How much feed??

[DMichaelW]

I currently feed my chickens laying pellets (16%) and regular chicken scratch from the farm up the road, as well as table scraps. Curious as to how much, I should ideally be feeding them. Also- considering fermenting their feed, supposedly they eat less, how much is less? I have a flock of 9, 8 hens 1 rooster.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I do free choice feed and oyster shell.

Scratch is BEST avoided in my HUMBLE opinion... as it is the equivalent of chips... tasty as heck but low in nutrients. And doesn't provide heat in the winter as many uninformed peeps will claim. Although most feed is corn based... it has added vitamins, minerals, and importantly amino acids. Scratch is often about 7% protein and therefor diminishes your feed value. Treats should be given at a ration of no more than 10% of the total daily ration... in order to maintain good health and laying.

I did fermenting for about 2 years, wasn't worth my time or MINIMAL savings (10% at best). I see my biggest savings from free ranging on good pasture. With fermenting.. although some things go up, something else MUST go down. People just choose not to focus on that. In addition... FEED IS FORMULATED to meet their needs and does NOT need adjusting by us. I think it a fun to do thing for treats and enrichment though.

Personally refuse to feed my rooster LAYER... which has to much calcium for birds NOT in lay and *can* (doesn't mean will) cause kidney failure if fed long term (most people just won't know that is the cause of death without a necropsy). So instead I feed flock raiser which is 20% protein and 1 ish% calcium with oyster shell on the side for layers.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I agree wholeheartedly with the above advice.
Fermenting is a bit of a hassle but I found higher savings in feed consumed. I think that is largely from less waste since all the ingredients are bound together. Also with all the fines bound up in the mass, that's where all the nutritional supplements added as powders end up so for that reason I believe it to have more nutrition only because fine particles the chickens normally wouldn't eat aren't being discarded.
While protein % isn't affected, a good ferment will make some more bioavailable.
I too, never limit feed. They won't overeat feed. Treats are another matter.
If you continue to offer table scraps, chickens are omnivores so don't limit them to fruits and vegetables. Fish and meat scraps may compensate for the lower protein in the former.