Never stop!!!!!

[cherrynberry]

We are feeding about 5-10.56 pounds of food a day

But if each chicken eats 1/4 of a cup, our flock SHOULD eat 3.75 pounds a day

 

[cherrynberry]

How big is your cup. Can you get a weight of the feed that's in your cup?
Are you only feeding 1 time a day?

Photos of what and how you are feeding may be helpful too. On **average** a laying hen eats 1/4 pound of feed per day so get some weights on what you are feeding.

I feed 2 times a day, giving them 4 cups each time, waiting for them to finish, and adding 4 more cups, which is about 1 pound in weight. I just throw the food on the ground, and put fermented feed in a a few bowls. I wait until the ground is clear before adding more

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So one cup it 0.32 of a pound and 5 cups is 1.76 pounds

We are feeding about 5-10.56 pounds of food a day

But if each chicken eats 1/4 of a cup, our flock SHOULD eat 3.75 pounds a day

I feed 2 times a day, giving them 4 cups each time, waiting for them to finish, and adding 4 more cups, which is about 1 pound in weight. I just throw the food on the ground, and put fermented feed in a a few bowls. I wait until the ground is clear before adding more

Right there is where a lot of your loss is --- throwing feed on the ground. It gets scattered, scratched and trampled under foot.

Your cup is about 1/3 of a pound --- 15 x .32= 4.8 lbs a day. Which would be about right.
Place your feed free choice in a few feed stations spread out - I think you will see less waste.


Some birds will eat a bit more than others. 1/4 pound daily is like a "guideline".

 

[cherrynberry]

Right there is where a lot of your loss is --- throwing feed on the ground. It gets scattered, scratched and trampled under foot.

Your cup is about 1/3 of a pound --- 15 x .32= 4.8 lbs a day. Which would be about right.
Place your feed free choice in a few feed stations spread out - I think you will see less waste.


Some birds will eat a bit more than others. 1/4 pound daily is like a "guideline".

Okay thanks! I will try this....update in a few days

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Okay thanks! I will try this....update in a few days

Please do!
Never hurts to change things up a bit. Record how much you are giving too!
For 15 birds, I would use a few feed stations - if possible, secure them to a post somehow or place them where they don't get knocked over.
I think you will find that if they have feed free choice all day long, they won't act quite so hungry, but chickens are always willing to eat it seems. Mine beg and carrying on like they are dying when it's time for their daily treat that's for sure.

I look forward to seeing the update in a few days!

 

[Acre4Me]

Good luck!

feeders hung at back height of the bird is best. We use the very common, plastic hanging feeder

It has fins to keep them from swiping side to side, pushing the feed out. It also has a lip around the edge to keep them from scooping it out. The top and bottom separate for easy cleaning. We feed a 20% all flock pellet snd have very little waste. We hang the feeders out all day (they are protected from rain).

 

[Cecisflock]

Is there a way to fix this? They are so expensive to feed everyday!

Kelp powder helps with this.

 

[cherrynberry]

Update: I dont have a feeder, we are planning to get one as soon as possible. However, today when I went to feed the chickens, I planned to feed in bowls. The thing is that when I went to do my morning check on their sacs, some had full sacks from yesterday. I decided to trap them in the coop with no food and water. They have been in there since 7:00am, should I let them out to have only a water source? Their water is located outside, so they will also be able to have a few food sources including grass, bugs, etc. I am suspecting sour crop, although I feel like they may just had too little time to digest everything (all 15 cups from yesterday's dinner fed at around 6:30-7:00pm)

 

[cherrynberry]

Update: I dont have a feeder, we are planning to get one as soon as possible. However, today when I went to feed the chickens, I planned to feed in bowls. The thing is that when I went to do my morning check on their sacs, some had full sacks from yesterday. I decided to trap them in the coop with no food and water. They have been in there since 7:00am, should I let them out to have only a water source? Their water is located outside, so they will also be able to have a few food sources including grass, bugs, etc. I am suspecting sour crop, although I feel like they may just had too little time to digest everything (all 15 cups from yesterday's dinner fed at around 6:30-7:00pm)

I know I said I would update in a few days, but this seems to be a problem as of now, any thoughts?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update: I dont have a feeder, we are planning to get one as soon as possible. However, today when I went to feed the chickens, I planned to feed in bowls. The thing is that when I went to do my morning check on their sacs, some had full sacks from yesterday. I decided to trap them in the coop with no food and water. They have been in there since 7:00am, should I let them out to have only a water source? Their water is located outside, so they will also be able to have a few food sources including grass, bugs, etc. I am suspecting sour crop, although I feel like they may just had too little time to digest everything (all 15 cups from yesterday's dinner fed at around 6:30-7:00pm)

Yes, let them out.
Don't withhold water during waking hours, no matter what.

When you checked their crops this morning - was that before they had any access to water/feed from the night before (they slept all night with no food/water)?
If they gorged the night before due to having limited feed, then the crops may have simply not emptied when you checked them.

Give them food free choice during the day, then re-check their crops again first thing in the morning while they are still roosting - see if the crops have emptied.

Take your time in checking all this and evaluating your situation before you take any measures to treat birds for something that may not be needed.