Remove feed at night?

[Backbay Chickens]

Hey guys first time raising meat birds, I’ve got 20 CX that are 2 weeks old. I’m using a heat lamp and it seems to keep them up at night and while awake they are eating. Should I remove the feed at night?

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Hey guys first time raising meat birds, I’ve got 20 CX that are 2 weeks old. I’m using a heat lamp and it seems to keep them up at night and while awake they are eating. Should I remove the feed at night?

CX will eat pretty much any chance they get! I bet if it were dark they would find their way to the feeder too LOL.

I do take the feed from my birds at night. I gives them some time to digest, and I think it helps them grow at a more natural rate. You will find that the chicks may still be zooming around at night because they don't always know it is night time with the light. Some do sleep most the night, but I've had some batches that have no sense of daylight when in the brooder. It's nothing to worry about.

 

[Backbay Chickens]

Thank you so much for your advice!

 

[Sally PB]

I've never raised meaties, but another reason to remove feed from the coop/run at night is to not attract rodents or other pests.

 

[FunClucks]

The mfg will give you raising guidelines. I raised mine according to the guidelines on Welp Hatchery's website and they turned out great. Basically you leave food in overnight for the first I forget how many days, then remove. Also your protein level plays into this. Are you feeding 23% protein meat bird feed? If so, you're past the window where you leave the food in at night. I'd remove it for 12 hrs/overnight. If you don't, you may have more leg issues/heart issues than normal because they're growing so fast, and you'll loose birds before processing age. Be careful when you put it back in that you don't squish a chick - they don't get out of the way and you have to physically move them back. Learned this one the hard way.

I put in two feeders in the morning - a trough chick feeder at one end, and then my big main feeder on the other end of the brooder. They will mob the first feeder and allow you to put the second feeder in. If everyone doesn't get a spot first off, they will injure each other with their claws trying to climb over each other to get at the food. So make sure there's enough space during the morning rush - they're more willing to take turns during the day. Also check rear ends for cuts in the skin. Neosporin 2x day for a while will help this heal, but you'll need more feeder room.

Once you get them outside, if it's super dark at night, no need to remove food if you get about 12 hrs of darkness. But if you go out there with a headlamp or flashlight, or have lights outside on your property that are bright enough, expect them to get up to try and go eat whenever they can see the food. A literal gutter feeder in the covered run saved us from having more lacerated rear ends over food.

 

[Acre4Me]

Water 24/7 and lots of it. They drink a lot if water.

Feed: we typically give ours feed 24/7 for about 3 weeks. Then, it’s feed during the day, none at night. As they get bigger, it’s feed 2x a day, none at night. We hang their 2 feeders, rather than sitting them down. They need to stand to eat, and walk to the water to drink (also hanging). This gets them to move more.

Remove feed at night the day before processing, but keep water in their pen. No more food, just water that last day.

 

[Backbay Chickens]

I’m having a hard time keeping the water feeder

Water 24/7 and lots of it. They drink a lot if water.

Feed: we typically give ours feed 24/7 for about 3 weeks. Then, it’s feed during the day, none at night. As they get bigger, it’s feed 2x a day, none at night. We hang their 2 feeders, rather than sitting them down. They need to stand to eat, and walk to the water to drink (also hanging). This gets them to move more.

Remove feed at night the day before processing, but keep water in their pen. No more food, just water that last day.

that’s great advice. Thanks, I’ll start removing food. I’m struggling keeping their water clean and full, they drink a TON of water!! I know what you mean about them not moving, I put a feeder on top of one without knowing, thankfully I picked it up to clean it and saw him under there. He’s good! I’m going to try a new watering system that will keep a cleaner environment.

 

[FunClucks]

I’m having a hard time keeping the water feeder

that’s great advice. Thanks, I’ll start removing food. I’m struggling keeping their water clean and full, they drink a TON of water!! I know what you mean about them not moving, I put a feeder on top of one without knowing, thankfully I picked it up to clean it and saw him under there. He’s good! I’m going to try a new watering system that will keep a cleaner environment.

I change them to horizontal nipple waterers at 4 weeks for eggers and 3 wks for CX if I watch them and they seem strong/big enough to do it. I elevate the waterers off the shavings by setting on a piece of wood or something, and show the chicks with my finger how to peck at the post in the nipple, and watch for about half an hour to make sure at least a couple chicks do it, and they will teach the others. Keeps the water a lot cleaner, no leaks in the coop/brooder, less water changeouts, I really love these.

I put these nipples on 1-2 gallon pretzel containers for the brooders (anything I can get my hand into to clean) and 5 gallon buckets for the coop. Make sure you secure them to the wall so they don't tip over. Also, if you have cross-beak chicks/chickens you'll need to keep with the dip type waterers where they dip their beaks, as the cross beaks often can't manage the horizontal waterers. Put a small hole in the lid or just below the lid in the side of the pretzel containers using a utility knife so there is not a vacuum in the container and the water can come out.

I use two 5 gallon bucket horizontal nipple waters for 25 CX and filled them every other day, but check them every day to make sure. Sometimes they leak. Also, put a groove in the sealing lip of the lid of the bucket or run a wire over that sealing surface to break the seal and make sure the water can come out. I remove the O-rings from the bucket lids and run a piece of wire over the top edge of the bucket from the handle just over the rim into the bucket to be sure the tops are never fully sealed and the water can exit. You don't want to create a vacuum or the chickens won't get watered and the bucket will look full. So this is hard to catch. Bunch of thirsty chickens but the bucket is full? Probably a vacuum issue.