chickens--amount to feed

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Hi:

regarding layer mash: should I follow the instructions on the bag (so much weight per bird per day), or keep the feeder full at all times. I've seen posts lately on CS mentioning doing the latter. Is this a waste of money or will they lay more if they have access to mash, all the time? we have seven hens and average 3-4 eggs a day, sometimes 5. These are young hens.

I really like this forum! I'm even getting comfortable posting more (and that's saying alot, because I am SHY on the Internet. Would like to participate more..just too darned busy freelancing, getting my book ready to send out, and organizing a reading with area writers.

Thank you Melissa for a very comfortable and nice place.

-- Cat (catcrazy@somewhere.com), January 16, 2002

Answers

Hi Cat, I've raised chickens most of my life, and we have always kept Layer feed out free choice. When they are free ranging, they will eat less. When they are cooped most of the time, or in the winter when there aren't bugs, they will eat more. One of the nice things about chickens is that you can check their feed and water once a day at your own convenience, and not have to feed them at a certain time. You can even leave them for a few days, if you're sure they've got plenty out.

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), January 16, 2002.

I have over the last 1 1/2 years watched carefully how much they eat. I try to only put out the amount that they will eat in one day. I do this because I don't want to feed the mice! I read that a lot of feed is wasted this way, so I try to be careful and keep the feed in a sealed container. I use an old coffee can to measure and I know how much they will clean up in one day.

-- Melissa (me@home.net), January 16, 2002.

Our chickens are all 100% free-ranging with supplemental feed inside the coop for those rainy days or when there just are not enough bugs around. I decided after alot of research to use a hanging feeder and waterer system..I fill up the feeder once a week in the cold months (we are in the South, so it's not THAT cold), and every two weeks in the Summertime...with the hanging feeder, the hens cannot get it all, shall we say, contaminated, and everybody has an equal chance at getting some food..I figure the hens know when they are hungry and will eat from it whenever they want to.....my girls are all fat and appear quite happy. OH yeah, the feeder holds a gallon of dry feed.I coated the wire holding it in place with vaseline to discourage mice..no signs in a year of any rodents getting any feed from the coop.....we keep a sealed barrel of feed next to the coop.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), January 16, 2002.

Yes, I would watch for rodents and also to make sure your feeder is dry-we made the mistake once of loading up the feeders when it was rainy and they got wet and it was a mess.

Off the subject a wee bit....What are you writing?

-- Kelly (homearts2002@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.


Well...I write a number of things. For a living, I write parts of textbooks, magazine and newspaper articles, etc. I edit, too.

But my novel is a fantasy novel involving cats. I also have a series of surreal/magic realism short stories, and a little bit of creative nonfiction. Fiction is my love, and I like a taste of strangeness.

-- Cat (catcrazy@somewhere.com), January 16, 2002.



We also feed free choice. We use a hanging feeders and we don't have hardly any waste. This way the girls get all the feed they need.

Some guy in an office writing lables for my feed don't know my girls! They are just like people, some days you eat a bunch...somedays you don't feel like eating much...somedays you don't eat much cause you were out snacking all day (in thier case on bugs!).

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002.


hi we use a 5 gallon plastic bucket my husband cut holes all the way around with a hole saw so the chickens could put their heads in and eat but not soil the food. we hang this from the rafters we also do the water the same way. gail akins

-- gail akins (gakins@simplynet.net), January 17, 2002.

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