How much to feed?

[glib]

On the other hand, I tend to discount chicken science. It is aimed solely at maximizing production of meat or eggs in large chicken farms. I look at where they evolved, and figure out that, for example, they evolved for 100,000 of years with a diet richer in fruits/vegetables and meat/bugs than the one they get in our coops. Much fresher too, which may be a difference for a number of micronutrients. Possibly they won't know how to fine tune things, and nature has taught them to gorge whenever a source of animal food is found. But my guess is that chicken that don't know how to pick a decent diet, given a choice, were evolved out of existence long ago.

 

[dbjay417]

I supply generic chicken feed and corn(for now), and since my birds free range, they eat all the grass, weeds, worms, grubs, roaches and lizards they can kick up. I just assume they are going after whatever my feed does not supply while they are out and about.

 

[Chez'z Chickens]

Hi there! I'm new to the site, but not new to chickens. I have about 90 or so in the barn, 3
roosters, and 15 guinea fowl (they were a trial from last summer) .
Anyway, my dh was wondering also how much I should be feeding them since we seem to be going through a lot of laying mash. We live in SD and it's really cold lately, so I'm not limiting their food since they don't go outside in the snow.
I don't give them much for "treats" because I sell the eggs and don't want the eggs getting a funny taste.
But does anybody know of a formula I should be using to actually determine how much (by poundage) feed they need?
thanks!!

 

[SeaChick]

Hi Chez....
Welcome to BYC... it's a great community!
I don't know the answer to your question about how much they should eat, but I have noticed that the feed companies' web sites usually give you a per-chicken, per-day amount... of course that doesn't account for spillage!!!

Most folks here provide layer feed (mash, pellets, whatever) free choice, along with grit and oyster shell.

As far as treats giving the eggs a funny taste, I can personally say that I NEVER experienced that! We feed our chickens all sorts of things (table scraps like organic meat/fat bits, grains, veggie peelings -not potato though- apple cores, lettuce, etc.) and their eggs taste incredibly delicious. In fact, I have noticed that during weeks when we did not feed as much scraps, and they were not out free ranging (ie wintertime) the yolks were not as deep orange and the eggs were not as creamy and delicious. I personally think that the eggs are better-tasting and more nutritious when they girls are eating a varied organic diet rather than just some bland layer pellets. Just my 2 cents!

Stacey

 

[spottedtail]

Chez....if you have heavy breed hens they average about 1/3 lb of layer a day.

We've got 16 hens x .33 = 5.28 lbs. But we make it 6 pounds even, just to be sure.
What's leftover is recycled into the next days ration.

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