Are my baby chicks eating too much?

[Jennaparsons]

Hello everyone, I’m new to the group, and new to chickens! My chicks are 10 days old now. I have 5 meat (Cornish cross) chicks and 7 egg layers of various breeds. Of course, the meat chickens are growing very fast! I’ve been keeping them all in the same brooder with a heat lamp, and have been feeding them 24/7. However, this morning I noticed large “swollen glands” on pretty much all the chicks, but more so on the meat birds. It’s to the right, just below the neck. After reading a lot on this forum, I think it’s just their crop?... most people say to free feed them, but a couple say to not do that for meat birds? I took their food away this evening to see if the swelling had gone down by morning, but a few hours later when I just went in to say high, they just seemed ravenous! So I gave the feeder back and they all went nuts! So... what should I do?!?! I’m thinking I need to separate the meat birds, and feed them o lay during the day. I also give them salad scraps and take them outside to scratch around for a bit when it’s sunny out. They all love i. So, back to the swollen neck thing... it’s not super hard, and doesn’t seem painful. They aren’t lethargic or sour smelling. I was gonna wait till morning to see if the swelling had gone down, but they just seem so hungry! I can hear them from the living room peeping and scratching! I’m afraid they’ll try and eat their bedding which is that pellet stuff that expands, which I’m pretty sure would kill them. Some chicks have bigger “buldges” than others, is this because they’re eating more? Help!

 

[Freeloading slacker]

I don't know a whole lot about meat birds but with the layer hens they can have as much food as they will eat. The "bulges" are just their crops and nothing to be concerned about. I know it can be very concerning for a new time chicken owner, so feel free to ask any and all questions.

 

[coach723]

Yes, it's their crops. Chicks can eat a lot and having large crops at times is completely normal, and some will be bigger than others, or bigger sometimes than other times. As long as they are eating, drinking and pooping, then likely all is well. If you are using a heat lamp they will feed 24 hours a day as they are hungry, so finding an empty crop may be more challenging. If they have a heat plate rather than a light, then they will more likely sleep at night and the crops should be empty in the morning before they eat. Meat birds do grow fast and they have very short lives. They were bred to grow fast and be ready to process, so they often have leg problems and internal problems as they get bigger and heavier. If you want to try to extend their lives you do have to restrict feed to slow the growth and weight gain as much as you can. I've never done it so don't know specifically how to feed, so if that is your intent I would do some searching for those that have experience with it. If you are raising them for meat, then they will be processed usually before the problems occur.