Is this TOO much feed????????????????????

[momto2]

I have 19- 8 week old RIRs 1 australorp(8 wks) 1 Jersey Giant(8wks) and 3- 12 week old jumbo cornish x rocks. Does it make any sense that they are eating over 50 pounds of feed a week? My 8 week olds are outside all day. Are those 3 darn jumbos eating all that feed? My daughter begged us to keep a couple of these hens when we were processing the others at 10 weeks. But if these birds are just big piggys, they'll have to go!!!

 

[keljonma]

Layer breeds need feed 24/7. Meat birds should not get feed 24/7. We don't raise meat birds, but my friends who do only feed them 2 times a day for 40 minutes at a time. Both need access to fresh water all day.

Can you separate the meat birds from the layer breeds? If not, the meat birds will eat you out of house and home, as my grandma would say

 

[ChickenToes]

We had 31 birds and at 8 weeks old we were going through 50 pounds of feed a month!!!! It must be the meat birds.

 

[momto2]

50 pounds a month!!!!!! That's all I needed to hear. Thanks ChickenToes!!!

 

[silkiechicken]

With 8 meat birds and a few silkies, they went though 100 lbs in about 9 weeks...

My TWO broad breasted tom turkeys... at not quite 5 months old are eating 25 lbs a week.

 

[momto2]

I just wonder then what is going on? When we had just 24 jumbos, we were going through 50 pounds every 4 days! I guess it must be because I was letting them eat 24/7 to fatten them up. There is no way way for me to seperate my jumbos and my layers so I guess I'll have to get rid of my jumbos. Anyone interested?????????

 

[chicknhawaii]

I have a Cornish X (pet) and 2 layers. The Cornish's food is on the ground where she can get it and she's fed twice a day. Other than that she dines on bugs, grass, dirt, whatever's in the "coop" or yard (when she's out).

My RSLs have food available 24/7 in the coop area too but it's inside the playhouse. There's a fold-down table kind of thing inside so their food is up there. My Cornish CANNOT get to it, it's too high and too much work lol...my Cornish only goes in there when it's raining really hard or when she just wants shade.

So it's possible to keep them together.

 

[momto2]

That sounds like a good idea since my 9 year old daughter just freaked when I told her I would get rid of the jumbos. It's so true how they really wouldn't be able to get at anything over a foot high. The only thing I'm wondering is how much to feed them. Everyone seems to be saying twice a day, but how much for 3 jumbos?? Thanks for all your help

 

[silkiechicken]

Many don't do it this way, but I just give food free choice 24/7. I take out their light at like 5 weeks or so and they get to freely roam. They don't eat when asleep and range with the layers just fine. However, I do only do 8 or so max at a time.

 

[Ron]

Are you sure you are not feeding wild birds also? I have noticed a large number of doves, sparrow etc. eating the scratch I throw. I am trying to figure out a solution to that problem! If your feeder is easily accessible, wild birds could be a factor.