How much feed?

[lazy gardener]

I am sure this has been asked, but I can't seem to find it....so.... how much do you feed your hens? Mine free range for about 3 hours a day. I can't free feed or they will eat me into the poorhouse (seriously these girls eat A LOT!) I've heard 1/4 lb of food per hen. Does that seem about right? Mine go through that in a morning!

The info published by Blue Seal states that a hen will eat .2 - .25#/day.

OK - I need suggestions in this department. My chickens do fine with their food - not wasting any particular great amount, not seeming to eat excessively. But my guinea fowl!! Those little stinkers spill and dig and scatter their food all over the place, then walk on it and poop on it so that it's not even usable as ground-scattered forage. I have hung their feeder so that it's just BARELY reachable, and this helps some, but not enough. I think a completely different style of feeder is needed, but I don't have a lot of $$ to spend.

IMO, any food wasted, is TOO much food wasted. That's why I ferment all of my feed. There is NO waste if you ferment it. No feed spoiled, no feed spilled, all feed consumed.

Right! I had been just putting a little bit of food in the feeder because first of all, the guineas kick it out all over the place, and secondly, it's been raining several times a week the past couple weeks. But I've still been dumping a lot, because it seems like the weather waits until I have just changed the food, and then it rains again. I am glad to hear that it's not necessarily mandatory to dump the food every time it gets wet!

Um... if you have your feed in a cylinder feeder and it gets wet, I'd be VERY concerned about it getting wet, and therefore moldy. There is a huge difference between dry feed that gets wet and harbors mold, and fermented feed, which is inoculated with beneficial bacteria and yeast, and grows a healthy colony.

 

[blackdog043]

OK - I need suggestions in this department. My chickens do fine with their food - not wasting any particular great amount, not seeming to eat excessively. But my guinea fowl!! Those little stinkers spill and dig and scatter their food all over the place, then walk on it and poop on it so that it's not even usable as ground-scattered forage. I have hung their feeder so that it's just BARELY reachable, and this helps some, but not enough. I think a completely different style of feeder is needed, but I don't have a lot of $$ to spend.

Would they use a no waste feeder? They are easy to make and wouldn't cost a lot to make. 5 gallon bucket with lid and a couple 3 inch 90 degree elbows.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Would they use a no waste feeder? They are easy to make and wouldn't cost a lot to make. 5 gallon bucket with lid and a couple 3 inch 90 degree elbows.
View attachment 1076734 View attachment 1076736

Huh! I don't know if they would use it. How did you get the holes cut into the sides of the bucket so that they are the right size and shape for the PVC fittings? I would likentontrybthat feeder for the guineas, and if they won't use it, I can give it to my hens.

 

[blackdog043]

A 3 inch hole saw. Maybe you could find someone to borrow it from. I had to buy one because none of my neighbors or myself had that size. I secured the elbows with 2 L brackets, on each elbow, so they don't move. Some people use silicone. Search for the thread on "no waste feeder"
I also use a gamma lid so it's real easy to fill, just spin it off.

 

[Rosenwinkel]

I am sure this has been asked, but I can't seem to find it....so.... how much do you feed your hens? Mine free range for about 3 hours a day. I can't free feed or they will eat me into the poorhouse (seriously these girls eat A LOT!) I've heard 1/4 lb of food per hen. Does that seem about right? Mine go through that in a morning!

For growns hens, unless they are broody about 1/3 of a lb or 4 oz a day.