Layer crumble may be your problem. Usually meat birds are fed a much higher protien percentage feed. Plus layer crumble will have a higher calcium content than is healthy for developing chicks. I'm not sure where you got the idea of feeding them meat chunks. While it is possible that your chickens might eat meat, as they are omnivorous, you'd probably be better off purchasing a higher protien feed specifically developed for raising meat birds. I'm not sure at this stage whether it makes sense to switch them back to a chick starter of around 24% or just try a "grower" feed around 20 or 21%.Thank you all for your encouraging wordsI ended up locking them in our large coop to keep them from the raccoons until we can harvest them. They seem happy enough. I am feeding them more since they cannot free range, as well as a good bit of scratch to give them something to do... and I may be imaging it, but they seem to have put on more weight already! Maybe from the lack of exercise?
Morrigan: good point about the protein. I have been feeding them a layer crumble, not sure about the protien, I think 17%? But I should look into that for sure.
I do feed them kitchen scraps. Question on that though, do you cut your meat into small chunks before giving it to them, or just not worry about it?
Meat birds grow so quickly in the beginning that a quality, high protein feed is important during those first few weeks. Where I live what I have available is limited, so I feed half "Pullet start and grow" at 20% protein and half turkey and gamebird starter which is 28% protien. After they finish the first bags (one of each) which takes about three or 3.5 weeks for 45 chicks, I switch to just the 20% Start and Grow. Around 6 or 7 weeks they switch to the Broiler Finisher which is 18% protein.
