HELP ! How much feed !

[kbreak]

I have 6 baby chicks (1 week old) and the mother in a run about 3ft X 7ft. I have been feeding them all starter feed. I don't know how much to feed them and her. How much food do I feed them and how often? Do I need to feed the hen something else. I have just been scattering it on the ground. Our hen was free ranged with our rooster and we never fed them. They go to the barn and eat cracked corn and chicken feed. I am lost in knowing how to take of them but very excited in learning. I love to just sit and watch her and the chicks. Amazing how something so small knows how to scratch for food. LOL.
Need advice on feeding. Please !!

 

[JodyJo]

I just let my free feed...put out the feeder, they will eat what they need, no stress that way!

**You can place the feeder on a raised brick, helps slow down the spillage, or add some water and make a mash, they LOVE it....!

 

[chicmom]

You should keep food there for them constantly. Do you have a low dish or a pan that you can put it in so the chicks can reach it? I do believe the mother will drop the food onto the ground for them to peck at too.

 

[HEChicken]

I'll echo what the others have said and suggest leaving a full feeder in for them at all times. When my broody's chicks were newly hatched, I put out food and water in chick feeder/waterers and Mama had no trouble eating and drinking from the same containers. For the feed it doesn't matter so much but I wanted them drinking out of a chick waterer so that there was no danger of them drowning in the regular waterer.

 

[kbreak]

So iI need to get a feeder. Is that the little silver tray with the holes in it? So I won't over feed them by leaving food in there at all times ? I am brand new to all this so I am sure I will ask stupid questions. The poor babies and hen probably think I am trying to starve them. I will fix that problem!!! Thanks so much.

 

[HEChicken]

No, you won't overfeed them. They tend to eat just as much as they need. I've never had an obese chicken yet and mine have always had free access to food.

Don't worry about asking questions - there are no stupid questions and that is how we all learn (and we all started out knowing nothing, remember).

ETA: Chick feeders come in a couple of different forms, but yes, they usually consist of a bowl or tray with a lid that has holes in it. You can put the feed in an open bowl but they will climb in it and poop so the feeder helps to keep the feed cleaner.

 

[JodyJo]

ask whatever questions you need to....

this was my set up for my 3 EE I got in the summer....they will not over eat...not to worry.
(there are grapes on top of the starter/grower, I just used a small dish to start with...the dry stuff is in the feeder)

the mother will eat and drink out of their feeders...mine adored added water to the starter/grower...ate it like crazy, like a treat...
the older ones like it as well.

 

[loanwizard]

You don't "have" to go out and buy a feeder if you don't want to. I use 2 pie pans, 1 for feed, and one with gravel (large size) with water in it. The gravel makes it so the chicks cannot drown. At 3 days I add a bottle and a chicken nipple and they use that.

 

[schamberfarms]

I leave feed out 24hrs for my flock. I took old 5 gal buckets and cut them down and just use the bottms for my birds.

 

[Apyl]

I leave feed out 24/7 for the chicks. I didnt buy a feeder I made one . I used a washed out mayo jar with lid and cute two good size hole on the side right above the bottom, cut the bottom inch off of a 1 gallon vinedar bottle, set the mayo jar in the center of the vinegar "tray" and used two screws to attach the two. Just fill the mayo jar with feed, screw on the lid and the feed comes out the bottom holes into the tray.