I have 8 chickens. How much should I feed them? I feed a two scoops scratch two scoops of layer pellets one scoop worms, oyster shells and grit twice

[U_Stormcrow]

Follow up. For the typical backyard owner, of the typical backyard flock, with typical backyard management practices, I recommend feeding an All Flock/Flock Raiser-type* feed, free choice, to all of your birds, all of their lives, without regard to age, breed, gender, laying status, or molt. Togther with grit and oyster shell in seperate dishes.

* All Flock/Flock Raiser meaing a complete commercial feed between 18-20% protein, 3.5% fat +/-, 1-1.5% Calcium +/-, 3.5% fiber +/- (in declining order of importance). I can make further recommends beyond that for speciffic circumstances, but the above fits most just fine.

 

[Ponypoor]

Follow up. For the typical backyard owner, of the typical backyard flock, with typical backyard management practices, I recommend feeding an All Flock/Flock Raiser-type* feed, free choice, to all of your birds, all of their lives, without regard to age, breed, gender, laying status, or molt. Togther with grit and oyster shell in seperate dishes.

* All Flock/Flock Raiser meaing a complete commercial feed between 18-20% protein, 3.5% fat +/-, 1-1.5% Calcium +/-, 3.5% fiber +/- (in declining order of importance). I can make further recommends beyond that for speciffic circumstances, but the above fits most just fine.

This is what I do with my gang, I have mix of ages and gender. So I feed free choice Grower Ration, grit and oyster on the side.

My gang do get scraps almost daily - veggies, meat, bread - my breakfast croissant (brats).....

I also give scratch (about a cup for 14 chickies), but they have to work for it, I throw it in the hay the horse leave and the barn alleyway were it falls into cracks in the brick pavers. It very very cold here so the extra calories are ok.

In good weather they are outside foraging on Mount Poopmore (my manure pile) heaven only knows what they find there!! Yummy I bet haha.

Chickens will eat just about anything (my gang hates broccoli but loves mashes turnip), I let them eat what they find in the barn... There are no spiders or bugs for the first 2 feet up the stall walls haha. I have seen my silkie kill and eat a snake! They have eaten mice....

I bet if I fell in the barn and went unconscious they would peck my eyes out and work their way through my innards!

As with any animal or person, don't feed too much to make them overweight. And make sure they get enough exercise.

 

[saysfaa]

...

I also give I bet if I fell in the barn and went unconscious they would peck my eyes out and work their way through my innards!
...

This.

Except they don't necessarily wait until you fall down unconscious. When they sit with you, listening intently... they aren't really listening, they are studying your face, deciding where to start eating it. Sometimes, they finish deciding, and actually try it. So far, mine have tried for my lips, ears, and eyes (mostly only once or twice each because I don't let them maneuver into position for it very often . And, of course, they go any spots on skin or clothes all the times.

 

[3KillerBs]

And, of course, they go any spots on skin or clothes all the times.

One time I had some fire ant bites on my legs and was wearing shorts in the chicken run. One of the girls snatched two of the pustule-scabs off before I could even react.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Mine like to have a go at my wedding ring. Diamonds are a girl's best friends I guess...if you eat your friends...

 

[LadiesAndJane]

There is a reason they are called “tiny raptors”. Only reason they don’t eat us is because we’re bigger than them I’m sure.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Chickens should be fed 4 ounces of feed per bird daily with no more than 10% of that being treats such as scratch, mealworms, fruit, millet, milo, sunflower seed, etc. Scratch is nutritionally the equivalent of serving popcorn for dinner. Grit and oyster shell should be served on the side, free-will (as much as they want, when they want).
If you have mixed genders in your flock, or if only some of your birds are laying and others are not, then you should opt for an "all flock" type of feed as it has less calcium in the mix and often times more protein. If "all flock" is not available, your next best option is to feed NON-MEDICATED chick feed to your adult birds.
Large breed foul, such as 'Jersey Giants' might take a bit more feed.
Small breed foul, such as kikiriki and bantams might take a bit less.
CHICKS up to six to eight weeks of age should have chick feed, as much as they can manage to swallow, your choice if you want to feed medicated or not, but if the chicks are free ranging with your adult birds, then non-medicated is the way to go.
Your flock of 8 (presumed adult birds) should be getting two pounds (just under one kilo) of feed daily. That's the whole day. How many times you feed your birds daily is a matter of personal choice as they come 'equipped' with a storage organ that we call 'the crop'. When the brain sends a signal to the bird that it's hungry, food is pushed into the digestive tract from the crop.
FYI Chickens will act as if they are starving to death from sunrise to sunset, regardless of how much they eat.
Fat hens have a far higher likelihood to have reproductive disorders that greatly reduce their life expectancy.

A 40-kilo (88 pound) bag of feed should last your 8 birds nearly a month and a half.

 

[Happy hen lover]

This.

Except they don't necessarily wait until you fall down unconscious. When they sit with you, listening intently... they aren't really listening, they are studying your face, deciding where to start eating it. Sometimes, they finish deciding, and actually try it. So far, mine have tried for my lips, ears, and eyes (mostly only once or twice each because I don't let them maneuver into position for it very often . And, of course, they go any spots on skin or clothes all the times.

I always felt like my most friendly hen was intently watching me talk but now I feel she's seeing if she could Peck at my eyes ! I may wear sunglasses more often . I also have one that never misses an opportunity to go for wedding ring.

I agree with many feed them commercial balanced feed and/or ferment feed.
Scratch: small amounts as a boredom busters mine get no worms. Protein comes from other sources. Eggs, small amounts of freezer burned meat, leftovers, fish food, I add veggies, fodder, cabbages.
Instead of premixed scratch I use cheap bird seed or straight softened grains like oats or wheat.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mine like to have a go at my wedding ring. Diamonds are a girl's best friends I guess...if you eat your friends...

I've never had mine go for jewelry at all, and I wear some pretty dangly earrings at times (I have had a macaw daintily pluck out an earring though, so not like I don't know how that goes!) but I shouldn't complain. Colored nails sometimes get a curiosity peck.