How much do you feed??? And what kinds-Layer, grower, scratch?

[Chihuahuamom444]

My chickens have crumbles 24/7 and they get scratch thrown on ground twice a day and get whatever I have leftover and sometimes I even bake or cook just for them.....I think theyve gotten spoiled.....and mine do the same thing, I open the back door and sometimes even just stand at the door and they come racing top speed, then I feel quilty and go throw something out there...its just so cute to see these little bantams running as fast as they can. They all seem so healthy and nobody is overweight so I dont think I overfeed, the crows help out with that

 

[Double T]

digitS' :

Feeding by the coffee can or by the handful or by one container or by another or by Gosh & by Golly is problematic.

How much is a coffee can? Is a coffee can of feed and a coffee can of "original roast" - the same amount?

My feed weighs about 1/3 pound per cup. But, I use a scale and weigh the feed. It is really quite simple. Put the feeder on the scale, dial it back to zero, and fill it with feed. How much did the chickens eat?

My hens have their feed and then they have their treats. Some of those treats might be from the kitchen, the garden, or from foraging around the backyard.

But, I want them to eat about 1/4 pound of their feed each day.

They aren't Leghorns so 1/4 pound isn't enough food for them. ((Altho', it is about right for a Leghorn hen.)) But, I don't want them loading up on left-over pasta from the kitchen or zucchini squash from the garden. If they aren't eating about 1/4 pound of feed each day -- I cut back on the treats. And no, I don't weigh their feed each day - just when I fill the feeder.

Steve

Thank you steve and I apologize for not getting back sooner, the TX fires that have been on the news, well we've been right in the middle of them and it's been a horrible week. I do have a scale and know how to weigh the feed, I have horses so am used to weighing feed periodically. Just wasn't sure what the amount should be, so I appreciate that! Thanks.​

 

[Double T]

I wanted to add also that so far I havne't seen any rodent problems but we have 20 cats running around there too (not ours the previous owners also left them, and as soona s we can they will be thinned out and the males nuetered and given away). I'll take my scake up there today when I get down there to feed and weigh it and see.

And I've been mixing oyster shell in with their layena everyday also.

 

[packmomma]

I have 11 adults. I feed as much as they will eat no matter what the age. I have a feeder that will hold a couple days worth of food..I think its around a 20 pound feeder. The waterer is that much I know. I just shake it down some each day cause the feed doesnt always come down correctly. My chickens are in the coop most of the winter and do go through more food than if they were outside in their run. When I let them free range they eat even less but there is always food available no matter what. I am feeding currently Layenta because its a long story. Chicks also get as much as they want. I have a smaller feeder and waterer about half the size for my chicks about yours age.

I also keep oyster shell out all the time for adults.
I throw out scatch in the mornings during spring summer and fall and switch to nights in winter to help keep them warmer. Corn helps them produce heat. If they are stuck in the coop I try to buy greens for them at the store or give them oats in the morning just so they can eat something other than feed.

 

[Calichickkeeper]

I have 10 Brown Leghorn pullets that are 10 mos old and they probably eat more than your girls do. Most of the time they forrage but I feed a mix of Flock Raiser, Layers crumble, and some scratch feed which I call "Chicken Lucky Charms". They are spoiled, in the morning they get a wet mix of the combo which they eat during the day. At night they have their mix dry at their free will. I still don't go threw a lot of feed, and I get 10 eggs a day. I do have to pay attention to their breast muscles and they are far from fat and love to run around so it is hard to keep enough calories in them as they eat. For me I would rather have enough food for them to eat, then have them be hungry. A stressed chicken just doesn't lay as often. I don't want a depressed pullet.

They will be hens in July and off we go to even bigger eggs then we already get.

