How much food

[Wimomof2]

I feed my chickens in the morning and sometimes in the evening. I have one rooster and 7 pullets. One is laying, the others should lay any day. I am wondering, should they have access to feed all the time? I feed fermented feed. But maybe i will switch back to the pellets. So do your layers have access to feed all the time?

 

[BY Bob]

Mine have access to feed all the time. Knock on wood, no rodent problems so far and it has been over 6 years.

 

[The Phantom]

I feed my chickens in the morning and sometimes in the evening. I have one rooster and 7 pullets. One is laying, the others should lay any day. I am wondering, should they have access to feed all the time? I feed fermented feed. But maybe i will switch back to the pellets. So do your layers have access to feed all the time?

Yes they need food all the time. I think only meat birds have to be on a diet.

 

[rosemarythyme]

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.

 

[PirateGirl]

I know approximately how much mine eat in the day. I feed in the morning. If empty I feed some more in the afternoon. If I feed too much in the morning I'm just feeding wild birds and rodents the excess.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Yup I leave crumbles available all day till night Can’t figure out how to that little mouse is getting in so I take it out at night

 

[Wimomof2]

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!

 

[PirateGirl]

You can find feed charts online that will tell you approximately how much a laying vs nest chicken will eat per day, this might be a good place to start.

 

[Wimomof2]

Yes, so I was giving 3 lbs each morning for 10 chickens.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Maybe try hanging feeder to keep ants out. Or a sprinkle of mint ... not too much ... but a little may keep ants out