed sounds right. Mine get to eat all sorts of other stuff too...

 

[klmclain1]

Wow... I have 8 and they go through about 50 lbs a month. I give them occasional treats (maybe once a day...) but other than that they free range in our backyard. I know they're getting enough food because they spread their feed all over their coop floor and half the time it sits there.. I won't refill their feeder until they eat up their mess!

 

[christineavatar]

Sometimes the problem is in the feeder. If the chickens can shove the food out of the feeder and onto the ground quite a bit will be wasted. There are some feeder options offered on this site. The one that seems to stop the chickens from wasting so much is one that is just 3" pvc tubes. Also, there is the fact that they're not full grown and, like human teenagers, will eat a great deal more then an adult does.

 

[moetrout]

I have 13 chickens and go through 50 pounds a month. Mine free range from early morning until they put themselves to bed. The food is always available to them so it's not like I am limiting the amount they can eat. Maybe though the food you feed them tastes really good and that's why. Try finding something they don't like?

 

[greenSearcher]

From my experience my chickens eat about 4 oz of feed a day, which is 2.5 lb over 10 days each. I buy a ground laying ration, organic in 50 lb bags for 25.00 I am getting a big chest freezer so I can order about 6 months worth. The shipping cost is bearable if only a couple times a year. I can't find a reliable local source for organic feed, so it is pricey, but and it is a big BUT (not mine) I have nearly zero waste. There is no billing or digging out the yummy pieces. I have been amazed. Because there has been no waste, the net cost is real close to paying for laying pellets that were tossed all over the yard for the rabbits and wild birds. I do feed my chickens a fruit and vegetable/leftovers snack every evening. I can afford that only because the local grocery store lets me get my "chicken pickins" from the produce waste barrels. Got three days worth today. Probably spend more at that store, because I alway by food for use when I get the chicken pickins. Oh, I have 28 adult chickens and 19 babies.

 

[ninabeast]

I had a terrible waste problem until I put in a PVC feeder. Now, no waste. They took to it right away, and I am THRILLED.

 

[chickenbythesea]

how'd you make it? mine are constantly kicking their shavings in their feed and while I know they can just peck through it I'll like to get the feed in a position that this isn't possible and yours looks great! thanks

 

[chicmom]

I really think, with 40 chickens, a 50 lb bag a week is pretty normal. I have 19 chickens, and a 50 lb bag lasts two weeks.

 

[klmclain1]

Quote:
I LOVE your feeder! What did you use to put the holes in it? A regular drill bit for the bigger holes?? Would you mind posting a picture of the other side???