How much food do bantams eat compared to larger breeds?

[sheeshshe]

Comparatively speaking... do they eat about half the amount of food you think? they are about half the size of a standard breed, so do they eat half the amount you'd think?

I need a way to convince the hubby to get silkies hahaha (we have 1 only right now)

 

[jtbrown]

I don't think they even eat half, but I have never truly measured it. I have raised bantums the last few years (brooded them under light) and they seemed to barely eat compared to full size birds. I also have never noted a change in feed consumption when adding bantums, they really are much smaller than a regular chicken.

I have 2 silkies, they aren't the quickest birds of the bunch, but get so much attention when we have company! They are cute. Good luck.

I am not making it up -- they eat very little!

 

[tiki244]

Silkies are one of the biggest bantams. Except maybe the cornish bantams. There is a chart (somewhere) where it tells how much a chicken eats per pound of body weight. I vote to get more silkies. They are wonderful chickens.

 

[Mrs.ChickChick]

I vote you should get more silkies too, and I've never even owned one!

Just trying to help a fellow BYC member convince DH...."yes dear, xx number of people on BYC agree with me...."

 

[sheeshshe]

Ok, you got me. I'll go get them tomorrow

 

[moomoodiddy]

i agree silkies are awesome and bearly eat anything i have 10 and only go through a 50 lb bag of food in about 3 months) plus foraging and scraps)