Whats enough?

[Amanda Duffy]

I have 9 young hens not laying yet (probably in the next 5 weeks), 2 hens that are laying, and a rooster. When they are left out in the AM they receive a big cup (24-32) ounces of layer pellets. They are free to roam all day - almost 10 acres - and I give them a fruit/veggie snack mid day. Then at 5 I give them another big cup of feed. And it is a mob scene. Is this normal? or do they need more feed during the day? I am in northern Florida, so plenty of bugs, grass, and more still out there.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They probably need more feed. Chickens are voracious eaters and if their crop is empty they'll eat something. That could be feed or bedding, feces, tree bark, etc. I would rather they eat feed.
Layer feed isn't good for growing birds and especially not roosters.
It contains about 4% calcium which is excessive for any birds not actively building egg shells.

 

[Amanda Duffy]

Ok - so the others will soon be layers - and so when 11 of them are what do I feed the rooster? Do you separate them or mix regular chicken feed with the layer and they all get a mix? Thanks

 

[rjohns39]

I have 9 young hens not laying yet (probably in the next 5 weeks), 2 hens that are laying, and a rooster. When they are left out in the AM they receive a big cup (24-32) ounces of layer pellets. They are free to roam all day - almost 10 acres - and I give them a fruit/veggie snack mid day. Then at 5 I give them another big cup of feed. And it is a mob scene. Is this normal? or do they need more feed during the day? I am in northern Florida, so plenty of bugs, grass, and more still out there.

Folks who raise heritage layers on fresh grass (free range or mobile shelters) have done studies to determine optimum conversion (minimum feed/max egg production). What they've found is 4.5 oz per bird per day was the sweet spot. Many feed 1/3 in morning to encourage better foraging and 2/3 in late afternoon early evening. I'm doing about 50/50 and that seems to work better to avoid the mobbing and I'm probably a bit over the 4.5oz.

I'd also make sure they have plenty of grit and oyster shell free choice. If you're concerned with the calcium in layer, stick with an all flock once everyone is laying. I generally stay with a grower until everyone is laying.

Another good measure is to see how long it takes them to consume the ration you provide. Less than 30 minutes (too little), more than an hour (too much) and measure at both feedings.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Bottom line is that roosters will likely die early from urolithiasis and/or gout if fed layer feed, especially if getting it at an early age.

The best technique for a mixed flock is to feed all birds a grower or all-flock feed (1% calcium) and provide oyster shell or other calcium source in a separate container for those building egg shells.

As for the original question, how much feed depends largely on the breed and how much they waste. A flock of Jersey Giants or RIRs will eat considerably more than a flock of Seramas or Silkies.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It is recommended to keep feed available at all daylight times rather than individual feedings like one would do with dogs.

 

[Naser]

Normally feed is available to hens all day, if you give them layers or growers pellets, they will not eat more than they need, Free ranging can supplement feed but doesn't replace it, if you have excessive consumption of feed then you have other animals eating it.

 

[lazy gardener]

My info from Blue Seal states that a laying hen will eat .2 - .25# of feed per day. YMMV, based on breed of hen, other food items available. Other written material I've read has stated .25 - .33#/hen/day. Waste will play a big role in your feed rate.

I use fermented feed, deep litter in run, varied amount of free range time, sprouting in the winter. My feed conversion rate, the last time I checked was .18#/bird/day. This is based on keeping feed available to them most of the day, and topping off again in late afternoon if their crops are not full. Occasionally, there will be FF left in the trough at the end of the day which I will remove from the run before dark.

Agreed with Naser: increased feed consumption might be due to vermin.

As for roosters dying of renal failure or gout b/c of the calcium in the layer feed, I can say that my roo will be 4 years old this spring. He is in the peak of health. While that is not old, many roosters live long healthy lives when on a layer feed diet. Also, free range birds consume a lot of calcium in their forage. Yet, free range birds IMO are healthier than penned birds who are kept on the "perfect for the needs of a chicken" formulated bag feed. An often overlooked fact is that too much protein contributes to gout. Little is said about that when folks are discussing the merits of a higher protein diet for their flocks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

YMMV - so true.
When people ask how much a hen should eat, the real answer is a hen should eat as much of real chicken feed as she wants to eat.
The reason is, the answer will vary dramatically depending on the situation.
First, how much are they wasting because the type of feeder and size of the feed particles(pellets, crumbles, mash)?
How much is being stolen by wild birds and rodents?
What breed of hen? I never see a breed of hen in the original question.
There's no way for a 8-10 lb. Cochin, Brahma or Jersey Giant to get enough sustenance on the same amount of feed that is appropriate for a 2 lb. Silkie, 1.7 lb. Leghorn bantam, a 1 lb. Sebright or Nankin.

I often bring up my concerns about excess protein and articular gout but there are so many people who want to feed high protein for some reason.
Actually a mature rooster does best on about 13% protein.
It is more than the law of diminishing returns, an amount of expense protein over the essential amino acids are needed by the bird, that excess must be processed by the liver, could overwhelm it and it ends up in the bedding as ammonia.
As for excess calcium for non egg layers, the threat is real. I just had a 10 month old cockerel necropsied. It wasn't the primary cause of death but he had a lot of crystallization in the kidneys. Once he was mature, he was on a diet of about 2-2.5% calcium because he was with a flock of active layers. Had he not died of heart attack, it is quite possible that low amount of calcium would have started to render kidney segments non-functional long before he would otherwise have become old.