Looking for some guidence about how much....

[unix_micki]

ok, so daily in there feeder we do wheat/oyster shells/corn/

Each day I either make them peas/rice/pinto beans/lentils/oats

Tuna and Yogurt are treats about twice a month.

I have 40 chickens and was wondering if i am feeding them enough, I make approx 2 cups per day and just keep it in their coop for them to eat, is this enough for 40 birds??

Am I doing alright??

Thx

 

[SteveBaz]

Welcome to the site. In the upper right hand corner of every page on the forum is "SEARCH" for common question all you have to do is put a few important words in and you will get the threads talking about your subject.

There happens to be a 5 page topic going on right now on the same page as your thread; https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=574807

Good luck,

Steve

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

A lighter weight hen will eat about 4 ounces of feed per day (so in 4 days, one pound in case you are out of USA).

So for 40 hens it would be wise to put out enough feed in a pan so that they have some left over at the end of the day. I am assuming you are referring to layers, who generally don't overeat. Meat type chickens- I have heard that they are treated differently.

Everything in your feed mix is great- but your pinto beans must be cooked before serving due to antinutrients. See my BYC page for my mix if you are interested. I LOVE mixing my feed.

Also, please note that free ranging will dramatically decrease the feed bill, but in winter when the forage is gone this won't help if you have a snow cover.

 

[unix_micki]

Quote:
Great recipe, just what I was looking for.

Now does the reg feed store have those items?? I did find a source for wheat/peas/beans/

Thank you so very much,

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Great recipe, just what I was looking for.

Now does the reg feed store have those items?? I did find a source for wheat/peas/beans/

Thank you so very much,

My feed store carries everything except the split peas, flaxseeds, and unsalted peanuts. I buy those at the grocery store bulk bins.

 

[OwensMom]

Thanks for the feed recipe Chickensaresweet. Sounds like a great mix. With feed prices going up do you find this mix cost effective. 50# bag of layens was almost $18.00 yesterday!!!

 

[OwensMom]

Oh another question Humans cannot process whole flax seed. we must eat ground flax. What about chickens? Can they process whole seeds?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
No it is not cost effective (unless you can access some cheap sources). But I want the best feed out there for my chickens. I am a fan like some on BYC of treating the chicken as a natural bird with instincts. They love to eat grains and seeds. They are my jungle birds!

The feed bill goes down dramatically if you give grass clippings (2-3 inches so as not to impact the crop) daily or let them free range.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Yes, they have a gizzard to grind seeds and whole grains. You must make sure they are free ranging with access to small sharp rocks, or buy grit at the feed store (sized for the age of your chickens). They grind the flax with no problem.

 

[OwensMom]

Thanks Cickensaresweet. I do want a better feed for my layers and yours sounds well balanced. What is your approx. protien content? Do you feed yogurt, cheese etc to fill in blanks?