The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Declan on August 25, 2010, 10:56:33 pm
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I alway use a measuring jug to measure out the layers pellets as all the books suggest that a layign hen needs about 130grams of feed per day. I was given a new 4.5kg feeder and so i filled it up and thought that it should last two days- I have 22 birds in a large pen in the field. To my surprise that evening when i went to lock the birds up and the feeder was empty. So out of curiousity i filled it again the following morning and same thing again- that evening it was empty.
Is this normal- or should i resort back to the two and a half scoops in the feeder every morning?
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The same thing happened to me a few years ago and I went back to just giving them the correct amount at feeding times. I reckoned other things were eating the pellets - rats, mice, birds etc
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Mine are the opposite - I wish they would eat more layers pellets (in the vain hope that might make them lay more eggs ;D)
They seem to take ages to finish their feed hopper. It used to only take them 3 days. Though I have caught them nicking the growers pellets, which apparently are more tasty! ;D
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Mine are the opposite - I wish they would eat more layers pellets (in the vain hope that might make them lay more eggs ;D)
They seem to take ages to finish their feed hopper. It used to only take them 3 days. Though I have caught them nicking the growers pellets, which apparently are more tasty! ;D
That is exactly why I only put down what I know they will eat at one sitting. If I left a huge hopper they'd have what they want then the rats etc would tuck in. I treat my birds the same as my dogs. Food goes down - if not eaten in ten minutes it comes back up and nothing left till the next meal at teatime. That way I know exactly what they are eating and can increase it if required.