Would like some input on feeding!

[ZaksGarden]

I currently have 4 Wyandotte pullets that are 3 months old. Since hatching I have been feeding them Purina Start & Grow Sunfresh Recipe. I keep the food in a hanging feeder, and there is almost always food available for them as I fill it up each morning with an amount that lats for the entire day. Well I just bought a book called "Keeping Chickens" by Jeremy Hobson and Celia Lewis and now have some questions on feeding.

The book says that the chickens should not have constant access to food, rather they should be fed several times throughout the day in small portions. i.e. After descending from the roost, before laying their eggs, and mid-to-late afternoon. It says the birds should be given pellets or mash in the early parts of the day, and then a scattering of "cereal feeds" or "split maize."

I am really not even certain what a cereal feed would be, and I am assuming the split maize is cracked corn? I was just wanting to know how others feed their birds and what types of feed in particular. Because of my work-schedule it is not going to be possible to feed the chickens 3-4 times a day. But I do not want them to gain weight, or become bored or malnourished by having a constant supply of just the purina feed...

Any advice/suggestions you all could share would be great!

I do let them out of their run for "recess" to free-range in the yard & garden as much as possible so they do eat some "green stuffs." I have experimented some with them as far as treats go. I know they like blueberries and grapes. I bought a bag of the Happy Hen Treats Meal Worms and they love those...but everything else seems to scare them to death! I tried to introduce them to an ear of corn today and they were scared to death of it (I now understand the expression "being chicken") the only way they would eat the corn is if I pulled off individual pieces and threw it on the ground.

I am planning to go to the mill tomorrow to get some feed so hopefully I can determine what I need by then!

 

[HEChicken]

Personally I've always free-fed my flock and never had any issues with them getting too fat. Some people prefer to feed a couple of times and just give them as much as they'll clean up in 10 minutes. I prefer to keep the feeder always with feed in it so if any lower ranking flock members are too timid to approach during the morning "rush" there will still be food available after the more dominant birds have had their fill and wandered off. There is no right and wrong - the way you have been doing it is certainly an acceptable option so I wouldn't stress too much what th book recommends.

 

[ZaksGarden]

Thanks, that is reassuring. Still curious what the "best" or most recommended feeds would be. Purina is about the only thing the nearest mill here sells, other than cracked corn.

 

[yo burrill]

Mine have free choice layer pellets all the time. Mine are free ranged all the time for most of the year. If they are laying hens they need all the food they can eat to keep producing eggs every day and not get too thin. Mine usually go eat pellets mid morning and again mid afternoon. They search for bugs the rest of the day. I have never had a fat chicken either.