How much do you feed?

[CrazyFowlFreak]

They are in a 50X150 fenced in "free-range" area. No mice or moles or anything, my cats eat all those.

I have a 22lb feeder. I'll just start filling that and that's all they'll need, you think?

 

[dianer29]

My SILKIESare 18 weeks old ,still in garage waiting on coop completion. I would like to know how much should my 7 girls be eating per day. I give them feed as well as brown rice with a bit of garlic 6:30 amand a bowl of feed. 9 :15 am chopped uncooked Chinese Cabbage ,parakeet grit in a separate small bowl, 11:15 am either a bowl of alfalfa sprouts followed by 3 dwarf apple bananas or inplace of sprouts in sprout place sometime grated carrots at this time.2-2:15 pm the opposite or a large grated apple followed by a banana if none in am,4-4:15 pm organic feed in 2 different size bowls due to crowding at meal times. Monday and Thursday they get calmon with another food inplace at the 11 am feedi ng time.Of course I cg off giving chicken parfait which has fresh or fouzen organic berries and cheerioe chopped all in organic plain yogurt. I offer then tomatoes to no avail as they toss and squawk and then walk...........lol. I offer cucumbers seedless grated, inplace of one of above ,that they enjoy and they used to get warm oatmeal every night last feed but I noticed they must of tired of it so I took the hint.Occassionally chopped organic lettuce dk leaf but they really are not too keen on that. I had ordered mealworms from the mainland as here on The Big Island the supplier is always out and it takes FOREVER to get supplies from barge . They also get cheese grated inplace of any of the meals above but not substituting their feed.They are always hungery and I end up hand feeding most of the"treats " because I probably spoiled them and conditioned them to get me to do it . They jump and squeek until I come over to their pen. I cannot fit larger bowls or food containers in with them and they hate putting their heads into the metal bowls. I have created MONSTERS..............but you gotta love them!

 

[Renee']

I think something else is eating your chicken food too. Sure seems like a lot of food for the number of birds you have.

 

[Amethyste]

Well, I have a 12 lb feeder that I just fill up as needed. I keep an eye on it and if it is running low, I fill it back up. ATM we have 2 hens and 7 pullets in the coop. I am refilling it totally about 1-2 times a week on average....I usually just refill when half full and rarely let it run empty. Its a gravity feed anyway so the old stuff gets eaten first anyway.

They get apples, bananas, warm mash <made of layer feed and veggies etc> and greens <spinach/cabbage/lettuce> in their hanging snack feeder. So they are eating a lot at this time of year

But it is cold so to be expected!

 

[Amethyste]

Quote:
Um I would say no. I think you probably have some little friends helping them eat the food... such as rodents, wild birds, or they are billing it all out onto the ground. My 9 birds go thru 50 # in about 2-3 weeks. A day? no way.... you have something else going on there imho.

 

[dianer29]

I stand at their run which is in garage attached to our house for the full feeding time. No food is left in the run if it takes them too long I multitask(I know not good) read ,dream,plot plan and talk with my birds ..lol. I am in there each and every time. There are no rodents and the quantity of each offering is not an overabundance. I take the bowl(s) out each time to a sink and wash them so nothing remains. Each feeding is completed with a observation of crop and behavior,adjustment of a window if needed that has a screen or at night a light adjustment (40 w )just to balance out light needed for upcoming(we hope egglaying).Garage door is opened when 2 adults are at opening to be sure no predator will get in.I sweep so many times during the day and water container is cleaned of poop and feathers and pine shavings at each feeding time.The water with ACV is changed and scrubbed every morning.Pine shavings added and removed every morning and as needed. I would bet my life on it there are no predators at all.Garbage is placed in the can closed tight and taken out of garage 3x a week. I keep their garbage separate from household. They are Silkies and 18 weeks of age. I admit spoiled but that is not a problem . I am concerned about quanity of food I am not concerned about diet variety as I am addressing that on a daily basis. They lack sufficentsunshine ,they do dust bathe, and that sunshine issue will be resolved very soon.I give 200 percent to them when they need it ,since I am relatively a new SILKIE owner I need to be sure they are thriving. They look good and they are verbal and seem pretty content. Dropping are normal.I know I need to get them in their coop soon so they can continue on to maturity ,lay eggs and get their sunshine.

 

[Freeholder]

I don't think your ducks and chickens should be eating more than six or seven pounds of food a day. The wild card is the peafowl -- they are big birds. I've never had any, so don't know how much they eat. I have 28 chickens, some of them bantams, and fifty pounds of feed lasts them about to a week (they are eating some alfalfa, too).

Kathleen

 

[ShaggysGirl]

I keep the feeders full at all times. We go through about 50lb a week and we have 32 chickens.

 

[toletiquesbysam]

Quote:
I go through about 50lbs a week too with my 24 chickens/3ducks and 2 geese with 24/7 access to food.

 

[Roy]

I have 32 chickens, I feed them twice a day (cause I work and am not always home when the kettle runs dry) I go thru 50# in about 10 to 12 days. Also mix in crushed corn. 25# is way to much for them to to be eating a day. Something else is going on behind the scene...