We love our girls and our Surprise Cocreal Tony loves them from a far too. Be careful when you buy a bunch of sexed chicks they don't alway come all female. Oh man lol

 

[Double T]

Thanks I must of filled 'em up yesterday with the whole big coffee can (the Maxwell house big blue one with the handle type) when I fed, cause there was some left this evening and the shoe pecker didn't try to chase me around pecking my shoes and pants, lol. ON the subject on stressed chickens, my girls must have souls of steel, there has been a fire burning all the way around them for about 4 days and it's been horribley smokey and they are still laying! Got a dozen eggs over two days yestereday and today.

 

[Calichickkeeper]

That is so great when your girls keep on laying. They must be happy, fed, and good to go. So are you trying for a yummy smoke flavor to your eggs.

How many girls do you have and how old are your girls if you know? Gotta love those chickens bit of joy on two legs. I love just watching them.

 

[Double T]

Quote:
lol had several friends tease me that I'll have smoke flavored eggs, lol hey I guess you gotta try and make fun and light of all the destruction, lol, they (and the fire fighters) also said my rooster was messed up cause he crowed at 1, 2, 3, am on the dot every hour, LOL I think he wanted them to know he was still alive while everything was burning up around him (they saved our house, but it literally burned up to the yard fence!-Google Rock House fire, and that's us in the midst with hundred of others of it).

Ok ages: (and i don't know how to do a siggy thing yet),
CJ is 8-9 months old, half americana and half soemthing else, but can't remember what she said.
Little Red Hen I don't know, she was left by the previous tenants
And I have 3 buff Orpingtons and 3 Silver laced Wyadottes(sp) and the guy told me they were 2 years old? Don't know on that, all six of those are almost bald on their backs and hind ends, but he said it was from his roosters. Not totally impressed with the silver girls, they do seem to lay more often than the buff's but their eggs are itty eggs.
And the day before the fire started I got 4 6-8 week old Red star pullets from the feed store, but I'm thinking one may be a rooster, cause the top notch is a lot bigger on it than the other 3's. They are a hoot though, one I've been calling her escape artist cause as soon as you open the door out she flies, then she walks around and hops back in. lol My 4 yr old has been holding them and petting on them and I hope that they'll be gentle the others aren't. (then I have 27 baby chicks ordered to arrive in a couple of weeks of various breeds, lol when Ig et into soemthing I seem to always do it big, lol).

 

[Calichickkeeper]

Double T,

I am so sorry, I didn't realize that the fire was at or that close to your home. I don't think that is funny, I am sorry to hear that. The smoked eggs now that is funny. The fact that you are still getting eggs really is remarkable, or at least that many with the fire so close to your flock.
I just wanted to mention the balding on your girls. There are jackets that you can get to put on them that will save them from the Rooster plucking. I have a rooster but did not plan to have one I purchased 12 sexed females but you know how that goes. Poof a Boy! One of females died and so it left me with just 10 pullets and a cockrel. I keep him seperate because he is a big ole boy and not even a year yet and he would be hard on my girls. I just can't have him stressing my girls out. The few times he got a hold of one of my girls he kind of stood on her. I have Brown Leghorns so big difference in his frame from their size frame.
My Cockrel (Tony) turns 1 yr old on July 1 of this year. We call him Tony because Leghorns came from the Leghorn of Italy and he has 10 girls he likes to strut his stuff for. He crows or we call "doodles" when he hears someone no matter the time of day. I am in an area where he comes into the garage at night, my neighbors would have a cow if they heard him in the wee hours of the morning and he can "doodle" even at 1:30am to whatever time I get up to use the restroom in the night. I do keep him seperate so he has a run in the day and the pullets hang out by his run or sit on top. If the girls are nervous he still trys to protect them even from the screened in run.
It sounds like your girls are doing amazing given what you "they" are dealing with. My Chick wing is up to you. Your little flock is doing great. I know that your pullets when they get bigger will fall in and get the egg laying on tract.

 

[Five Dog Farm]

We leave feed for the girls 24/7. They always have access to it. Also using a hanging feeder will pretty much eliminate the rodent problem. The girls dont leave anything on the ground for uninvited guests. As far as the the oyster shell, that is always available too. When they need calcium they will eat what they need from it.