Can you overfeed chicks?

[TeaKettleK]

I've got 25 2-week-old (assorted sr brown egg-laying) chicks. Cute as all get-out and making me feel like a first-time-mama all over again... Went through the 5lbs of starter we got from the hatchery in about a week so I bought the 50lb bag of Purina medicated start-&-grow (?) and a week later the darn thing is much more than 1/2 gone. Am I over-feeding? Is that even possible? I don't mind feeding them as much as they want, if that's the right thing to do...

I read all the books... I thought I was ready!

 

[canada-goose]

Overfeeding is impossible with chicks. They eat a lot, they grow a lot. They don't eat to much. Yours are fine.

 

[dsedler]

I wouldn't worry about overfeeding chicks. I do wonder how much they might be wasting. Can you see any that has spilled into the bedding that they won't eat? I honestly can't remember how much food my 16 chicks went through. I feel that young chicks should have all the food they want to eat. Like the last poster said, they are growing fast and need the nutrition.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

My 22 2 1/2 week old RIR chicks have eaten about 30lbs of feed so far. I swear, it seems they eat more that the big ones.

Marty

 

[TeaKettleK]

Thank you!

There really isn't much in the bedding, I think I toss out more when the feeders get shavings in them. They must just be little piggies!

Lots of growing to do, it makes sense, they need unrestricted access to good food.

Look at my day-old-fluffies pictures, they HAVE grown a ton! At least I know where it's all going, right?

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Hybrid meat birds can sometimes need to be put on restricted feed, but not egg laying or dual purpose breeds. Give them all they want.

.....Alan.