hens lagging behind sisters

[throttlejunky]

I have learned quite a bit here. I got 15 day old Australorps 20 weeks ago. They were divided among 3 people. My one friends are on pace with mine, but my other friends developed combs earlier and laid there first eggs yesterday. I know they develop differently but all five of his hens are more developed. Same feed. Food offered at all times. I always felt mine spend there time in the run away from the food. Before offered the range they seemed to eat non stop. How often should a 20 week hen eat? Do they fill their crop twice a day and thats it? I never see mine eat anymore but the level in my PVC bucket feeder drops.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Chickens eat to fill there caloric need, once that caloric need is met then they stop eating whether or not there nutritional needs are met.
If your bids are on average yard for free ranging and filling up on a lot of low nutrient grasses then there going to grow a lot less than birds that fill up on a good poultry feed.

There are a few things that make bird grow faster than others..

If the person with the faster growing birds fed a chick starter that contained a coccidiostat and you didn't that could give the other birds a jump start on growth over yours.
Protein type and amount could play a big role here also. Birds that are on a high protein diet tend to grow faster than birds on a low protein diet. Birds fed a feed that contains animal proteins tend to grow faster than birds that aren't.

Over feeding treats can slow down growth also.

What feed was and are you feeding, do you know what the other person was and is feeding?

 

[throttlejunky]

Thanks for replying. Same feed.I buy it en
them. Medicated to start then grower then layer. My run is dirt as is theirs.