How often do you feed your chickens?

[Fluffyflufffluff]

Was wondering how often do you feed your chickens? Mine are free range and up at night so I leave 2 buckets out of feed and water daily for them and 1 in chicken run. I also have a 30 pound goose that eats the same food. I feel like I’m going through sooo much food a bag every week and half and it’s little on the expensive side.. do I cut back on feeding? Or should I only feed mornings and evenings?

For me, It should be in a daily basis, and that includes watering as well. I guess it depends on what food to provide.

 

[igorsMistress]

I feed twice a day but my flock has access to a gravity feeder during the day.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

We are in the middle of the woods, so I use Grandpa’s Feeders for my eight hens. It works out really well as they can eat when they’re hungry, it’s less mess, and attracts fewer mice. The initial cost was well worth it, especially since I got both feeders for the price of one! Grandpa, it seems, has a few scratch and dent models in the back of the warehouse. If you call and ask, they’re happy to sell them at a discounted price.

(And yes, I’m a sucker... On the really cold mornings, I’ll throw some chow in the pan too. Then sit and watch some chicken tv!)

 

[Mtnboomer]

Thank you guys, I think what I’m going to start doing is feed in morning, lunch and dinner. I have 3 buckets of food out there daily and I agree the goose will waste most of it and the dang squirrels!

Squirrel is a fine meal.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I've had some overweight chickens too. I feed once a day. They eat about 2/3rds 1st thing in the morning. Then pick at it over the day. By night it's all gone.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I have two 10 pound feeders in each run. I have 44 chickens and they have access to the feed 24/7. I fill them about every 2 or 3 days, depending on whether it's been raining. If it's raining they tend to stay in the covered runs, otherwise they free range all day. My chickens are not fat, except for Chub, hence her name!!!

Of course, if I open the shed where the feed is kept and turn my back, this happens!

 

[adgcountrygirl]

I keep feed and water in the coop. Mine free-range when it is not stormy. Their coop is inside my dog's fenced yard, so rats and other pests are not usually a problem. Wild birds are about the only critters that sneak into the coop for a free snack.

 

[Jerry rigged farm]

I feed my flock of 30 3 times a day. All organic food scraps of lettuce strawberries, asparagus and various greens. Along with a small bucket of worms. It's so fun watching them chase each other like football players when one gets a big worm

 

[Edufacts]

This is a different but similar topic. A wild turkey hen joined my flock as a guest. She eats scratch grain that my hens didn’t get to and generally perched on a post in the daytime. At night, she perches in nearby utility wires. My question: Is there any danger of them getting diseases from her?

 

[Cargar]

I feed the free range chickens here 3 times a day during winter and twice a day in the summer unless the ground is baked solid, then 3 times.
I can't leave feed down 24/7; everything eats it including rats and mice. It takes about 20 minutes for each group to eat. I pick the bowls up after.

That's my problem too. I feed my 4 chickens several times a day but as they are free range in my yard the pigeons and doves eat 50% of it. I've taken to feeding them cooked oats, quinoa and rice because the wild birds don't seem interested but it is getting quite labor intensive.