Feed Amounts & Laying Issues?

Zen Wildlife Rescuer · Jun 19, 2022

Hello everyone. I have 1 Golden Buff Orpington hen (about 6 months old.) and a whoknowswhat bantam/very mixed breed rooster (7 months old) I just have a quick enquiry regarding how much feed to be giving them everyday as I don’t think they’re getting enough. I currently feed them once a day and they get about 2 scoops pf chicken feed.

How much feed should they be getting everyday? This would be aside from kitchen scraps and all the food they get from the yard (grass, seeds, insects etc.) which is massive and which they free range in.

Second question, I want to buy laying pellets for Aurora (my hen) as she hasn’t laid a single egg, but I’m not sure which option to choose. The options available to me here are:

Layer/ Pullet Starter
Layer/ Pullet Grower
Layer 95
Layer 105

All advice and personal experience would be great. Thanks!

BDutch · Jun 19, 2022

6-7 month old pullets and older all can eat laying pellets. Best mingle the chick feed with the pellets to finish them.

You can give as much pellets as they like to eat during the day. Leftovers and treats not so much. Depending on the quality of the extra’s just a little/ a bit more.
Give a bowl of grit and oyster shells on the side.

Feeding laying pellets won’t help to lay an egg. Has Aurora a red comb? Does she look healthy ? Are you free ranging them in you’re garden or a field ? Look for easter eggs.
A fake egg in the nesting box can help the chickens decide where to lay their eggs.

I don’t have you’re brand.

Shadrach · Jun 19, 2022

Roughly a large breed laying hen should be given 100grams to 120grams of commercial feed a day. Ideally feed should be availabe throughout the day.
Banatam breeds need about 85grams of feed per day provided as above.

U_Stormcrow · Jun 19, 2022

Good advice above. As Shadrach says, feed is measured by weight - approx 100g / day (adjusted for breed), not volume. Chickens will lay when they lay - start of lay is more like a strong suggestion than a date (or even small range of dates) you can mark on a calender). I have birds that didn't start laying until 28, 30, 31 weeks. Condition o the comb, feet, and a pelvic spacing test will give you a better idea of how ready/soon.

I don't recommend offering layer feeds to roosters, too much calcium. Optimally, offer the whole flock a lower calcium feed with a calcium source on the side for your hen. I can't make more specific recommendation than that, last I attempted to help a South African poster with feeds, I found both very little information published on the web (in English) for my use, and what was offered didn't provide the detail I'd need to recommend one over another.

Based SOLELY on the names on the labels (about which, I am often distrustful), I would offer the grower. Plus a calcium source on the side. In your area, that's Feedlime, most likely.

Zen Wildlife Rescuer · Jun 20, 2022

BDutch said:
6-7 month old pullets and older all can eat laying pellets. Best mingle the chick feed with the pellets to finish them.

You can give as much pellets as they like to eat during the day. Leftovers and treats not so much. Depending on the quality of the extra’s just a little/ a bit more.
Give a bowl of grit and oyster shells on the side.

Feeding laying pellets won’t help to lay an egg. Has Aurora a red comb? Does she look healthy ? Are you free ranging them in you’re garden or a field ? Look for easter eggs.
A fake egg in the nesting box can help the chickens decide where to lay their eggs.

I don’t have you’re brand.

Aurora has a red comb and is bigger than my dog with gorgeous quality feathers. She may be a little lighter than she should be, but other than that she’s a big, healthy bird. They are free ranging in our garden but it is massive. I have looked out for eggs but there are a lot of nooks and crannies that I’ll have to double check. I’ll see if I can find a fake egg for her.

Zen Wildlife Rescuer · Jun 20, 2022

Shadrach said:
Roughly a large breed laying hen should be given 100grams to 120grams of commercial feed a day. Ideally feed should be availabe throughout the day.
Banatam breeds need about 85grams of feed per day provided as above.

This is great to know thanks. Do you free feed or have specific times in the day when you feed your chickens?

Zen Wildlife Rescuer · Jun 20, 2022

U_Stormcrow said:
Good advice above. As Shadrach says, feed is measured by weight - approx 100g / day (adjusted for breed), not volume. Chickens will lay when they lay - start of lay is more like a strong suggestion than a date (or even small range of dates) you can mark on a calender). I have birds that didn't start laying until 28, 30, 31 weeks. Condition o the comb, feet, and a pelvic spacing test will give you a better idea of how ready/soon.

I don't recommend offering layer feeds to roosters, too much calcium. Optimally, offer the whole flock a lower calcium feed with a calcium source on the side for your hen. I can't make more specific recommendation than that, last I attempted to help a South African poster with feeds, I found both very little information published on the web (in English) for my use, and what was offered didn't provide the detail I'd need to recommend one over another.

Based SOLELY on the names on the labels (about which, I am often distrustful), I would offer the grower. Plus a calcium source on the side. In your area, that's Feedlime, most likely.

Thanks. The brand I want bulk buy from is called Alzu. They provide a chart of ingredients and nutritional infromation like the anount of protein per kg of food. I trust them as they provide feed for all kinds of animals, from poultry to rhinos. They are used a lot in wildlife care and game reserves.

Shadrach · Jun 20, 2022

Zen Wildlife Rescuer said:
This is great to know thanks. Do you free feed or have specific times in the day when you feed your chickens?

I've fed at specific times of day until recently. This is mainly because the chickens free ranged and leaving feed down wasn't practicable. Other animals both wild and domestic would eat the feed and it attracted mice and rats.
I fed morning and dusk during the summer and in winter when forage was less productive I fed at midday as well.

Percheron chick · Jun 20, 2022

Buff Orpington are slow to mature. Not laying by 7 months is not uncommon.

Zen Wildlife Rescuer · Jun 20, 2022

Shadrach said:
I've fed at specific times of day until recently. This is mainly because the chickens free ranged and leaving feed down wasn't practicable. Other animals both wild and domestic would eat the feed and it attracted mice and rats.
I fed morning and dusk during the summer and in winter when forage was less productive I fed at midday as well.

Great thank you. Yes, aside from Aurora and Tuco, I have many other animals who would eat or just mess up a constant supply of food. Not to mention all of the wild doves and my two free flying feral pigeons who will demolish the supply.

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