How much should i feed my free range chickens?

[HeIsKing]

My free range chickens are out all day long and i feed them when i let them out and put them up. how much should i feed them when i do? Or should i leave food out for them at all times???

 

[Percheron chick]

Just fill up the feeder. If they all stand around the feeder and fill up on it instead of foraging than you need to take it away and just give it to them to encourage them to return to the coop at night. I find that mine eat about 1 1/2 oz per bird when they are out 8-10 hours a day. That's about 1/3 of what they eat when they are locked up.

 

[centrarchid]

I add enough to feeder to keep them in food through noon. Then I keep an eye on how far they range during balance of day. Another thing to watch is how full crop is when the go to roost. It needs to be distended at first but they should not be going 1/2 mile to get those eats as that puts them in harms way or increases odd they will roost somewhere else.

 

[KeepOnClucking]

In my experience with my free range birds, they would much rather forage around for bugs and things than eat their feed. I don't worry about their feed intake. They will only eat as much as they need to eat.

 

[HeIsKing]

thank you so much everyone!!