Birds not gaining weight???? Please help!

[vkp23]

My chickens are about 6-7 weeks old. We feed them three times a day. When we get up they get start-n-grow, in the afternoon I give them scratch grains and in the evening they get more start-n-grow. They have access to ground so they eat any bugs that are dumb enough to crawl into the pen and since we have found they like to eat grass my husband and daughter will go out and pluck handfulls of grass and throw it in there for them to eat. (since right now their pen is in a dirt patch. We will be expanding in a couple of weeks so they will have more room and grass.) We plan on keeping some for reproduction and eggs but some we were planning on putting in the freezer. The thing is I thought we were giving them plenty of food. I mean the two times a day they get the start-n-grow we give them an entire gallon bucket of feed. And yet they still seem kind of thin. Is it a summer thing? Like they wont get very big during the summer or is it that they are still so young? We have 31 birds. Should we be giving them more food? I want them to have happly lives before we butcher them and I want the ones we are going to keep be healthy and be good producers for us. What should I do or should I even be concerned?

 

[ColoradoMike]

I believe you do not want to 'ration' their food. Let them have access to grower feed 24/7.

 

[vkp23]

How many times a day would I be needing to feed them then. They eat it up so fast I would almost need to sta out there 24/7 to keep enough food comming to them? I'm confused. I don't have a problem with them having food all day long but how much would I need to give them at a time? Or how much would I need to give them in the morning? They seem to eat and eat and eat and not gain any weight.

 

[Puck-Puck]

I'm guessing they're making up for lost time, so put out a bucket full of feed and replenish it every time it's empty, until their eating tapers off to a steady rate. Then you can get a better idea of what they'll need at their age. My thirteen dual-purpose birds go through cycles of eating more or less feed, but as ten-week-olds they can put away up to three dry pints a day. Even at six or seven weeks, I think they ate about two dry pints a day. You'll probably at least double that, if you have 31 birds. Also, different breeds eat different amounts, with different weight gain. If you have meat birds, they grow quickly but need lots of food: check out the meat birds forum for the advice of someone more knowledgeable than me. If you have leghorns, I'm given to understand that they never put much weight on.

 

[Judy]

Yup, most on here offer starter or grower, or a starter/grower combo, free choice. Just get or make a bigger feeder so that once a day refilling is enough. Scratch should only be offered as a treat, and should be 5% or less of what they consume.

If any of them are Cornish X, their feed requirements are completely different, and you will want to research that in the meat birds section.

 

[kathyinmo]

With a larger flock, like yours, I would suggest at least 2 different feeder stations. That way, when the chooks are "discussing pecking order," or picking on any, they can go to another place to eat. I had one (of 44) that was smaller than the others, and discovered this to be the case .... it was malnourishment, due to others pushing her away at first, then she just started staying away on her own, rather than be bullied. The feeders really should have feed in them at all times.

95% of their diet should be the Starter/Grower chick food. Really, no more than 5 - 10% scratch or other snacks. Do you feed probiotics, or plain yogurt once a week? It is highly recommended.

Another suggestion, maybe you already know of, is ACV (Organic Apple Cider Vinegar), with the "mother in it," ... use 2 teaspoons in each gallon of water. I use this twice a week. Others use it every day. It is amazing! Be sure this is not the distilled white vinegar at the grocery. You may need to purchase at a health food source. Nonpasturized, nondistilled, mother in it (the slimy looking chunk in the bottom of the bottle), brownish colored.

Are you supplying them with grit, as well. This is needed for processing of grass, and other foods. They like, "pigeon grit," it seems, better than the other plain grit. But they really need grit supplied. Be sure to not use the large, adult bird grit for your youngsters, as it is too big.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[newchicksnducks]

I just wanted to restate what the others have said...young chickens need to have access to their starter/grower food 24/7. As with young babies, feeding time is around the clock (would you demand a newborn human only eat 3 times a day?) Invest in or make a large feeder (a 5 gallon bucket with 1 - 1 1/2 inch holes cut around the base and then placed onto a planter dish makes a great feeder - do a search for great homemade feeders) filled daily is much better than feed 2x a day with treats in the afternoon. Also 2 or more feeders for your large group is almost a must...the more dominant ones will otherwise keep the ones lower in the pecking order from getting their fill...especially when your only feeding at specified times. Yes, they will go through more feed this way...but they will also grow faster, better, and be healthier all around.

If they are eating bugs grass,and treats, they really do need grit to help grind these up(starter chick food won't need grit). This is inexpensive at your feed store.

 

[codybird]

What breed of birds??