Are my chicks little piggies or is this normal?

[mrsbigtime]

Good morning! I'm 3 weeks into owning chicks (we have 6 babes!) and I'm noticing that this week they are eating like crazy! My first bag of feed (Manna Pro Medicated Starter, 5 lb bag) lasted 2 weeks, but I think the new bag I just bough will maybe only last a week! I filled their feeder yesterday (I have a little round feeder with a mason jar on top) and they had knocked it over because it was empty this morning. I was under the impression that baby chicks need full-time access to food, but if I am mistaken on that, please let me know. How. much should they be eating a day? Is this a typical amount to go through or should I be doing more or less?

We love these little girls (or boys...but fingers-crossed girls!) so much and I want to be sure I'm caring for them as best as I can.

Thank you!

 

[nuthatched]

Could they be meat birds?

 

[BlueBaby]

What breed are they?

 

[mrsbigtime]

What breed are they?

I don’t think so. They are supposed to be an Australorp, a GLW, two Color Packs and two Buff Orphingtons.

 

[BlueBaby]

I don’t think so. They are supposed to be an Australorp, a GLW, two Color Packs and two Buff Orphingtons.

What size is the feeder that you are using?

 

[mrsbigtime]

I am trying one of these because they kept standing on and pooping in the longer ones (I can go back to that one though). I fill up the circle part and then fill up a standard mason jar. The 5 pound bag of feed is half gone and I opened it Friday. So, I suppose that would equal out to 6 chicks eating about 0.75 lbs of food a day.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

They prolly are spilling it more then eating thats why i soften my feed to stop them from kicking and spilling it out

 

[TNSpringChicken]

According to https://organicfeedstore.com/layer-feed-consumption.htm at 3 weeks each bird will be eating 7 oz. of feed per week. Maybe they are pecking or scratching a fair amount into the dirt?

 

[mrsbigtime]

According to https://organicfeedstore.com/layer-feed-consumption.htm at 3 weeks each bird will be eating 7 oz. of feed per week. Maybe they are pecking or scratching a fair amount into the dirt?

Thank you! That was the numbers I couldn’t quite find. I haven’t seen a ton of feed in their shavings, but they had a big growth spurt this week and I haven’t changed it all out since Monday. They are pretty cramped in their current container, so I ordered a new brooder with more space and I’ll try and add some grass or other fun things for them to peck at so that their feed isn’t their main entertainment.

Thank you all for your help!

 

[SourRoses]

Look under their bedding.
Feed is heavier so it falls to the bottom.
At about 3 days old I raise those small feeders by about a half inch (usually an upside-down plate underneath).
At 1 week I use a thin block instead to raise it 1 inch.
Every week raise the feeder another inch.
Then their little feet can scratch to their hearts content in the bedding, while their beaks are filling up. It doesn't have to be impossible to scratch the feed, just awkward.
At 3-4 weeks it's time for a hanging feeder. Or, I found a new kind in TSC with plastic feet on it, that has worked well for the month olds.
Once one has figured out the "scratch it into our beaks game", they all know what amazing fun it is, and they won't stop on their own.