I'm Going Broke on Chicken Feed!

[Keri78]

Mine were doing the exact same thing when they were about this age(and younger!)...the straw that broke this camel's back was when I went through 100 pounds of feed for 14 chickens(half are banties) in less than a month!!!! And they free range daily(well half heartedly then) and they get table scraps!!! Sooo...I switched them to strictly mixed scratch(50lb. bag) and black oil sunflower seeds(50lb. bag) I add a scoop of oyster shells to it too! This GREATLY deminished thier glutteness ways!!!!

Now I fill one their bucket once a week and there is still some feed in it! I think they were just being lazy and rather than hunting & free ranging for their food they were eating all the live long day! Now they prefer to free range and of course eat table scraps and only use the feed as a suppliment(although it's always available). I just use a rubbermaid tote and mix it all together..I did just buy a bag of layena this month to add to the mix...but mixing my own is nice because I can control what their getting. I would take the rest of your expensive feed...dump it in a rubbermaid tote and go get you some scratch & sunflower seeds and cut those girls off! You watch and see how fast they decide that the snows not reallly that bad...and they get motivated real quick to get up off their duffs and get hunting food! Hope this helps!

Ps. I just thought I'd add..I bought 100 lbs. of feed(half B.O.S.S and half mixed grain scratch & a bag of oyster shells) back in Dec(the week of Christmas)...I still have about 1/4 of my rubbermaid tote filled with feed! I did just buy two more 50 lb/ bags(one more mixed scratch and one bag of layena)...I'm just going to dump them in and mix them up with the left overs. So now 100 lbs. is lasting me well over 3.5 months roughly.

 

[Brody's Broodello]

I would love to only feed two bags a month.lol I feed almost a bag of flockraiser a day!

 

[mdbokc]

I have 12 and if I had 24, mine would be using about 2/3 of what you are experiencing. I use pellets (20% protein) and not crumbles. But mine also get 2-3 cups a warm oats each day (12 birds). They free range but nothing really here to eat at present until spring arrives.

FWIW, I am now using Verm-X monthly or so. The birds appear healthier and using this instead of chemical wormers. Certainly their poop is looking good, especially after each dosing period. I know that sounds weird but just an observation. I feed the liquid version with the warm oatmeal so each one gets it easily.

 

[karl E lutz]

I have 40 hens 3 roosters and I go through 400 #'s a month. They lay good and I did not think that was bad.I feed a 1/2 bucket in the morn and a 1/2 bucket at night and I know they eat it all .Maybe I got it wrong or they got worms.

 

[mdbokc]

I suspect there are enough variables to account for the differences in feed rates. Because none of us are in commercial, controlled operations with hens designed for maximum return. jmho

 

[CTChickenMom]

Quote:
For me that's a lot! I have 10 hens and 3 roos. If I multiply by four that's still only 200# per 3 weeks. 10# per bird/month sounds like a lot.

From: http://www.lionsgrip.com/feedinstruc.html
Use a good laying ration and keep it in front of the birds at all times. Feed is the biggest expense of egg production, running at about 60 percent of total cost. To prevent waste don't fill the hoppers more than one-half full. Commercial poultry rations normally contain enough calcium (3.0 to 3.5 percent) so that oyster shell or other calcium supplements are not needed. No grit is necessary with present-day laying rations. (I think the exception here is if you free range, grit should be available.)

If grain is low-priced, you may want to use it to cut the cost of purchased feed. However, feeding too much grain will make your hens overly fat. When a complete 15 percent protein laying feed is used, do not feed more than one-half pound of grain per 10 hens daily. A 20 to 22 percent protein laying feed can be used with grain fed free-choice in separate feeders or spread on the ground (1 and 1/4 pounds of grain for every 10 hens daily). Supplementing the complete ration with grain is most economical when low cost local grain is available.

If you feed at this rate, it's about 15 pounds per month for 10 hens. So for 40 hens, that would be 60 pounds of feed.

Interesting.... My 50lbs of feed should be lasting me a long time, more than it is. I wonder if I should start rationing them?

