My chicken seem to prefer a moist fed! What do I do?

[Sam B]

Hi,
I’m seeking guidance with my chicken fed.
I live in Manchester UK.
I’m very new to raising chickens. I have had my 8 chickens for about a month now and have I a range of breeds. They are not bantam hen. They are about 22 weeks old but only one of them is showing signs of ready to lay. When I got my chickens they were already on layers pellets.

My girls do not seem to enjoy their food and don’t seem to be eating enough. The bag suggests 100g per bird per day which means my 20kg bag should last 25ish days. I’m over a month now I have 1/5 of the bag left and I have disposed about that much in wasted/uneaten food. My girls have a large run and access to fresh greens as well.

The other day was very hot for the UK, 32 degrees c, so i soaked the run but wasn’t very careful and soaked their fed. I went to change but my chicken were feasting! I assumed because it was wet it was refreshing for them but today is much cooler. So I today I offended their pellet food, no real interest. Then a few hours later offend their food mixed with water to make a soft mash, they ate this a lot better, but then I added a teaspoon to plain bio yogurt and they loved it!

Can I keep feeding them this every day? Is it normal for chickens to prefer a wet fed? I’m not sure what to do, any help would be appreciated!

Thanks for reading!

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

You can feed wet feed, but you have to make sure it doesn’t start to ferment or mold. My chickens like moist feed too, it just tastes better I guess.

 

[NatJ]

Wet feed is fine. Chickens often do seem to like to like it better.

As Ihavesomechickens said, do be sure it doesn't sit out long enough to spoil or go bad.

My girls do not seem to enjoy their food and don’t seem to be eating enough. The bag suggests 100g per bird per day which means my 20kg bag should last 25ish days. I’m over a month now I have 1/5 of the bag left and I have disposed about that much in wasted/uneaten food. My girls have a large run and access to fresh greens as well.

Chickens usually do eat the amount that is right for them, so I don't think you have to worry.

Estimates on bags cannot be accurate for every chicken-- chickens that are "not bantams" can weigh anywhere from 3 pounds up to over 10 pounds. Clearly, they would need to eat different amounts of food, when one weighs more than three times as much as another!

A hen that is actively laying eggs needs to eat more food than a hen that is mature but not laying eggs. So your chickens will probably eat more when they do start laying.

At this time of year, they may be getting quite a bit of food from the run and fresh greens. This would cause them to eat less of the pellets, at least for now. Bugs and greens are also good chicken food, so I don't think you need to worry about this--they will usually adjust how many pellets to eat, based on how much other stuff they are finding.

 

[Sam B]

You can feed wet feed, but you have to make sure it doesn’t start to ferment or mold. My chickens like moist feed too, it just tastes better I guess.

Thank you for the speedy reply! Good to know my chicken are not odd balls! If they like moist food, they can have it but I’ll be sure to give they fresh every day. Thanks again.

 

[Sam B]

Wet feed is fine. Chickens often do seem to like to like it better.

As Ihavesomechickens said, do be sure it doesn't sit out long enough to spoil or go bad.



Chickens usually do eat the amount that is right for them, so I don't think you have to worry.

Estimates on bags cannot be accurate for every chicken-- chickens that are "not bantams" can weigh anywhere from 3 pounds up to over 10 pounds. Clearly, they would need to eat different amounts of food, when one weighs more than three times as much as another!

A hen that is actively laying eggs needs to eat more food than a hen that is mature but not laying eggs. So your chickens will probably eat more when they do start laying.

At this time of year, they may be getting quite a bit of food from the run and fresh greens. This would cause them to eat less of the pellets, at least for now. Bugs and greens are also good chicken food, so I don't think you need to worry about this--they will usually adjust how many pellets to eat, based on how much other stuff they are finding.

I suppose when I really think again they do get a lot of other foods. I think I just got to focused on the layer pellets. Thanks for the advise. I think I will offer them a moist diet from now on if that’s what they like.

 

[reddogmaster2]

We leave the feed out in large feeders inside the Coop. We pour as much as the feeder will hold and the chickens seem to always eat it. In the southern US we are very humid so the feed probably soaks up some air moisture.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Chickens will eat when they want to and know how much is the right amount.

 

[NatJ]

I think I will offer them a moist diet from now on if that’s what they like.

I would leave some dry pellets available too, just in case the chickens are extra-hungry some day.

 

[GC-Raptor]

During the summer my chickens eat about half the feed they do during winter.
My hens have dry feed available always.
In the summer feed consumption drops and so does egg production.
I get egg production back up by cutting treats by half and giving them a serving of wet feed with cold water from the fridge daily during the hot days of summer.
A half cup of dry feed and a half cup of water for 4 chickens. I serve immediately early afternoons in a shady spot. . So a cup of feed for 8 chickens. GC

 

[Folly's place]

And until they are all laying eggs, layer feed is too high in calcium for them..feed an all-flock or chick feed instead, and have oyster shell (soluble grit) available in a separate dish for the actively laying pullets.
I would have a feeder with dry feed out there all the time, and offer wet feed if you want, as an extra. Managing that feeder will involve daily clean out, and a real effort to prevent moldy or spoiled feed lurking in the cracks of the feeder.
Mary

 

[NatJ]

...offer wet feed if you want, as an extra. Managing that feeder will involve daily clean out, and a real effort to prevent moldy or spoiled feed lurking in the cracks of the feeder

Bowls are good for wet feed. Disposable bowls are even nicer. I like to re-use containers that (human) food comes in. I rinse them out and re-use them repeatedly, but at some point it's so messy I throw it away instead of scrubbing it. If I run out of correctly sized containers, I cut the bottom off a plastic bottle or jug (like the ones milk or juice or vinegar come in.) As long as it's food safe, I figure it's fine.