My 17 hens are eating 50lbs in less than a day , is this normal ?

[JR79]

OK so I know this is a big disappointment but I still havent set up the game came as my father still hasnt given it to me (hes on a business trip) but I am still eager to set it up , and the feed going missing has for some reason slowed down, now only 30lbs are getting eaten a day.

 

[JackE]

Sounds like the rats are getting full.
Jack

 

[sparrker]

Can you bring the feeder inside at night or put it in an enclosed garbage can/container. Then you can see if they go thru as much feed. I think it's rats. But that's my opinion. I hate rats!

 

[smilingcat]

I also vote for rats, voles, mice!! Kind of late to this thread. my feeder gets "pulled up" at night so I don't give any opportunity for rodents to free feed. We also have dog patrol at night. My pyrenees mix chomped and down the hatch it went a while ago. Not sure if it was a rat, mice or voles.

And if it was a rodent. you've GOT A HUGE POPULATION OF THEM!! MUST HAVE HUNDREDS THAT COME OUT AT NIGHT!! EVEN RATS CAN'T BE EATING THAT MUCH UNLESS YOU'VE GOT HUNDREDS!!!

And if its rats, you have to secure your chicken really well or else rats will go after your layers after the feed disappears.

 

[nok13]

i asked a separate thread but ill ask here as my brain isnt working...somebody worked out the kilo /pound exchange but that didnt answer the question which is how much should i be putting out per day.

i have 7 hens of leghorn size and 4 meatie types... i buy 25 kilo sacks of feed, or i have the option of 50 kilo sacks...

for these amount of hens , how much feed should i be putting out a day (if given in cups, even easier for me to measure. )

i know im feeding sparrows and some annoying have hand reared rock doves, and i think we have a general problem with rats so i will start using a different and better feeder, but how much should i be putting down? (winter here gets to about 4 celsius in winter, for short periods of time... and we give them kitchen scraps (veggies, rice)...
anyone work out the math for me? (if i could do it myself i would have done better on the SAT's way back when... maybe they should have asked word problems like this , i might have succeeded...)

 

[amenfarm]

For your mice problem ,If It were me, I would build or buy the treading feeder-grandpa feeder. Chickens have to stand on a platform for the feeder to open up-seachBYC for plans. Voila, feed saved--and since mice and rats pee continuously-so they can find there way back-your saving your flock from all the gross stuff they carry, hantavirus, lyme,salmonella,pox, rat bite fever, typhus etc.

 

[stone_family3]

I was having a similar problem, come to find out it was mice and birds getting into the coop. Now I feed about 5 cups early morning and then 5 cups mid afternoon when I collect eggs. They also get all their scraps and free range of the compost.

 

[HooDoo Mtn Farm]

Another answer may be that they are "billing" the feed out.
Your feeder may be set too low; consider raising it.
Depending upon what's on the floor of your coop, you may not even see the billed-out food there.

 

[ImaChickenGirl]

Yes you are feeding them to much. My 44 chickens go through one 40 pound feed bag in three days.

 

[Redbird1950]

If you have chickens you are going to have rats and mice unless you practice diligent rodent control. You may never see them as they are mostly nocturnal. They love all types of chicken feed.