Not sure I am feeding them enough...they seem to always be hungry!

[kubotafoot]

Somehow the message in this post misses me???? Could you be more specific or was this "tongue in cheek?"

 

[theweerabbit]

I have never seen animals as hungry as chickens! I feed mine and then 5 minutes later they will run at me as though they were starving!!! I used to always feel bad walking past them as they seemed to be expecting me to give them something but I had to be strong and just ignore them lol

 

[PhatChicks]

no, I was seriously wondering if I was feeding them enough. I am a new chicken keeper and was worried that I was giving them enough food. I keep their feeder full but they always seem hungry. Everyone has been helpful in letting me know that this is normal chicken behavior to always jump at food/treats.

 

[poodlechicks]

I am too mobbed by my chickens every time they see me. I usually hand treats for them, but very little at a time because I want them to eat their balanced diet of layer feed + all the bugs they can find in the yard. And I have to confess I love to be mobbed by them. They follow me everywhere

I'm just wondering what breed of chickens you have and whether they are meaties or layers.

 

[PhatChicks]

I have 5 Isa Browns (Willie, Cash, Garth, Waylon, and Hank) and 2 Easter Eggers (Loretta and Patsy). They are all layers. It should be another month or so before I get any eggs so I'm trying to make sure they are eating properly and growing well.

 

[donrae]

Sounds like they've got you well trained to give the treats

 

[kubotafoot]

What does, "Save yourself some time just feed your kids your pay check-) " mean, please? You have completely lost me on this answer.

 

[poodlechicks]

Thanks for sharing pics of your girls. They're very pretty! Especially that face on the first picture. So cute! I bet you can't wait to get those colored eggs.

 

[Michael Apple]

I have 7 4-month old chicks. They are outside in their coop and run during the day, locked up at night. Their run is 12x6. I keep their food and water in their coop so they can get it throughout the day.

If you can increase their range territory that would be beneficial.

They, of course, have eaten every single piece of grass in the run so it is mostly sand/dirt. Whenever I go out there, they always seem to be begging for treats and seem hungry even though they have food in their feeder. I often out a huge clump of dirt/grass in there for them to pick through and will also toss in a pile of wet leaves. They jump on both of them like they are starving.

Chickens will pick the ground clean in any space they are limited to. They will also excavate most of the area and loosen dirt to dust bathe. At 4 months they are still growing at a fast rate, and have the appetite to match, so a good 20-22% starter grower ration should be the base diet. Feed them as much as they will eat at this age. In about month, you can put them on a layer ration.


Am I not feeding them enough? I do give cracked corn at night. I also feed them a head of lettuce or ears of corn but not all the time. Is this just regular chicken behavior? (This is my first time raising chickens). I'm trying to figure out a way to get them some time in other parts of the yard so they have fresh grass but I can't have them be free range because of other animals and the proximity to a busy road.

Feeding extra corn is like giving them candy due to the carbohydrate content. Rolled oats are a good alternative treat, and the hulls have been known to be good for feathering too. Kale has a good source of A, C, K and traces of B vitamins. Spinach is too, having less calcium than Kale, but more choline to cleanse liver and kidneys and help them function well. Supplementing water with vitamins-electrolytes & probiotics is also beneficial a couple times a week during growth. Just watch the salt/sugar content in some of the vitamin-electrolyte powders. Sodium can inhibit the uptake of other nutrients, and too much sugar can cause intestinal problems. Take a a couple tablespoons of wheat germ oil once a week, fortified with A,D, E vitamins and add it to 1 lb of pellets/crumbles, mix it well and give them enough that they eat it within a hour or so, so it doesn't sit and get rancid. A little no salt tuna packed in water once a week or two is good for them as well since animal proteins are valuable to chickens. Like using oils sparingly, you don't want to give them too much that they will not eat all of it in a short amount of time to avoid rancidity or attracting flies.

 

[PhatChicks]

Thanks for all the advice!