Helicopter chick-parenting? 🤨

[CrystalAnon]

First time chick mamma here…
I have 11 chicks that will be 9 weeks old on Monday. I’m trying to figure out the right feed schedule for them.
I’m just finishing up the starter feed from New Country Organics, mixed with scratch & peck grower feed, a little handful of flax, hemp hearts & sesame seeds. On hotter days they get some melon. And sometimes a couple apples, on a recycled “chick stick” stick, on a hanging chain.
I read for 11, 8 week old chicks, its about 5 cups per day of feed. (I feed them about 4 cups.) It does not seem to be the right amount. They don’t seem to be liking the whole grains, and they leave tons in the feed bin (I use a rubber horse grain bin, so they don’t scratch it out everywhere.)
I use spoiled feed for our black solider fly larvae, but it seems I’m putting way too much in the bsfl bin & the chicks aren’t eating enough of it themselves.
Are they just being picky? Do I need to not feed them 2-3 times a day & just let them pick through what I give them until it’s gone or sincerely spoiled?
How do you folks do it?

 

[CrystalAnon]

First time chick mamma here…
I have 11 chicks that will be 9 weeks old on Monday. I’m trying to figure out the right feed schedule for them.
I’m just finishing up the starter feed from New Country Organics, mixed with scratch & peck grower feed, a little handful of flax, hemp hearts & sesame seeds. On hotter days they get some melon. And sometimes a couple apples, on a recycled “chick stick” stick, on a hanging chain.
I read for 11, 8 week old chicks, its about 5 cups per day of feed. (I feed them about 4 cups.) It does not seem to be the right amount. They don’t seem to be liking the whole grains, and they leave tons in the feed bin (I use a rubber horse grain bin, so they don’t scratch it out everywhere.)
I use spoiled feed for our black solider fly larvae, but it seems I’m putting way too much in the bsfl bin & the chicks aren’t eating enough of it themselves.
Are they just being picky? Do I need to not feed them 2-3 times a day & just let them pick through what I give them until it’s gone or sincerely spoiled?
How do you folks do it?

And for extra info, they have chick grit mixed with grower grit in their run as well. They seem to be going through it pretty well, so it’s not a lack of grit that’s making them not eat the larger grains. They eat cantaloupe seeds like it’s nothing, so I know they can eat the grains. And they have a way to digest them.

 

[RojoMarz]

My chicks only get starter feed. When that bag is gone, I will switch them to All Flock. Their treat is mash made with their feed. I also free feed and do not limit the amount of feed I give them.

 

[Nomadicus]

I've been feeding 18% starter grower until 16 weeks and then changing to 18% layer granules. Nothing special. 90 adults now get a gallon or so of scratch about 5 times a week late in the afternoon while out free ranging. Rate of lay would be hard to beat. They seem very happy and that makes me happy. They get free choice grit and oyster shell.

 

[MountainWoman73]

Yeah, you're helicopter parenting. . The only "schedule" they need is to keep their feed and water full all the time. Toss them that other stuff when you're out in the yard doing chores or when you go out to visit.