How Much Feed Do They Need?

[SpeckledHen10]

I don't know exactly how much layer pellets to feed my hens. Is there a specific amount they should have?

Thanks in advance

 

[dstinett]

I feed what they will eat in 15 minutes. First I put out a scoop or two of feed. Wait 15 minutes. If food is leftover, you have fed too much. No food left, give a little more. It works very well for my free rangers

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Most people recommend feeding free choice.
That's the way I feed because after I fill my big feeder & waterer up I don't have to fool with it for 2-3 days.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

I feed what they will eat in 15 minutes. First I put out a scoop or two of feed. Wait 15 minutes. If food is leftover, you have fed too much. No food left, give a little more. It works very well for my free rangers.

Do you get many eggs? I feed two large layer flocks and for the most part they are fed free choice. Any more than a few hours of feed restriction each day affects egg production. They are very good at consuming just the amount of energy (calories) that they need. They do not overeat.

15 minutes sounds like an arbitrary number. How can you ensure they have consumed enough to meet their daily needs?

 

[dstinett]

Its not an arbritary number. I've worked with animals of just about every species. This system is used to give caregivers an idea of how much to feed without waste. Some are fed once a day, others 3-4 times a day. It just depends on speciesIt works for me and many others. My girls lay as expected for their individual breeds. Seems if I feed extra, it just goes to waste

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Its not an arbritary number. I've worked with animals of just about every species. This system is used to give caregivers an idea of how much to feed without waste. Some are fed once a day, others 3-4 times a day. It just depends on speciesIt works for me and many others. My girls lay as expected for their individual breeds. Seems if I feed extra, it just goes to waste

I've heard that as a recommendation for limiting table scraps and scratch, but generally, hens are fed ad libitum (free choice). It's possible your hens are picking up the rest of what they need from ranging, but for those those with birds in small pens and limited ranging, 15 minutes of feed is not enough. They will eat throughout the day, and for high production hens it's important that they go to roost at night with calcium in their crop to be used to make that eggshell throughout the night. Going to roost with an empty crop forces them to use calcium from their own reserves to be replaced later, there is a limit to what can be replaced though and they can easily be depleted of calcium.

 

[SavageDestiny]

Do you get many eggs? I feed two large layer flocks and for the most part they are fed free choice. Any more than a few hours of feed restriction each day affects egg production. They are very good at consuming just the amount of energy (calories) that they need. They do not overeat.

15 minutes sounds like an arbitrary number. How can you ensure they have consumed enough to meet their daily needs?

I feed twice a day. Morning and evening. I feed a little over 1/4 cup per hen per feeding, plus some sprouts in the morning and greens/veg/fruit in the middle of the day.

My girls are in a run, they do not free range. And yet, I get an egg from each girl every day, minus the occasional day one of them takes a break. Your theory really makes no sense.

 

[dstinett]

Look, I gave a response to a question. It is what works for if you don't agree, that is fine. I don't know why you have to be so snarky. The question was so general. I should have added my birds free range. Its people like you that are making people uneasy about posting questions or opinions on this site.

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

I also just fill up the feeder and don't need to refill it for many days. Some animals are meant to eat once or twice a day while others are meant to nibble almost constantly, from what I understand.

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

My flock of 9 seems to eat about 2-3 cups total during the day though.