How much do your chickens eat? :D

[stcroixusvi]

I have 22 chickens and go through 100 lbs a month. They free range in the afternoon and get some scraps.

 

[ZombieChickens]

I guess I'm doing it right then, I have half as many chickens and go through half as much food.

 

[triplepurpose]

digitS' :

20 chickens eating 1/3rd pound feed per chicken each day is 6.7 pounds.

30 days times 6.7 pounds is 200 pounds each month.

Is there something I'm not understanding here?

Steve

Your math is spot on, but I'm not sure where you got your figure--a third of a pound per chicken sounds like a very generous ration. I'm guessing in recent times I used about 60 pounds a month for 20 chickens, but hopefully much less now that I've FORMALLY got them on a (partially) homegrown/homemade ration. Obviously when you look at the numbers like that feeding them some greens and scraps is going to save you beaucoup bucks over time! Clearly, for most of us, so-called "treats" and scraps are the only way raising chickens makes financial sense--unless maybe you live somewhere where feed is ridiculously cheap. If I was feeding each of my chickens a 1/3 of a pound per day here I would currently be spending something upwards of $200 a month on feed!

$200 for four dozen eggs (less this time of year), a little manure, and maybe a pot of chicken soup? No thanks, I think I'll go for some geese instead, since grass is free...

 

[blueberrychickens]

I go thru 1 bag of layena pellets (50lbs)/ month for 8 hens. They also get kitchen scraps & some other treats (scratch & boss) The pellets are available 24/7 inside the coop, no waste w/ my PVC feeder.

 

[digitS']

Quote:
The tables are from "Nutrient Requirements of Poultry," National Academy Press but the University of Missouri puts them together on a single page and makes information easier to find. Nutrient Requirements of Chickens and Turkeys (click)

Note that information in Table 2 Nutrient requirements of leghorn-type chicken: "Assumes an average daily intake of 110 grams of feed per hen daily."

110 grams = .24 pound

So, that's 1/4 pound for a leghorn-type chicken.

Most of our dual-purpose birds eat about 1/3 pound of feed each day and in weather down into the single digits F, my hens are eating real close to 1/2 pound of feed each day.

I fully agree with you, Sky, scraps and veggies from the garden, along with a little free-ranging, are the only way to get my costs for a laying flock down to some kind of economically reasonable sense.

Steve

 

[triplepurpose]

digitS' :

Quote:
The tables are from "Nutrient Requirements of Poultry," National Academy Press but the University of Missouri puts them together on a single page and makes information easier to find. Nutrient Requirements of Chickens and Turkeys (click)

Note that information in Table 2 Nutrient requirements of leghorn-type chicken: "Assumes an average daily intake of 110 grams of feed per hen daily."

110 grams = .24 pound

So, that's 1/4 pound for a leghorn-type chicken.

Most of our dual-purpose birds eat about 1/3 pound of feed each day and in weather down into the single digits F, my hens are eating real close to 1/2 pound of feed each day.

I fully agree with you, Sky, scraps and veggies from the garden, along with a little free-ranging, are the only way to get my costs for a laying flock down to some kind of economically reasonable sense.

Steve

Wow! Thanks for the info. I had no idea so much was recommended! This is kind of blowing my mind!

How do they expect for this to be feasible for people??

To buy this feed according to these recommendations, and then adhere to the "only 10% treats" rule? Just doesn't add up--unless the idea is that chickens are only for the amusement of very rich people...

Crazy...​

 

[Toxic Chicken]

Oh wow! So I guess my 5lb bag of chick starter isnt going to last very long. Lol

 

[2isgreen]

My feeder holds about 20 ish lbs and I fill it every other week. So about 50 lbs per month for 7 hens. I dont need to sell very many eggs for them to pay for themselves. I put a piece of plywood on the ground under the feeder so the food that is spilled doesn't turn into mud instantly. They seem to like eating off the plywood as much as eating of the feeder.

 

[aoxa]

I go through 50 pounds of feed every 2 1/2 weeks for 20 chickens. All are LF though (besides the silkies). I keep telling my BO she needs to go on weight watchers!!

She's like... An apple?! You gots to be kidding me!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yes, a large fowl bird, that is also laying, can easily consume 1/3 pound of feed per day, especially in cold weather when calories are needed for body heat production.

Sky, the Chicken Man, you infer that chickens are expensive to feed and potentially a pricey hobby. You are correct. Of course, the answer cannot be to under-feed them.

It seems better for most folks to again investigate the availability of feed from a local mill. To my mind, that is where one's efforts should be proactive. A bag of Purina, at a TSC type, rural retail store here is $17 a bag. A local Hubbard feed mill here sells a bag of their own ground layer feed for $10.