How much food

[llombardo]

Thanks so much! I feel terrible! Have I been starving them? They have a huge run, so they do forage. But tomorrow I will change up the feeder and give them access all day. I heard that they are only to get so much per day of feed, plus kitchen scraps. My smaller pullets have feed all the time, but it gets ants in it! The ants are terrible here this year. I will have to get a hanging one and see if that makes a difference!

I have a large feeder with dry food that is available all the time. I give them fermented feed that seems to last 2 days and I find the bowl upside down. I toss some scratch down in the morning and they get a healthy snack in the morning(not a lot but gives variety) I will say that I put the dry food in the feeder on Saturday(I think it holds 2 pounds and it's not all the way full) and it really hasn't moved to much. I think the fermented feed fills them up and they really like it.

 

[Wimomof2]

They love the fermented food. Just didn't know how I would make that available all day long!

 

[llombardo]

They love the fermented food. Just didn't know how I would make that available all day long!

I put enough out for a couple days. Well it's not a complete two days. I put it out the morning of the third day and it's gone by the next morning.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Don’t feel terrible. If you were starving them it would show. And you cared enough to ask. I know at least mine stop when they’re full ( unlike my dogs and goats)

 

[Seaecho]

Use Amdrel Ant Block granules. I swear I've tried everything over the years, but this stuff truly works! I sprinkle all around the perimeter of the coop and run (so the chickens don't have access to it). Just a thin line--not a lot is needed. I also sprinkle a little in ant holes. They take it back to the nest and it kills them all. I swear, I put it out and 2 days later there was not a single ant anywhere! From what I understand you shouldn't have to apply it more than once a year, or twice a year if the ground gets very wet.

 

[GC-Raptor]

They love the fermented food. Just didn't know how I would make that available all day long!

You just keep feeding the fermented feed the same way in the morning. Provide a feeder with dry feed the rest of the day.
I don't feed fermented feed, but I do wet some feed in a bowl as a treat occasionally or if a hen is not feeling well, to make sure she gets plenty of feed and water.
I provide feed and water 24/7 in their raised coop that's secure from rodents.
If you're coop isn't rodent proof, store feeder in a galvanized can overnight. GC

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

I put out fermented feed in the morning with dry feed (currently crumbles) available during the entire day. As I have chicks right now I leave them with food and water around the clock, but the hens' feeder gets put away at night.

What is fermented food? I am new to chickens and not familiar!

 

[proudmommie31]

I leave enough fermented feed out for 24 hours. I’ve also left enough out for 5 days when I’ve gone away. It just keeps fermenting in the dish, just keep it out of direct sunlight.

 

[rosemarythyme]

What is fermented food? I am new to chickens and not familiar!

Here's a massive thread on FF: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fermented-feeds-anyone-using-them.645057/ and a shorter FAQ: https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[Aerliss]

Just marking my name against the "put out FF in the morning, and leave them with access to dry all day".

I ferment half of what they "should" eat in a day, and the rest will be dry crumble. If there's any FF left at the end of the day I move it to the coop, if not I put a couple of dollops in the bowls from the next batch and pop that in the coop. Gives them something to nibble on before I get up and let them into the run while the sun is rising at 3:30am...