My ladies are eating like pigs!!

[Jfrk4ever]

The only other animal that can get into our chicken coop may be other things like robins, etc, but i haven't seen any of them hanging around at all (like I do when I have a bird feeder hanging out in the far corner of the chicken run). And b/c the temperature have been like -20 windchill, we haven't even let the birds outside for 2 days in attempt to keep the barn somewhat warm for other chicks (they are in a Separate area) and our rabbit.

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

It's a bit in the high end, but if it's really cold and they aren't ranging, anything is possible. Since you're using the galvanized feeder, it's likely a lot of waste due to the corn. I have metal feeders and plastic with grates and definitely notice more waste from the metal.

 

[pdirt]

Hi - I have 29 laying hens, almost 2 years old and we have been going through feed like crazy lately! I started buying the Nutrena "Feather Fixer" feed because I had so many going through molt, or just finishing and my eggs were almost non-existent (about 6-8 eggs/day!). They have picked back up on egg-laying (getting about 12-15/day now), but we are going through feed like crazy!! I bought 2 (40 lb) bags on Wed, mixed in some cracked corn and by Sunday they were out of food already! I have been supplementing with table scraps as we are in winter and they HATE going out in the snow -- even bought them a whole head of lettuce as a special treat, along with some cabbage too! Occasionally, they get some fruit and bread scraps too.

Any thoughts?? Does this seem like a LOT of feed in such a short amount of time to y'all??

If you mean only 5 days when you say, "bought on Wed and out by Sunday", then 80lbs does seem like a LOT of food for 29 hens in that time period.

I go through about 40lbs a week for 23 chickens (20 hens + 3 roosters), which comes out to about 1/4lb of feed per bird a day. In comparison, you are going through over 1/2lb of feed per bird per day. I only calculated the 80lbs you said you bought, since you didn't mention how much corn you mixed in, so it's likely much more than 1/2lb per bird per day.

Either they are simply wasting a lot, such as billing a lot of it onto the ground to get to the tastier bits, or you've got other animals eating. Squirrels, mice, rats, birds etc. You say that no other animals can get to the food except perhaps robins? If robins can get in, then so could a whole host of other animals.

 

[Jfrk4ever]

We're going to try to NOT mix in corn then and see if that helps. Yes, by Sunday afternoon, there was only about 4 cups of food left of the 80 lbs I bought on Wednesday. IF the robins are eating it too, they are flying in through the door (only during the day as we close it at night), but I haven't seen them hanging around and I can see entire chicken yard from my back porch. We have the feed in a bin with a lid to discourage mice and rats and I haven't seen any droppings in along time as we have several neighbor cats who help us with those critters

 

[pdirt]

You might try switching feeders. I haven't used this one as we don't have a waste problem, but lots of people have and enjoy how it works in saving feed for them:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...te-5-gallon-25-feed-bucket-feeder-for-about-3


Or the trigger feeders. They're sold pre-made or BYC member aart has made her own:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/aarts-almost-waste-free-funnel-bucket-feeder

 

[aart]

You might try switching feeders. I haven't used this one as we don't have a waste problem, but lots of people have and enjoy how it works in saving feed for them:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...te-5-gallon-25-feed-bucket-feeder-for-about-3


Or the trigger feeders. They're sold pre-made or BYC member aart has made his own:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/aarts-almost-waste-free-funnel-bucket-feeder

Mine (her's

) only holds about a gallon of crumble (don't know how many pounds that is off hand) which is more than my 15 birds eat in 24 hours....... I also feed about a quart of mixed grain scratch on the ground in the run every afternoon an hour or so before roost time. But that feeder has stopped any spillage for sure because of the deep 'bowl' under the trigger in the funnel. The pre-made trigger feeders hold much more feed but don't have the deep bowl.

 

[Jfrk4ever]

Thank you everyone!! We are going to try to make one of those feeders you suggested!!