How do you feed your flock?

[Cinnabar45]

1. How old are the members of your flock(s) & what does it (do they) consist of?
Ours is a mixed flock of about 35 hens, mostly Easter Eggers, with a Speckled Sussex (my favorite!) and Rhode Island Red who came to us as refugees. Ages range about 2-3 years.

2. What feed do they get?
A scoopful of scratch on the ground when they go out in the morning and another when they come in at night, plus organic layer pellets (in their feeders). (BTW, plastic one-gallon vinegar bottles can be cut into excellent scoops. I also use the scoops to defend my hands when collecting eggs from broody or aggressive hens.)

3. How often do you fill/refill the container(s)?
Every morning. I also clean and refill their water bowls.

4. What feed container(s) do you use?
One hanging circular feeder and one long metal tray feeder (from a commercial chicken farmer). If we're going away for a couple of days, I'll put out another feeder or two and fill them full.

5. What do they get besides regular feed? (Scraps, treats, feel free to be as specific as possible).
They get the occasional carton of spent produce from our local co-op, any greens that have seen better days, melons, weeds from the garden (they particularly like greater celandine [Chelidonium majus], and lots of Japanese knotweed, which they adore and which is taking over the riverbank.

6. Does your method of feeding change in the winter months, if so, how?
No knotweed or weeds from the garden (we have winter here). Their treats are mainly kitchen scraps.

 

[dirkandlorie]

I was going to do a poll, but there are so many options…please leave a comment answering the following:

1. How old are the members of your flock(s) & what does it (do they) consist of?

2. What feed do they get?

3. How often do you fill/refill the container(s)?

4. What feed container(s) do you use?

5. What do they get besides regular feed? (Scraps, treats, feel free to be as specific as possible).

6. Does your method of feeding change in the winter months, if so, how?

7. Anything else you’d like to add.

my girls are 1 cochin, 9 years old. 1 gold sex link, 8 years old, 2 black sex links, 8 years old, 1 ameracauna, 8 years old, 3 Easter eggers, 5 years old, 2 cuckoo marans, 5 years old, and 1 barred rock, 5 years old. They are fed commercial feed 24/7, 20% protein. Brand changes often because of availability issues but always crumbles. They àre also fed wet mash daily, with mixed greens, apples, blueberries, scrambled eggs and crushed eggshells, topped with a thyme vinaigrette and mealworms. I bring this fresh food to them daily, topping off the diy hanging feeder my husband made while I'm there. They then go outside for all the bugs and grass they can find until evening, making sure they've ripped apart my compost pile properly before retiring for the night. When they are molting, I add a little game bird feed to their mash to up the protein a bit. And when it's winter I rush the food out to them while it's still warm.

 

[igorsMistress]

1. My flock consists of one roo and six hens, all under a year old.

2. Kalmbach Feeds 20% protein flock maker. Not my first choice, I was very happy with Purina but TSC is unreliable and the smaller feed stores only carry medicated starter and layer. So far Kalmbach is ok but if I find another source for Purina I’ll switch back.

3. Whenever it’s near empty, I’m not sure as I haven’t tracked it. Sometimes I wait longer than others.

4.. No waste feeder, not a five gallon bucket

5. Whatever they forage in the yard. I do toss them some dehydrated bugs/insects from time to time. I also give them a raw egg sometimes. So far they’re not into greens much but in my experience that changes some when they get older. I also provide wet mash from time to time, particularly in the hot months.

6. Not much. The wet mash will be warm and I’ll introduce more greens that way this winter.

7. Nothing else to add.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

1. How old are the members of your flock(s) & what does it (do they) consist of?

Chickens:
2- 27 month old hens
2- 17 month old hens
2- 7 month old pullets
2- 14 week old pullets
1- 14 week old cockerel

2. What feed do they get?

Kalmbach Non GMO 20% flock raiser crumbles

3. How often do you fill/refill the container(s)?

Once a week. Every evening after work they get a pie tin of wet mash

4. What feed container(s) do you use?

Rent a coop port feeders, 1 holds 5lbs and the other holds 10lbs

5. What do they get besides regular feed? (Scraps, treats, feel free to be as specific as possible).

Occasionally garden scraps, or veggie ends and whatnot from cooking. I don't give any leftovers from dinner

6. Does your method of feeding change in the winter months, if so, how?

The only thing that changes is the temperature of the water I use for their mash, lol

 

[Akennedy]

1. How old are the members of your flock(s) & what does it (do they) consist of?
I have 25 chickens ranging in age from 4 years to 5 months.
2. What feed do they get?
I feed kalmbach henhouse reserve and scratch.
3. How often do you fill/refill the container(s)?
I fill them in the morning, and sometimes have to give a little extra in the evening because they empty them.
4. What feed container(s) do you use?
I use the metal troughs
5. What do they get besides regular feed? (Scraps, treats, feel free to be as specific as possible). Lots of grass clippings and occasionally apples, bananas, and tomatoes. Oh and of course meal worms

6. Does your method of feeding change in the winter months, if so, how?
I don’t change much, but sometimes add warm water to their pellets to make a warm porridge in the morning. They love it!

