Broiler?

mndrockhunter

In the Brooder
May 6, 2015
32
5
26
We got our first ever chickens this year so I have no idea what to do, we got assorted chicks and one has turned out to be a broiler I think (she is fat and pure white) I bought them as pets, can we keep her as a layer, I couldn't bring myself to eat her, she is the friendliest one we have. Any advice will be appreciated.
 
Just cause she is a bit bigger and white doesn't mean she is a broiler, how much bigger is she? Also with a strict diet female broilers can be raised as layers and actually lay quite well(From what I have heard)
 
She is quite large, she grew way faster than the others, however, the others we got were all bantams so compared to them she's huge, one other is a normal size brown chicken, don't know the breed but Peepster is much fatter than Brownie, they were all the same size as chicks. How do you put one on diet, how can I keep her away from the food that I put down for the others, During the day they free range but their food dish is also out there. At night I don't put food into the house.
 
She is so friendly I could never eat her, she's my favorite, her and Hairy, he's a cute bantam Cochin (I think) with very feathery feet,so cute.
 
at 2-3 weeks only give her food 12 hours at a time pull it over night, right know it sounds like your okay, if you hand feed them (Sounds like you do) only give them what they will eat in 15 mins 1-3 times a day
 
Thanks for the reply, she is Already about 8-10 wks old, may be too late. I will start limiting the food, but will the other chickens not get enough, the other ones are bantams, they all free range in the back yard all day, I guess the others can forage.if they don't get enough feed. How about cut veggies that may help keep her slimmer
 
How are you going to limit her, I would dish out what they can eat in 15-25 mins and just make sure the big girl isn't stealing everbodys food (Make sure you have enough feeder space) and they will get enough and yes veggies will help but make sure she is getting a complete diet
 
Growing chicks should not be fed a lot of 'treats.' No more than 10 percent of their diet. Feed should be available all day long. If you keep feed in the coop, you should remove it at night. Most chickens do not eat at night, a broiler will though. A basic broiler feeding schedule is usually 12 hours with food, 12 hours without.
 
She actually doesn't eat all the time,most of the day while they are outside she is laying with the others under their favorite shady tree in the back yard. The treats I've been giving them is a little hand fed "healthy treat" various seeds and dried veggies. I don't give them people food unless I run out of feed then I give them some bread. They are out foraging all day, don't know how many bugs (if any) they are getting, must be enough cause they don't mob the feed dish.
 
I have two feed dishes out there, Peepster can be at both at the same time lol, so they all get their share.
 

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