How much is too little/to much?

[BoPeep6]

I have been on a mission trying to figure out exactly how much food I should feed my chickens! I have 6, 2 month old's and 6, 3 month old's. I have tried looking on the feed bag or online but haven't found anything trustworthy. Anyway, what I am looking for is how much I should be feeding them, right now I feed them a good amount in the morning and they usually are done with it by noon, then they forage the rest of the day. I have heard a lot of people say they should have constant food available all day and others say they they should just be fed at certain times during the day.
If I do give them constant food through the day would it stop them from foraging? And if I feed them a few times during the day will they be hungry all the time? They do get a bit feisty with each other during feed time but I am assuming that they are just being chickens.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. If it helps at all: I am feeding them Dumor Grower/Finisher.

*Looking for multiple opinions.*

 

[Percheron chick]

Give them food free choice. They are being crabby at meal time because they are hungry and want to make sure they get enough. When they free range, their consumption of feed will go down and they will choose the bugs and seeds first filling up on them and what they still need, they will fill up the rest of the way with feed.

A chick in the first 10 weeks will eat approximately 10# of feed total. The next 5 weeks they eat about 1-1.5# per week. An adult will eat 2-4# depending upon breed, time of year, foraging....

Just to add, feed produces a fair amount of body heat when it's digested. They tend to not eat in the heat of the day (you probably have decent humidity) so make sure they have feed available early in the AM and in the afternoon.

 

[Going Quackers]

All the birds here get free choice, it shouldn't effect the foraging it certainly hasn't with my ducks.. my chickens are penned but still scuffle about looking for stuff.

No bird is overweight, no birds fight over feed and i know everyone gets what they need since you will see the birds eat at differing times.

 

[Cindy in PA]

2 & 3 month olds should have feed constantly in MHO. They are growing fast & much different then grown pullets of 20 weeks or so. Chickens will eat & need a lot of feed while growing.

 

[UncleMule]

I don't have an answer because I am trying to figure out the same thing, but I do have a question to hopefully further this discussion.

If the chickens are only being fed in the morning & in the afternoon and this is not enough food, if they are allowed to free range from the afternoon until they put themselves to bed, should I expect to see the chickens constantly foraging while they are free ranging? I feed twice a day and I would think that if they were very hungry they would not stop foraging to make up for the lack of food from me. There are times every day while they are free ranging that them seem to be just hanging out relaxing instead of trying to make up for the lack of food from me. They will gather around and follow me around the yard until I feed them in the afternoon. Are they following me around because they like the taste of the grain better or just out of habit or they just arn't finding enough food while free ranging?

 

[BoPeep6]

I obviously dont know for sure since I was the one to ask the first question.... But my guess would be that they should enjoy foraging enough that thty should do that to even if there is constant food available. My chickens seemed to not be concerned about not having enough food, also, which is what led to my question.