Rhode Island Red chickens are capable of high-yield eggs and meat.
To produce at a high level, chickens need a certain amount of food.
So how much do Rhode Island Reds need to eat?
Key Takeaway:
The average Rhode Island Red chicken will eat about 1/4 pound of commercial feed daily. However, an individual chicken’s energy requirement varies depending on its age, sex, and whether or not it is laying eggs.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re an established poultry farmer or a backyard keeper.
Proper nutrition is critical for your flock’s health and productivity.
Keep reading to learn how to feed your Rhode Island Red chickens, including the ideal amount, feeding method, and type of food.
How Much Food Do Rhode Island Reds Need?
Depending on their age and sex, chickens burn anywhere from 350 to over 4,000 calories (kcal) per week.
Chickens need different amounts of energy and, therefore, need to eat varying amounts of food depending on their life stage.
For example, a young, growing bird requires a different amount of food than a laying hen.
The average Rhode Island Red who is laying eggs must consume about 1/4 pound of feed per chicken daily.
It is not a huge concern if your chicken is eating more than this.
However, if your chickens are eating less than this or you notice a decrease in egg size or number, there may be a problem.
Nutritional Requirements of Rhode Island Red Chickens
As with any animal, nutrition plays a crucial role in overall health.
And in the case of Rhode Island Reds, nutrition is a powerful tool in promoting productivity in these dual-purpose chickens for eggs and meat.
An appropriate diet for chickens needs the correct balance of nutrients:
- Protein
- Fat
- Carbohydrates
- Vitamins
- Minerals
According to the Vet Manual, poultry actually requires at least 38 essential nutrients in their diet.
So, what chicken feed should you choose for your Rhode Island Reds?
Pick The Right Feed for Your Rhode Island Red Chickens
The nutritional requirements of Rhode Island Reds are similar to those of poultry in general.
The majority of their diet should be comprised of commercial feed.
This means at least 90% of their food should be commercial feed, with no more than 10% of treats.
Supplement your chickens’ diet with occasional fruits and vegetables.
This will probably consume slightly less than 1/4 pound of commercial feed daily.
The saying, “you are what you eat,” definitely applies to Rhode Island Reds since they are a dual-purpose breed.
For example, feeding excessive scratch grains to chickens will negatively affect the taste of the meat.
Limit treats and choose healthier options such as vegetables and fruit.
This will help keep your flock healthy and create better meat quality.
A wide range of commercial chicken feed is available and choosing one might be overwhelming.
The main goal is to select a diet for your flock’s specific life stage.
Chickens have slightly different nutritional requirements depending on age, sex, and function.
For instance, baby chicks who are less than six weeks of age need a starter feed with more protein.
Purina’s Start and Grow feed for chicks on Amazon is a great choice because it contains 18% protein.
In contrast, laying hens require a balanced layer of feed containing about 16% protein and 4% calcium to promote healthy egg production with durable shells.
Type of diet to feed based on age:
- 0 to 6 weeks: starter feed
- 6 to 14 weeks: grower feed
- 14 to 20 weeks: developer feed
- 20 weeks and older: layer or breeder feed
Further Reading: Rhode Island Red Growth Rates and Charts
Improper Nutrition Causes Health Problems in Your Flock
Different diets contain varying ratios of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Therefore, choosing an appropriate chicken food formula is crucial since inappropriate amounts of these nutrient components can lead to serious health problems in your flock.
For example, layer feed contains a lot of calcium because it is designed for laying hens.
If a layer feed is instead fed to a young broiler chicken intended for meat, these chickens could develop leg problems, urinary stones, or even kidney failure.
Further Reading: Rhode Island Reds as meat chickens: Does it make sense?
Similarly, if laying hens are not fed a layer feed, they may not get enough calcium in their diet. Insufficient calcium can lead to sudden death, paralysis, or osteoporosis.
How Often to Feed Rhode Island Red Chickens
A common method of feeding Rhode Island Red chickens, especially laying hens, is the full feeding method.
This is equivalent to “free-feeding” in dogs and cats, meaning chickens are allowed constant access to food.
Unlike cats, dogs, or even humans, chickens are quite good at self-regulating their food intake.
Chickens are unlikely to overeat and typically only consume as much as they need to match their energy requirement.
I recommend estimating how much food your flock eats in a day and putting about 2/3 of this amount in the feeder at a time.
You may add food in the morning and evening as needed but should not have to change out the entire leftover feed every day.
Changing out the entire leftover feed every few days should be sufficient to keep pests out.
In addition to food, Rhode Island Reds must have constant access to water.
Water should be changed and filled daily to ensure fresh and clean.
If your bird goes broody, then it may not eat enough in order to protect its nest, so watch out for this!
Related Reading: Rhode Island Red Broodiness
Rhode Island Red Chickens Are Excellent Layers
Rhode Island Reds are an extremely popular American chicken breed amongst chicken keepers, especially for people interested in starting a backyard flock.
This is largely because these hardy birds can produce a lot of eggs.
A healthy Rhode Island Red can lay approximately 200 eggs annually, about four eggs weekly!
Unlike many other breeds of chicken, Rhode Island Reds are adaptable birds and can even lay their large, brown eggs during the colder temperatures of winter.
But laying eggs is hard work and takes a great deal of energy.
Therefore, these prolific egg layers require balanced and complete nutrition year-round.
