Took me 2 years to realize I was overfeeding my hens

I kept wondering why my girls weren't laying as much as they should. They looked healthy, had plenty of space, but egg production just dropped off around month 8. Last week I actually measured out their feed instead of just filling the feeder. Turns out I was giving them almost double what they needed. They were full but not getting the right balance of nutrients cause they'd pick out the tasty bits. Once I cut back to the recommended amount per bird, I got 5 eggs in 3 days from 6 hens. Anyone else figure out they were overdoing it with feed?

3 comments

3 Comments

michaelw2611d ago

Good point, but nobody mentioned the feather pecking that happens from boredom with too much feed.

andrewh9511d ago

Yeah I totally had that backwards for a while. I used to think more feed = happier chickens = more eggs. Was just topping up the feeder without thinking. Switched to a measured amount per bird and noticed the difference in about a week. They waste way less feed now too.

christopher_hunt11d ago

And the thing with their waste is it's not just money down the drain either. That wasted feed sitting around attracts rats and bugs like crazy if you aren't careful. I learned the hard way after finding a nest of mice in my coop. Measuring it out per bird per day is the only way to go, keeps everything cleaner and healthier. Plus you can actually track if they're eating less which is usually the first sign someone's sick. Once you dial in that number it's pretty much set it and forget it, just weigh it once and pour.