How much feed for REALLY small flock?

[spacetygrss]

About how much feed, on average, are you using for flocks of 2-3 chickens?

I'm trying to come up with an average estimate of how much I'd be spending per month on feed (I guess I should throw oyster shell/grit into the equation too).

Thanks.

 

[NurseELB]

We pay about $15 for a bag of Albers feed and it lasts us 6-8 weeks for our 2 girls- used to be 3. Some of it I think the dogs get so it should go 9 weeks or so.

 

[PortageGirl]

It'll be a bit more during the winter if yours are free ranging now. I had 4 layers and one 50# bag of layer crumbles lasted me most of 3.5 months, but now they're more interested, and my pullets are on layer feed as well, so I can't give you much of a guide now.

 

[spacetygrss]

Quote:
How big is the bag? Thanks.

 

[briteday]

Most bags of feed are 50 pounds. If you are concerned about having to store the feed for so long, a lot of feed stores will sell feed by the pound. At our feed store they just open up a bag and pour it into a bin, you scoop out as much as you want into a bag,

 

[Olive Hill]

We pay about $16 per bag for 50lbs. Spring - Fall we don't go through much at all because ours free-range. For 2-3 chickens one 50lb bag will last the whole "warm" season here. In the winter obviously they go through it more quickly. If you're planning to buy conventional feed I wouldn't estimate over $100 per year for feed for a small flock like that.

 

[origami.bullets]

I have 3 chickens (2 banties, one large) and I find that I go through one 20kg (44lbs) bag every 6 weeks or so. Each bag costs £7.85 ($13.10), which means I spend around 6p, or 10c per day per chicken on food.

 

[spacetygrss]

Quote:
Thanks. This was very helpful.

 

[d73]

I'm feeding 12 chickens now and go through a 50# bag about every 3 weeks. Buying by the pound I would think it would cost a lot more.
What I do is put the feed a a large galvanized trash can. Works real well.
For only 3 chickens I can't see you using more the 1 bag every 2.5/3 months

 

[Tala]

It took me just over 90lbs of feed to get 6 chicks to 20 weeks, but chicks eat a lot at first.
From just that, I'd say we average 1-50lb bag per 2 months. They definitely eat less when they're on grass!

I have a plastic feed storage bin that keeps it airtight that I got at Wal-Mart - it holds about 40lbs of crumbles. I put the extra in a 5gal bucket with a lid. I keep our feed inside the house, you might need a metal trashcan if you have freeloaders.