Is your dog's unusual barking a secret code for something mysterious?

[Smiler33]

I wonder if I can ask for your advice yet again please! Each morning I go out and put a bowl full of layers pellets out for the chooks - I put it straight onto the floor as they like scratching for it. About an hour later I open up their run and as long as I'm around they spend all day freeranging; they have a lovely time wandering around the garden and throwing leaves all over the place!! At 1 I give them their vegetable s"Ooops, word censored!"s/corn by their run in the back garden.

 

They seem to have a lot of pellets left that are uneaten because they're out and about doing what nature intended. How do I know they're getting enough food? Betsy, bless her, is laying every day (18 eggs since we got her 3 weeks ago tomorrow) but the other 3 still look immature up to her judging by the size of combs.

 

Any suggestions?

[Olly]

They're probably getting enough food - if not, they'd scoff up the pellets at night when you put them back in the run - but they may not be getting enough nutrients/protein to encourage them to lay. The only solution would be to keep them in the run for longer and perhaps only let them out in the afternoons? That way they would be eating more pellets, which contain everything they need, and less of the free-range and s"Ooops, word censored!"s

 

POL is a variable description though, your others may just not be ready to lay yet. If they are happy and healthy, I wouldn't worry too much - I'm envious that you can let them free-range so much.

[Falkor]

How big is the bowl?

 

I think I am right in saying that standard chook will eat 100-150g pellets a day if this is the only food available so if you are putting in 1kg and only have 2 chooks then there is your answer. SOMEONE please correct me if those amounts are incorrect.

 

If they are young then they don`t eat as much either. You will find that they eat more as they come into lay and whilst laying. I was a little shocked when my Orps started gobbling load more food than normal but then a week later we got eggs

 

Maybe delay free ranging until a little later in the day to ensure they get more pellets?

[Smiler33]

Many thanks for your advice.

 

I've just measured out a pot, and they've been having between 300-350g per day. I think I should start weighing it out and give them, say, 400g per day for the 4 of them and increase it when they're all laying. They do have more in the Grub too, but I hardly ever see them using it - they just like digging in the woodchip for their food.

 

Think I'll also keep them in until 10ish and then release them to the wilderness of the garden! If I'm going out I always shut them back into their run, so they're not out all day long (school runs etc and SOMETIMES I get to go out and do something fun !).

 

Sorry, another question, how many s"Ooops, word censored!"s is it OK to give them? I just give whatever veg peelings I have but the amount does vary. Will they overeat or are they sensible? I only give them about 3 handfulls of corn plus, of course, they get yummy mealworms to get them in!

 

Thanks!!!

[chelsea]

Keeping them in a bit longer in the morning will ensure they will fill up on pellets before being released into the wilderness

 

Don't over do the treats (I know its hard ) sounds like what you are giving them is fine and perhaps throw in a few veggie s"Ooops, word censored!"s etc a few times a week.

[Falkor]

THREE handfuls of corn!!! only joking

 

I am what would be considered a "mean chicken mummy" as my lot only get a handful of corn between the 22 of them and that is not everyday.

 

Be aware that if pellets get left on the ground they can go stale and nasty - not only could this be bad for the chooks but it could attract Jerry and Rolands to your garden.

 

Just found in Omlet Chicken guide that a grown chook will consume about 120g of food per day.

 

They won`t over eat but they may start holding out for the "good stuff" like corn and their veggies if they get them everyday at the same times. I keep my lot on their toes by letting them out and putting them back in the run at different times of day, some days they get veggies and treats, most days they don`t and if they do get treats it is at random times of day too.

 

Suffice to say when I was a newbie mine were very spoilt chooks but they had started training me so I had to put an end to that!

 

Deep green veggies are good for them and help with the yolk colour so I don`t think they can have too much of it but be aware that the pellets are nice little capsules of everything they need to lay so it makes sense that they get enought of those too.

 

Sorry for rambling on....i will go now

Edited March 12, 2010 by Guest

[Smiler33]

Ramble away Falkor, any information I can get is very much appreciated!!!

 

Think I may have to cut back on the veggie treats (says she who is currently boiling up some potato skins for the chooks). I won't give them any tomorrow .... promise

[BarbaraJ]

Mine get let out nearly every day at 12 , i think this is early enough and gives them time to fill up on pellets. Mine don't have treats every day but now its usually greens (nice and cheap) or cabbage for lovely yolks!

[Wantchooks]

Thanks also for this topic as I am also trying to work out how much is right. Think I was overfeeding (!) and then weighed it and that is not enough, so trying to find the middle ground!

[sadietoo]

Mine are very unenthusiastic about pellets...but lurrvve mash...so that is what they get - but I think they may be overeating.. .I've just wormed them (I have two) and added 6g of Flubenvet to 2KG of Mash as directed and then divided it up into seven portions for the week. (Normally I just top the grub up every day, and don't really notice how much they eat) Everyday this week the little piggies had polished off the lot!!!

[Egluntyne]

If they have polished the lot off, they might not be getting enough.

[Falkor]

Just to point out that when I said that a chook will eat 120g a day remember that this is a guide. Some chooks eat more, some eat less. They will take what they want and I don`t think it is possible for them to over eat.

 

I would put out more than they need per day as you don`t want the little loves hungry and better that they eat pellets/mash rather than they go looking for something else. I had to retrieve a rubber glove from Rum yesterday!

 

If you are worried about feed being left out overnight then I would bring it in and put is back out first thing

 

A good health regime, regular worming program and quality feed and you should find they potter along and lay eggs just fine.

[Smiler33]

I'm now giving them a full yogurt pot full (400g) at 7.30 and leave them in the run and have just now let them out. They've eaten more pellets definitely and today I'm just going to give them a few boiled up potato and carrot peelings (didn't have any veg yesterday) so I'm following your advice!!!!

 

By the way, what is a good layers pellets? I am using Farmgate (only ones they sold at the place), but I think I'm right in saying I can get hold of Allen & Paige? and The Smalllholder range around here.

[Daphne]

A&P make the Smallholder range. It is good quality and uses non-GM ingredients. I use it primarily because the pellets are small and so suitable for my bantams.

[Chucky Mama]

I have 4 and they have food available in the form of mash (very messy to feed) or pellets all day. They are let out in the morning and free range all day. They come back to to cube run to the feeder whenever they want to. I keep treats - boiled rice, pasta etc to a minimum - maybe once or twice a week as in the early days when they had lots they were prone to laying softies. I don't add grit to their diet as they seem to get everything they need in that respect from free ranging. When I did give it, they left it I have had eggs all winter and I have no idea how much they eat, I just keep the food topped up. They are quite fussy about pellets though. I bought 1 brand which they threw around and weren't keen to eat. The brand they like doesn't get thrown around though.

[chickyhazel]

Our chickens don't always eat all their pellets, but we know friends that entice their chickens by making in a tiny bit of corn 9roughly 1 handful corn per 5 handfuls pellets) which works amazingly. Don't worry if some chickens are starting to lay later than others - when got our first chickens, one started laying within two days, one followed two weeks later and it was another four months before the last one started! We let ours freerange in the afternoons but they have to stay in the run all morning, and it works very well. If we let them out in the morning they don't eat pellets 9unless there's corn mixed in) and they lay eggs in the garden!

 

Hazel, Ranger, Audi, Porsche, RIP Chestnut, + 1 not named

Noodle

 

x1

x1