 

[jreardon1918]

I was going to do a poll, but there are so many options…please leave a comment answering the following:

1. How old are the members of your flock(s) & what does it (do they) consist of?
Two are 3 years. six are 21 weeks. Two or three of the pullets are now laying. Still trying to figure that out.
2. What feed do they get?
Just switched to layer pellets, from Ventura Grain in Taunton, MA.
Side containers of Grit and Oyster shell.

3. How often do you fill/refill the container(s)?
We have one 5 gallon bucket for water. We refill using a one gallon pitcher. Using the pitcher eliminates having to carry a heavy bucket.
We have a PVC feeder that fits about two one gallon pitchers.
They went through about 1.5 gallons of water and a little over on pitcher of feed in 5 days. There is very little feed waste.

4. What feed container(s) do you use?
5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples.
PVC hanging feeder.

5. What do they get besides regular feed? (Scraps, treats, feel free to be as specific as possible).
Dinner scraps, crushed egg shells, non-moldy fridge clean out. The only time they get real treats is when the grandkids want to feed them.

6. Does your method of feeding change in the winter months, if so, how?
We switch to game bird pellets for a few months when egg production slows.

7. Anything else you’d like to add.
We went away for 5 days recently. Our neighbors did a wellness check each day, which consisted of 8 chickens up and moving. And they scored the eggs.
[/QUOTE]

 

[luvchick]

1. How old are the members of your flock(s) & what does it (do they) consist of?
I have 4 pulleys and 2 roos. All hatched 9.3.22 Americana’s
2. What feed do they get?
DuMor Chick Starter/Grower or if they‘re out of stock I buy Purina Chick Starter
3. How often do you fill/refill the container(s). Oyster Shells, mealworms, bugs that they find, grit. Omega Egg Maker that was gifted to me that I add in sometimes just because.
I need to buy a larger feeder, right now i refill twice a day if they aren’t free ranging.
4. What feed container(s) do you use?
To small plastic feeder. ceramic bowls, pie tins.
5. What do they get besides regular feed? (Scraps, treats, feel free to be as specific as possible).
Cooked oatmeal, scrambled eggs, crushed egg, squash seeds, I process up left over veggies.
6. Does your method of feeding change in the winter months, if so, how?
I’ve only had chickens for just under five months, so I don’t know.
7. Anything else you’d like to add.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I was going to do a poll, but there are so many options…please leave a comment answering the following:

1. How old are the members of your flock(s) & what does it (do they) consist of?

I have 2 flocks currently,
flock 1: barred rock, 1 EE hen, 2 EE started pullets, silkie hen, orpington hen, BCM, silkie/EE, silkie/barred rock, polish and silkie rooster.
Flock 2: (all 6 week pullets) orpington, sapphire gem, red sexlink, *supposedly* Starlight Green.

2. What feed do they get?

Flock 1 is getting nutrena all flock with oyster shell and grit. Flock 2 gets purina star and grow.

3. How often do you fill/refill the container(s)?

I don't know

4. What feed container(s) do you use?

The regular hanging feeders

5. What do they get besides regular feed? (Scraps, treats, feel free to be as specific as possible).

They get fruits and vegetables when I have some and of I buy scratch they get some

6. Does your method of feeding change in the winter months, if so, how?

During molt I feed nutrena feather fixer.

7. Anything else you’d like to add.

I used to feed purina flock raiser but it was more expensive and I didn't like the crumble.

 

[knurse1]

I was going to do a poll, but there are so many options…please leave a comment answering the following:

1. How old are the members of your flock(s) & what does it (do they) consist of?

2. What feed do they get?

3. How often do you fill/refill the container(s)?

4. What feed container(s) do you use?

5. What do they get besides regular feed? (Scraps, treats, feel free to be as specific as possible).

6. Does your method of feeding change in the winter months, if so, how?

7. Anything else you’d like to add.

We use PVC that It's 4" around. Usually you have to fill them usually once every 2-3 weeks. We have 4 of these containers that are about 4' high. We have 10 chickens. this is a very nice way to do this. I hope this helps out

 

[Iluveggers]

my girls are 1 cochin, 9 years old. 1 gold sex link, 8 years old, 2 black sex links, 8 years old, 1 ameracauna, 8 years old, 3 Easter eggers, 5 years old, 2 cuckoo marans, 5 years old, and 1 barred rock, 5 years old. They are fed commercial feed 24/7, 20% protein. Brand changes often because of availability issues but always crumbles. They àre also fed wet mash daily, with mixed greens, apples, blueberries, scrambled eggs and crushed eggshells, topped with a thyme vinaigrette and mealworms. I bring this fresh food to them daily, topping off the diy hanging feeder my husband made while I'm there. They then go outside for all the bugs and grass they can find until evening, making sure they've ripped apart my compost pile properly before retiring for the night. When they are molting, I add a little game bird feed to their mash to up the protein a bit. And when it's winter I rush the food out to them while it's still warm.

Wow, you have nice old ages there! Are your 8-9 year olds still laying eggs?