Tessa the Duchess Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Last time I bought layers pellets I could only get them in 5kg bags. Just out of curiosity I put the date on the first bag when I opened it. Today I needed to open the next bag, and realise to my amazement the three of them have munched their way through 5gk in 8 days Has anybody else checked to see how much layers pellets their chickens consume? And before anybody asks, 'no' I don't have rats or squirrels stealing the feed. Omlet says it costs 3p a day to feed a chicken Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 That's a lot of food!! Maybe they were starving themselves before Christmas but feel safe enough to "fatten themselves up" now And of course the 3p doesn't include the mealworms, grapes, sweetcorn, corn, grit, cabbage, pasta, potatoe and other foodstuffs we find ourselves unable to deny them!! Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggtastic Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 my 3 girls get through a £5.75 25kg sack of layers pellets in 2.5 months. They also free range when possible. So for me it's; 575 pence divided by 75 days divided by 3 (per girl) = 2.56p - not far off ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Are they digging it into the ground? My layers mash gets thrown on the floor and mixed with aubiose, then they cherry pick the nice bits (I don't want to deny them their obvious enjoyment though ) The mealworms have to be the priciest treat at about £4 for a big tub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 Eggtastic wrote: my 3 girls get through a £5.75 25kg sack of layers pellets in 2.5 months. They also free range when possible. So for me it's; 575 pence divided by 75 days divided by 3 (per girl) = 2.56p - not far off ! Okay by that reckoning my calculations are: £3.70pence (I know its a ridiculously pricey way to buy feed, but I had totally run out( for 5kgs 370 pence divided by 8 days divided by 3 girls = 15p!!!! so far off it's just not true!!! Sure they chuck some out of the grub, but as far as I can see they do peck it all up. Oh well:roll: Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 That is a lot then! Just worked out mine - a 25 (or 20kg can't remember which) bag of organic feed per month at £10, between 10 hens. For me thats 3.4p each per day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 My eight girls get through a 25kg sack in 4-5 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 I panicked as I ran out just before Christmas, to GJW Titmuss who delivered on Christmas Eve. I just hadn't realised how much mine were eating! A 20kg bag of organic pellets at £9.99 lasts my five about six weeks .. so that's £2 per hen, divided by six ... maths wasn't my strong point at school but I reckon that is just under 5p per day. I've never counted it before! A big tub of mealworms is expensive, but they only get a few to tempt them back into the run after free-ranging, so that lasts about the same length of time. I do buy reduced veggies at Waitrose, but they mostly get vegetable s"Ooops, word censored!"s and peelings so that doesn't cost much. Cheap at the price for the pleasure, entertainment and eggs they produce! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 hi i only have 2 chickens but they dont seem to get through anything like the amounts of layers pellets you are all describing i had them in the middle of july when i bought a 20kg bag since then i have only bought 1 other bag of 5kg and it isnt empty jet they do free range alot and lay every day and are very spoilt with sweetcorn and tuna so i guess they are ok sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 It depends how much other food they get surely -- and tuna, grapes, and sweetcorn are very much more expensive than pellets. My six get through a large sack of pellets every four weeks or so. The food gets taken indoors at night, and nothing is wasted. It certainly is more expensive than Omlet suggest. They are probably thinking about hens who also get to eat a lot of grass, which sadly mine don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 My lot, and the three girls who are staying for Christmas, have gone through nearly two 20kg bags in ONE month. And they've had a cabbage every week. And apples, and lettuce and s"Ooops, word censored!"s from the kitchen (and a sneaky tin of cat food when they were looking peaky, don't tell defra). Although my dinners are now ENORMOUS. Should probably eat them soon, but it seems mean when they're not crowing yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol U Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Haven't actually measured how much mine eat and as they freerange all day it's impossible to know how much grass, flowers, shrubs, veg, worms & general bugs they get through, not to mention treats. However, I have noticed that I'm filling their pellets pot more and more often the colder it gets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 I've just opened my third sack of food, & I have had my girls since the begining of May. How do you open the sacks which have been sewn shut without having to rip each individual stitch? I know there's a way but I can't fathom it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 My 4 have approx 25kg sack of pellets for 2 months. I tell my husband that it is really cheap to feed the chickens, then HE says........" What about the cost of the eglu, spare roosting bars, conversion kit, winter shade...... oh yes, and the grit, mixed corn, diatom, citricidal, garlic powder, apple cider vinegar, poultry spice, auboise........ tot that lot up...... oh and don't forget the £67 Omlet fencing you bought last month......". To which I reply, "But they eat all our s"Ooops, word censored!"s, we get free eggs and garden manure.......and I LOVE them". Can't put a price on love can you!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 How do you open the sacks which have been sewn shut without having to rip each individual stitch? I know there's a way but I can't fathom it. You start off very carefully cutting through every stitch because you want to open the bag neatly. Then you grab the nearest pair of scissors and hack the blinking thing open any old how because life's too short ..... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 How do you open the sacks which have been sewn shut without having to rip each individual stitch? I know there's a way but I can't fathom it. There is a way ... and I can never remember it! I usually cut it stitch by stitch getting very frustrated and then it suddenly all pulls out. Someone must know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Using a pair of scissors, gently cut just below the stitching, then rip it open spilling mash/pellets all over the floor, cursing your stupidity and wishing your hadn't done it in a rush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 yup, that's how I usually end up doing it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...