Are my chickens hungry?

[gardenjoinery]

I am wondering if my girls are a little underfed?:o

In the past couple days, especially, they have been coming to kitchen windows begging, and they empty their feeders instantly. Should I have two feeders for 10 full-size birds?

[gardengirl72]

Fred please chime in on this.
How much food are you giving them everyday?

[gardenjoinery]

I don't actually know. I just feed the trough when I am down there and it is empty, a couple times a day. I think maybe when we had a thaw a few weeks ago they started getting some scratchings and that, plus the day-length, has kicked them into spring mode. They go through a 50lbs bag in a little over 2 weeks, I'd say. What's normal per bird if they are getting exclusively feed?

[gardengirl72]

Are your chickens laying eggs?

[gardenjoinery]

Yep. A lot of eggs, actually. They need more oyster shells - I have to pick some up today. Maybe that's part of it.

[Fred's Fine Fowl]

Ooook... the chicken eating/feeding regimen...

I've helped planning and estimating with poultry exhibits and larger operations (in the hobby area)... from 1,300 birds down to 4 or 5.

We always estimate that large standard fowl will eat 1/4 to 1/2 pounds of feed per day if kept exclusively on prepared rations.

Birds are individual in their consumption rates and even within the same breeds, there may be quite a difference in how much they will eat.

First, how do you know, when you see an empty feed trough, if the birds are full, or if one is being cut out of the feed?

Pick up the birds, or observe their chests... you will notice, if the bird has a full crop, that there is a obvious bulge oriented towards one side. That bird is indeed full and has been eating. If you see another who has an even chest shape, pick him or her up and feel the front. If there is no obvious bulge, this chicken is running on "empty".

My personal practice, is to feed free choice. This is the practice of keeping feeders and troughs full, or with feed all the time. I prefer bins or hanging feeders which fill from the top and birds eat from the bottom, keeping fresh food coming in behind what's available to them.

My logic behind keeping feeders FULL, is that when you fill on a schedule and offer only enough to satisfy the immediate requirements, the birds all rush the feed and gobble. It's competition and some birds will certainly get more than others, leaving some of the more cautious birds out or well under nourished. In the end, this feeding practice causes birds to eat more rather than less.

If food is available all the time, there is no panic and no gorging on the available feed. They are now able to come and go as they wish, picking a little here and there. Every bird then receives it's desired amount of feed.

Your oyster shells and granite grit may be offered also free choice, in a separate container/feeder. This way, those birds which need the extra calcium or a chunk of granite for the gizzard, will visit those resources at their leisure.

When you find feeders empty, always offer water first, then feed.. if at any time you find them without both.

I hope this helps?

Sorry I didn't check in earlier...

Happy Friday!

Fred

www.FredsFineFowl.com

[gardenjoinery]

I have concluded that my chickens are not hungry - they are emotionally needy and a little bit crafty! I keep running out there when they come to the window and call, and the past couple days they have been sounding the alarm like the dickens! Then I get out there, and the feeder has plenty of food in it - they just want a fresh scoop so they can pick out the big corn bits!