If you don’t want to free-feed your chickens or if you’re away from home during the day, you can feed them once in the morning and then again in the evening (before they roost for the night). How much feed should I give my chickens each day? You can give your chickens calcium supplements (Amazon) in a variety of ways. Storing feed in a cool place and in a closed container, like a galvanized steel can with a locking lid (Amazon), slows the rate at which it gets stale. From there, you can learn about the best diet to provide your chickens. How Old Does A Chicken Have To Be To Lay Eggs. And the answer may change for you depending on your goals or management styles. (Ultimate Guide To Chicken Molting). McMurray Hatchery has a nice little list of what is good and what isn’t for the chickens. Chickens will eat as much food as they need to keep themselves healthy. Most folks that have chickens in their backyard don’t have an enormous flock to sell poultry or eggs, which means that saving money on feed is a helpful way for owners to come closer to breaking even on costs. If you're just getting started keeping chickens or other poultry on your small farm, you may be wondering what to feed your chickens. Although your chickens have feathers, they don’t have tiny little coats to keep them warm in the winter time. Can I give my chickens moldy bread, moldy leftovers or moldy feed? Trust me, you’ll get to know how much your chickens eat pretty quickly. Alternatively, with a restricted feeding schedule, chickens are fed at specific intervals … Can I feed my chickens black oil or striped sunflower seeds? This article from Backyard Chicken Coops does a great job of explaining the differences between each type of feed and why some chicken owners have a preference of one over another. You already heard this part, but chicken feeders a just more efficient. Try feeding your chickens and adjusting the amount of feed as needed. I know we love to spoil our chickens, but too many treats are just as bad for them! If you notice a lot of wasted feed, cut back a bit to save yourself some money and headaches. But I’ve heard time and time again that most chicken keepers give their meat birds unlimited feed 24/7 for the first 2 to 3 weeks. The basics are the sa… What birds eat differs a little if we're talking about turkeys, geese, or other poultry. Click here to see the backyard chicken supplies that are TRENDING RIGHT NOW on Amazon! Most basic chicken waterers with a no-roost top (Amazon) will do just fine during the warmer seasons. Chickens keep it in their gizzards to help them grind up the food they forage. One of the reasons that I free-range my chickens (other than not buying feed!) So in this post, I’ll teach you how much to feed your backyard chickens. If you notice that the food rapidly disappears, it might be time to add a bit more. The answer is not exactly clear cut because, just like us, chickens are animals and their appetites can change depending on the season, their dietary needs, and how well they forage for their own food. Mixed corn is low in protein, high in fat and lacks essential vitamins and minerals that are required by chickens. As mentioned before, some things will make a difference in the amount of feed your flock needs. This is where you might need your small shovel to reach the bottom of the container. I’m all about saving money. Feeding your chickens the proper feed ensures that they’re getting vital nutrients. One important thing to know as a chicken keeper is that you won’t get any eggs if your hens are dehydrated. We recommend feeding "free choice"; that is, letting them eat as much layer feed as they want and leaving their feeder out at all times (although you may take it up at night if you like). Do Backyard Chickens Attract Rats and Mice. Over time, you’ll get a feel for how much feed your chickens need. This means that there are dominant chickens and subordinate chickens. Then I noticed that the cheaper food was actually costing me more money in the long run because my chickens needed to eat more low-quality feed just to get the nutrients they needed. They also LOVE their mealworm treats (Amazon). Being the “always hungry” ravenous little critters that they are, it’s just fine to keep their feeders filled and at the ready. You do this until they’re ready to be slaughtered. How Much Feed Does a Broiler Eat per Day? Reduced egg production, deformed eggs, feather picking, and other unwanted behaviors can happen if you don’t feed your chickens enough. Oyster shells should be served on the side so the laying-hens will eat only what they need. Luckily, there are a few different ways you can make your feed go a little further. Finally mix in your aragonite and poultry nutri-balancer. How Much To Feed Chickens Per Day According to Pam Freeman over at the blog I Am Countryside, a good rule of thumb is to start out with 4 to 6 ounces of feed per chicken per day. If you notice that the food rapidly disappears, it might be time to add a bit more. If this is becoming an issue consider feeding the weaker birds on their own to ensure they get some food. A free-feed dining option is the best and most common in backyard flocks, one in which chickens eat in small increments at their leisure throughout the day. It’s also a great idea to keep an eye on consumption year round, because your flock’s appetite will change from season to season. I first noticed my chickens weren’t laying many eggs. If you have egg-laying hens, then you definitely want to make sure they have enough calcium in their diet. This website also participates in partner programs with CJ, ShareASale, Awin, Impact, and other sites. Continue to mix until all ingredients are mixed evenly throughout. Also, calcium supplements shouldn’t be fed to non-laying hens. Since I didn’t have the time to check the water every few hours, I got a no-roost heated waterer (Amazon). What is medicated feed all about--do I need it? A: We recommend feeding "free choice"; that is, letting them eat as much layer feed as they want and leaving their feeder out at all times (although you may take it up at night if you like). Chickens need access to CLEAN water throughout the day. How much protein should be in my chicken feed? At first, you really want to aim at giving your chickens MORE feed than you think they would eat. Sprouted or fermented feeds are great for this, but you can also mix just a little bit of corn into your feed. I like to throw chicken scratch on the ground so they can have fun foraging (it makes them extremely happy). A lack of calcium can mean that they will lay eggs with thin or no shells at all. A smaller body means less feed needed daily. It's best to start with what chickens and poultry eat when they're on pasture, or outside, in a field, with grass and weeds to roam on and eat. This list is updated hourly by Amazon! Step 5. Grit is the term for tiny stones. (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}). So remember to increase the amount of feed you give them during fall and winter. This Egg Has A Very Thin Shell! If you’re going to free-feed your chickens, you might run into a problem. There are a lot of different types of feed that you can provide your chickens, and different types of feed have different densities of the nutrients your chickens need. How Many Times a Day Should I Feed My Chickens? Personally, I’ve never owned meat birds. Click here to see the backyard chicken supplies that are TRENDING RIGHT NOW. Deciding how many chickens you need can vary depending based on a lot of factors. Can I give my chickens wild birdseed mix? Luckily, we have a pretty good idea of what is average consumption for most chickens. © 2020 All rights Reserved. If you happen to have the space to let your chickens run about and look for their dinner, that is awesome. According to Pam Freeman over at the blog I Am Countryside, a good rule of thumb is to start out with 4 to 6 ounces of feed per chicken per day. Another issue I had, during cold winter days, was that my chickens’ water kept on freezing. Now that you know how to get a ballpark estimate of how much feed your chickens will need each day, you might wonder how you can save money on their feeding. At first, you really want to aim at giving your chickens MORE feed than you think they would eat. Avoiding spilled feed means saving money, but it also reduces pest problems. If you didn’t check out their article before, Timer Creek Farm has a great blog post on chicken feeding and how to do it efficiently. This is so the feed doesn’t go stale. Now that you have the information you need to get buy the right amount of feed, you can move onto enjoying the benefits and fun of having your own backyard chicken coop. They’ll also eat more during the winter months when they require extra energy to stay warm. Free-range chickens usually won’t overeat, so you probably won’t have to worry about them becoming overweight if they’re getting exercise by free-ranging and foraging. The easiest way I find is to give them oyster shells (Amazon) specifically processed for chickens. I personally believe that the best feeding method is to free-feed your chickens. Foraging also affects how much feed the chickens need. Even if your chickens have access to pasture, free ranging simply supplements their diet. (Soft Shell Chicken Eggs), How Often Do Chickens Molt? Chickens are omnivores, eating insect and grubs in addition to veg and they will always find something crunchy to peck at if they have the space. Chicken feeders don’t alter how much your flock eats, but they might reduce how much feed gets wasted. For example: I suggest that you only buy as much feed as you think your chickens will eat within a couple of weeks. We’ll also look at some potential problems that can happen with your chickens’ diet, and what you can do so to make sure your chickens are happy and healthy. Just make sure you don’t feed them too many treats (more on this below). Chickens will scratch at food, flinging it onto the ground and if the pieces are too small or get wet, and the chickens won’t always go back to eat what’s spilled. One thing to keep an eye on when you are feeding your hens is to make sure the most dominant hens don’t eat all the food. More nutritious eggs. If you give your chickens too many treats, they won’t be eating as much feed and won’t get the nutrients they need to be healthy and happy. This means having chicken feed available for them to eat all day long. Generating the extra body heat needed to stay warm during cold months burns calories. Over time, you’ll get a feel for how much feed your chickens need. Plus, in the winter, they’re not foraging as much so they can’t supplement their diet with seeds, plants, worms, and insects. Horizontal Freeze-Free Watering Nipples (buy more, save more), Carefree Enzymes Healthy Pen (Pest, Parasite & Odor Control), 32 oz. Spilled feed is a buffet for nocturnal creatures, including mice that could be carrying some nasty diseases. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a No-roost top waterers are my favorite because it keeps my chickens from roosting and pooping in their water. All flocks of chickens have a pecking order. But it’s always a good idea to have a few feeders and waterers to prevent bullying when feeding backyard chickens. Chickens will eat more in the fall when they need extra protein to regrow feathers during the molting season. But confined chickens, including chicks in brooders, should be given grit if they’re given treats. Lots of leftovers at the end of the day though can be wasteful and attract other critters like skunk, raccoons, or squirrels. Not to mention, well fed chickens tend to be happier and a lot more pleasant to deal with. There really are no guidelines as to the amount of feed to offer baby chicks. Figuring out how much food a chicken needs is an important but difficult problem to solve. I may earn a commission when you buy through links on my site. Veggies, cooked meats, grains, and fruit are all great. Being knowledgeable about those factors can help reduce your costs while also just improving the overall health and happiness of your brood.