How much feed for 8hens?- Thinking of auto feeder

[msmeg26]

Thinking of an auto feeder using the 5 galloon bucket method-- particularly if I go out of town for a week or so, trying to calculate what it would hold in lbs and how much feed on average 8 hens would go thru daily?

Initially thought to make my own feed in 100lb portions, but that's proving more complicated with having to weight everything for correct protein % instead of just being able to mix 5lbs of this 50lbs of that, 10lbs of such and such.

 

[sylviethecochin]

What sort of hens? Most go through about 1/3 pound of feed per day, so roughly 2.4 pounds a day for eight, and 16.8 pounds a week. You'd have to measure how much feed is in a gallon--I think it's six pounds, but it's been a long time.

Easier method is to fill the feeder you have, measure how much it holds, and then measure how much is left at the end of the day. Find out how much they ate that day, and then multiply that by seven.

 

[msmeg26]

All full size birds, no bantams. 8 different breeds.

 

[sylviethecochin]

All full size birds, no bantams. 8 different breeds.

Then they'll probably average out at 2.4 pounds. Orps eat more; Leghorns eat a lot less. It depends what feed you're feeding, too. If the feed has more nutrition, they're going to eat a little less of it.

 

[msmeg26]

White/Black Polish, Jersey Giant , Oliver Egger, Austra White, Super Blue Egg Layer, Blue Easter Egger , Buff Orphington and Welsummer

are whats on order.

 

[sylviethecochin]

White/Black Polish, Jersey Giant , Oliver Egger, Austra White, Super Blue Egg Layer, Blue Easter Egger , Buff Orphington and Welsummer

are whats on order.

Why don't you measure out three pounds of feed for them tomorrow, and see how much of it they eat? I don't know how much every breed of hen consumes, but most of your breeds seem to be on the heavy side, so I'd err on the side of caution and measure.

 

[msmeg26]

Will do! Thank you for the suggestion!