 

[Akane]

Chickens should not be limited on feed. They should have it available all the time except like someone said if you want to let the feeder run out for a couple hours to make them clean up what they've spilled. They should not have their feed rationed or controlled. If they are eating a lot then you need to look at other factors people mentioned. Deworm them, switch to pellets to reduce waste, try a different brand of feed, etc..... It may be they do need that amount of feed. I don't think it sounds excessive at all for winter time feeding. More than some breeds would go through but if you have still growing birds or birds that are still laying through the winter and you live in a cold climate some breeds may need to go through that much feed. If they actually need that much feed and aren't wasting it a higher protein feed or some other supplement may cut your costs despite costing more per bag. Feed more protein based treats, some grains for carbs and kcals, sunflower seeds are one of the highest for kcals and when used in place of cheaper versions of scratch can actually cut feed costs despite the much higher cost per bag, add a flock block or make your own suet block- there are threads around about it..... There are lots of things you can do to increase the amount of energy they are getting and give them something to do so they don't stand there downing all the feed. They should not have to sit around with nothing though. Chickens are designed to forage constantly and not to eat meals. If you don't give them what they need first they won't lay and then they'll literally start eating each other. It will start with feather picking and get worse until one dies and the others will eat it.

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I agree with Akane

Jean

 

[Keri78]

Not trying to stir the pot but...aren't horses designed to be grazing animals by nature too and yet we feed them twice a day? I'm not necessarily going to be down on someone who feeds an adequate amount of food twice daily. I tried this when my girls were eating like pigs...they in turn ate the entire bucket full in the morning and then were bored for the rest of the day...so that's when I decided it was time to change their feed. Like I said...now that I stopped feeding purely expensive feed and mix my own they free range ALOT more and only use the feed as a suppliment to their diet. I updated my orig. post on this thread by adding that I bought 100 lbs.(50 lbs. of BOSS and 50lbs. of mixed grain scratch and a bag of oyster shells) back in Dec.(the week of Christmas)...that 100 lbs. will easily last me through March. But..I did break down and buy a bag of Layena and some more scratch just to keep things mixed up a bit. The point is that they are getting enough protein and they are healthy and thriving and laying well!

I just asked my Mom how her cats are making out keeping the mice down in the barn and she just laughed and said "Oh my cats can barely walk let alone chase mice!...they are lazy and rather lay around and eat canned cat food all day!"...I think this is a perfect example of how we can discourage animals to do what comes natural(hunt/free range/ whatever) b/c we are offering food so often that there is no need for them to do the natural things...they never get hungry enough to make chasing a mouse worthwhile! Ok...I'm done my rant and PLEASE KNOW that I include MYSELF in this rant! I guess the point is that all animals and people are different and have different set ups so you need to find what is going to work best for you and your animals...whether is is feeding a full bucket twice a day or feeding one complete pellet food all day long, or free ranging & supplimenting with whatever. Just trying to encourage ya if what your doing isn't working for ya then switch it up until you find what works!

Ok..back to my laundry!

 

[Akane]

Now you are touching on my territory. 2 horse health and 1 nutrition class later..... Horses should have hay 24/7. If you give it to them twice a day they should have enough to last until the next feeding. If they are getting fat they need a different hay (grass for sure not alfalfa) and more exercise not less hay. They should not be fed on grains if you can avoid it. That's why founder and colic are quite common in show barns. They are not designed to eat grains at all and those places often feed large amounts several times a day. They do better on BOSS, beet pulp, and good quality hay. Preferably grass hay but some may need alfalfa you just have to remember to balance out the calcium with something that has a lower Ca. Even performance horses can be kept in shape with minimal to no grains. My hard keeper barrel mare was state champion one year and despite all the running and training she was never fed grain. She grazed all day, ate hay at night, and got BOSS with flaxseed. My 2nd barrel horse had a metabolic issue so couldn't have grains anyway and couldn't graze on grass most of the year. He was fed on a beet pulp based pellets to make sure he got all the vitamins and minerals he needed plus grass hay. If I have to use grain I use straight oats since it's the best balanced common grain around here and least likely to cause problems with horses. It also is a good counter to all the negative things alfalfa hay is high in.