please help,getting expensive!

[bluemini]

I am up to 5 hens that are 3/4 months,4 adult hens and a rooster,2 silkies and 2 bantams . So 14 total,they all get grower except the 4 laying hens and rooster get layer mixed in with it. They are very healthy and free range at least 6 hours a day. Along with mealworms and scraps. They still act like they are starving and im afraid they are not getting enough to eat,yet they are going through a bag of feed fast.

I do not have an automatic feeder,I just fill their bowls up. How long should a 50 pound bag last for 14 chickens? How much should I feed them since they free range a lot?


Someone please help!

I cant quit worrying about them!

 

[bluemini]

Going to start fermenting food to try and keep down on the waste but not sure how much that will actually help .

 

[jetdog]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/6392992/width/200/height/400[/IMG
Try making a 5 gallon bucket with two 90 degree elbows, they have to stick their heads inside and can't fling the food out, this will bring your wasted food to about nothing. This will cost you less than $10, mine holds about a months worth of food for my 4 girls.

 

[jetdog]

 

[Den in Penn]

A chicken will eat between .25 and .33 pounds of food a day. So 14 chickens x .25 lbs = 2.8 lbs a day. So a bag of 50 lbs should go around 14 days. With free ranging and the bantams it may go longer. If not then you will have to look to see how you can slow it down.

 

[LindaB220]

Going to start fermenting food to try and keep down on the waste but not sure how much that will actually help .

Best decision to ever make for your babies. I have 15 on Fermented feed and a 50 # bag lasts me well over a month Maybe 6 wks. They are 8 wks old. I used a bag of starter then have used almost 2/3 of the grower. Still will last me another 10 days or so. Leftovers are your friend. I keep any bits of leftover meat , scrambled eggs and veggies. Twice a week I boil in some water 1/2 c rolled oats and all the leftovers. Huge meal. . Your bill will go right down.

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[bluemini]

Thank you all! They get oats,bread and other food scraps daily,but they just act so hungry. I have done fermented feed before and let it set for 3 days as directions said and they liked it but still flung it everywhere lol,so going to try again but this time just soak it over night

 

[bluemini]

Anyone know measurement wise how much the bantams/silkies should get(2 of each)? I try to measure their food out but have just been guessing at it

 

[centrarchid]

Easily the most important parts of the equation are quality and quantity of forages available during the free-range foraging part of the day. How many acres and what does it look like?

My free range birds are given a restricted ration which approximates 1/3 by weight that provided to confined birds. They also get largely scratch grains. I watch ranging habits, crop fill at night, and overall productivity of flock.

Making good use of free-range is often the most complicated way to keep chickens because you are constantly adapting.

 

[centrarchid]

Anyone know measurement wise how much the bantams/silkies should get(2 of each)? I try to measure their food out but have just been guessing at it

They are cute but poor choices for free-range keeping.