How often do you feed? Settle a squabble!

[WriterofWords]

My friend out here and I are arguing about how often to feed. I do it twice a day and she does it once a day very heavily mid day.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Mine have a really big feeder and waterer. I check the containers every day to make sure they're clean and full, but there's no way the flock would eat and drink it all in one day. Therefore, they have access to food and water 24/7. If they want to pig out, they can.

I figure they're probably pretty good at self-regulating naturally.

Trips out to the coop to do "chores" per day: 1-2, depending on weather conditions. Now that someone is laying, it's probably going to be twice daily regularly.

 

[teach1rusl]

I didn't vote because I too use the big cannister feeder that I keep feed in at all times. Mine never run out of food. I check and refill once a week or so...

 

[bluere11e]

I feed twice a day.. Unless I get home late, but there's always fresh cut greens, fruit and veggies in front of them.. plus all the free range buffet they can eat!
When I'm raising chicks in te tractor, they have food in front of them at all times.. but I do take it up at night..

 

[dandelionheart]

We feed them once in the morning. They have a big metal feeder and it doesn't completely disappear daily. At the same time we give them their daily "breakfast", usually oatmeal with leftovers. Sometimes I bring out treats or something later, but it isn't routine. Water is an all the time thing too - also in a metal dispenser thingy. I do check on them throughout the day and then close them up at night.

 

[annie3001]

i voted , once a day, but i may give scraps of feed throughout the day. when the weather isnt snowy, the chickens free range, so i feed grain a bit less.


hope some of the responses helps settle the squabble.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

2x a day here!

 

[Ema]

none of these apply with me. I have a big feeder which is filled once a week and they eat free choice. Some eat first thing in the am, some after laying, some in the afternoon and some at night.

but I do give them BOSS in the am and Scratch before bedtime cause its still rather cold here.

 

[woodmort]

I guess I don't understand what you're looking for in your poll. I replenish the feeder once a day whenever I get to it but there is enough food in front of them to last 48 to 72 hrs.

 

[Olive Hill]

If your and your friends' chickens are penned and the amount of food you're both putting out doesn't last with leftovers until the next time you feed, neither is right. IMO, limit feeding has no place in penned setups and very limited use in free-range applications.