Question...

[Chicky Crazy]

How much food does the average hen eat in a day?

 

[sunflour]

There are so many variables that there is not a one for all answer. It depends on the individuals energy needs and what your feed offers.

Are you having concerns or just curiosity?

 

[LanceTN]

A quick Google search shows on average a chicken eats a quarter pound of food a day

 

[Chicky Crazy]

There are so many variables that there is not a one for all answer.  It depends on the individuals energy needs and what your feed offers.

Are you having concerns or just curiosity?

curiosity

 

[sunflour]

curiosity

Me too, guess we're birds of a feather. When my girls were young pullets, I wanted to be too scientific, and not waste food. Went by Storey's guide to see how much to place in free feeding feeder - in a covered secured run. The estimated amounts listed never seemed true. So now I just put several scoops in and watch til it gets low. After a year of experience, I still cannot tell you how much per bird, but have little waste to discard at the end of a week.

 

[Chicky Crazy]

curiosity

Me too, guess we're birds of a feather.  When my girls were young pullets, I wanted to be too scientific, and not waste food.  Went by Storey's guide to see how much to place in free feeding feeder - in a covered secured run.  The estimated amounts listed never seemed true.  So now I just put several scoops in and watch til it gets low.  After a year of experience, I still cannot tell you how much per bird, but have little waste to discard at the end of a week.  

I just got the Storey chicken book. Love it!

 

[sunflour]

I just got the Storey chicken book. Love it!

Me too. But I also have several references in my "Chicken Library". Storey's book covers so much info and has been a great resource, and the only criticism I offer, is it seems that some of the information is based on larger flock management experiences. The only example I can recall is the nest/hen ratio …Storey recommends 1 nest for every 4-5. One of my other favorites is the Dummie book on Raising chickens. The information it offers seems to offer more personal & small flock experience - it recommended 1/2 ratio of nests. Wish I had trusted it with my coop build and included one more nest. I have 2 for 6…but that didn't take into account 2 frequently broody girls.

 

[Chicky Crazy]

I just got the Storey chicken book. Love it!

Me too.  But I also have several references in my "Chicken Library".  Storey's book covers so much info and has been a great resource, and the only criticism I offer, is it seems that some of the information is based on larger flock management experiences.  The only example I can recall is the nest/hen ratio …Storey recommends 1 nest for every 4-5.  One of my other favorites is the Dummie book on Raising chickens.  The information it offers seems to offer more personal & small flock experience - it recommended 1/2 ratio of nests.  Wish I had trusted it with my coop build and included one more nest.  I have 2 for 6…but that didn't take into account 2 frequently broody girls.

Ill have to order that book from the library

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How much food does the average hen eat in a day?

No offense but there's no such thing as an average hen. A caged Serama will eat about a fifth or less of what a LF JG will eat in a larger run.

A LF egg breed at 20 weeks will eat about 0.14 lbs a day. A LF meat breed at the same age will eat 0.41 lbs.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

As for books. 'The Chicken Health Handbook', by Gail Damerow is a must for any chicken keepers bookshelf.

IMHO, 'City Chicks', by Patricia Foreman for small urban/suburban flocks, 'The Small-Scale Poultry Flock', by Harvey Ussery for a bit larger flocks and 'Talking Chicken: Practical Advice on Heirloom Chickens & Eggs', by Kelly Klober are superior books.