[symonep]

Just out of interest how much do you feed your hens? Mine (six of them) are on layers and have 2 large cup fulls in the morning (as well as having some available in a bowl all day) but in the last few days they seem to be really hungry so have had the same amount of an afternoon. They also have fruit and veg each day as well.

I am wondering if i should just go back to using a feeder where they can help themselves but the feeders we have had havent been that good. Any suggestions?

[Casey76]

Hens are grazers, and as such don't eat "meals"  they should have pellets available all day.

Production red hens will eat approximately 125g of pellets a day, larger hens will eat a little more, bantams less

[Dopey113]

And a handful of grain in the evening before bed makes them happy

[Prod]

I have 6 (5 girls & a Cockerel)  and I was using a plastic feeder with a rain hat  but the wild birds were constantly down  so it was difficult to tell who was eating how much apart from I had to refill it everyday. I ve since bought a Grandpa's Feeder and it is great  I fill it up once every ten days  plus they freerange and get some treats  and it ahs stopped the wild birds virtually completely, they just get the odd pellet that has been flicked out.

[tosca100]

Our's have as much as they want, always available, with occasional mealworms and whatever they fancy that the bird table rejects, as well as anything they find in the garden. They turn their beaks up at most veg, they would rather find their own.

[Skywise]

I have 3 hybrids.   They have layers pellets available all day in the run together with a couple of handfuls of corn in the evenings - and when I'm trying to get them back inside the run so that I can get to work 

They used to love having greens, which I used to hang up from the roof of the run, but since a cabbage fell onto Phyllis' head (no, I'm not joking - and yes, the knots were well tied *g*) they've not really been interested in having greens in the run, they'd rather find tasty tidbits in my herb garden.  So far they've absolutely demolished 2 oregano bushes, a large thyme plant and two patches of chives.    (self herbing chickens - yum yum)

[JaK]

I have 7 LF hens, they have layer pellets available all day in a plastic feeder. I have never measured what that have before so I wouldn't have a clue. 

[tortzblue]

My two girls get through this every day -
A 500g yoghurt size pot of dry layers mash spread out in three meals.
A large bunch of greens hung up. Sometimes two.
A large bunch of chopped grass.
Half a dozen worms or slugs.
An evening treat of  a small handful of scratch , cous cous  or something else.
A sprinkle of grit too.
Yet they still always seem to be ravenous!  :blink:

[joyfull]

tortzblue as Casey has pointed out they are grazers and should have layers pellets or mash available all day for them not just at human meal times i.e. 3 times a day.

[grinling]

When I had 7 of various sizes I could go through a 20kg bag of pellets in 4-6 weeks. I fill a feeder which is suspended, but as they roam the garden they eat lots of bugs and grass as well.

[symonep]

Thanks for all your replies, the layers they have all day are just in pots which they tend to stand in so i will invest in a nice feeder.
They scavage around the garden as well and love meal worms.
I did have a giggle about the cabbage as i have just tied 2 lettuces to the coop roof, they really make me laugh jumpiing up and down grabbing beakfulls of lettuce.

What feeder is the best, we have had plastic ones in the past which they tipped over constantly so i will look for a larger one but does it work best if it is hanging rather than on the floor?

[tortzblue]

tortzblue as Casey has pointed out they are grazers and should have layers pellets or mash available all day for them not just at human meal times i.e. 3 times a day.

Oooops - OK will do, They are laying well and not skinny by any means but I suppose that would make them appear more hungry if it's not available all the time. Makes sense! Thanks Joyfull.

[digga666]

I have 21 RIR and Light Sussex chicks which are on chickcrumb from a chick feeder suspended off the ground so there is little waste or spillage.

They are 3.5 weeks old today and eating it like there is no tomorrow. They have eaten approx 10 kg in the last week.

Is this normal or are getting too much.?

They are well feathered out now with their head feathers coming through strong with only their neck feathers left to go really.

I just give them as much as they want. Am i doing wrong?

[Casey76]

Nope, that sounds about right

Do you have a white or red heat lamp, or an electric hen?

If you have a white lamp, you might want to consider changing it for a red one, as the chicks will find it easier to sleep (and not eat), which will keep their weight increase on a slower curve.

21 chicks... wow that must be a lot of work (cleaning, cleaning, cleaning etc lol)

[digga666]

I made a coop 8' x 4' and i keep them in there.

I had a ceramic 250w bulb which lasted about 15 seconds so then bought a 250w infra-red bulb from the farmers store.  I now turn the lamp off in the daytime so they have it on from 8pm to 8am only.

I have only cleaned them out once as they are on shavings. They are just starting to smell again today really.  I was going to leave it until i open the door and let them on grass if i can?

I expect i will be having half as cocks so they will get the chop as soon as i can tell which i think i have spotted 3 in Light Sussex now as their combs are a lot larger than the others and they are always fighting.....but maybe i will be wrong.

I have another 10 eggs due to hatch on Sunday (Light Sussex).  So hopefully i will have around 15 hens which is my aim.