How much food do my chickens need need?

[KZN Chicken farmer]

Hello KZN I'm also in KZN. I have Lohmann hens. They get aprox 100g of pellets per hen per day plus a generous selection of weeds,chard,sunflower heads,cabbage leaves,radishes and whatever else I have growing in my garden for them. My Bantams get slightly less.

Where about in KZN do you live?

 

[KZN Chicken farmer]

I’m going to my local farm shop tomorrow so I’ll buy a couple of tube feeders hopefully they work.

 

[Ebony Rose]

If the tube feeders don't keep the mice and rats out for you, you can place the good-old-fashioned mouse traps against the walls with the trigger closest to the wall in an area that other animals such as cats, dogs and chickens cannot get to it. Check the traps every morning. The dead catch is perfectly fine to feed to your chickens and will encourage them to become your rat catchers quickly.
I once moved into a house that a significant mouse population at the property, for about a week or so. I used this method to teach my chickens to hunt and as mentioned... the significant population only lasted a week or so...
I'd like to point out that this method quickly dispatches the mice, it's over very quickly for them so they don't suffer. They're not fed poison, and therefore won't poison any animal that eats them.

 

[KZN Chicken farmer]

If the tube feeders don't keep the mice and rats out for you, you can place the good-old-fashioned mouse traps against the walls with the trigger closest to the wall in an area that other animals such as cats, dogs and chickens cannot get to it. Check the traps every morning. The dead catch is perfectly fine to feed to your chickens and will encourage them to become your rat catchers quickly.
I once moved into a house that a significant mouse population at the property, for about a week or so. I used this method to teach my chickens to hunt and as mentioned... the significant population only lasted a week or so...
I'd like to point out that this method quickly dispatches the mice, it's over very quickly for them so they don't suffer. They're not fed poison, and therefore won't poison any animal that eats them.

 

[PTA Chicks]

Where about in KZN do you live?

Hillcrest. You? I got my birds from KBD hatchery in Kloof. And I have several others - Bantams and mixed breeds from various people and hatched eggs.
I do let my girls free range as much as possible to reduce food costs but we do have crowned eagles nesting on the property so when they're around we try and keep them safe and under netting.