How Many Pounds Does A Standard-sized Chick Eat Per Week?

[PioneerChicks]

How many pounds does a standard sized chick eat per week? Does anybody know how many pounds they will eat from age one day to eight weeks? Or any other measurement?

Next spring I am planning on getting 50-100 standard-sized chicks, raising them to eight weeks of age, and selling them. I am trying to calculate a rough plan of how much they will eat. Also, if anybody has any experience on raising chicks like this any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Folly's place]

It's breed dependent, in part. Commercial Cornishx birds are very efficient, and are put in the freezer by seven or eight weeks of age, usually, I'm assuming these aren't what you plan to raise though.
Many other more 'normal' birds might eat about three pounds of feed per pound of wieght gain, although I don't know if that holds true for every breed, or the time frame you are considering.
Talk to experts, or google research papers on this; there are nutritional studies somewhere on every aspect of poultry nutrition, it's been well studied.
Breeds; what do the breeds you are interested in weigh at eight weeks of age? What is the market price, although that changes too. It is difficult to make an actual profit with chickens, so would love to hear how your planning goes, and results.
Mary

 

[PioneerChicks]

It's breed dependent, in part. Commercial Cornishx birds are very efficient, and are put in the freezer by seven or eight weeks of age, usually, I'm assuming these aren't what you plan to raise though.
Many other more 'normal' birds might eat about three pounds of feed per pound of wieght gain, although I don't know if that holds true fro every breed, or the time frame you are considering.
Talk to experts, or google research papers on this; there are nutritional studies somewhere on every aspect of poultry nutrition, it's been well studied.
Breeds; what do the breeds you are interested in weigh at eight weeks of age? What is the market price, although that changes too. It is difficult to make an actual profit with chickens, so would love to hear how your planning goes, and results.
Mary

It would just be Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Sex-links, and so on. I don't do meat birds, though I would like to some say when I get a bit "tougher".

I know a couple people who have done the same thing and they got lots of profit! A cousin of mine raised 100 (female) chicks to the age of five months and sold them for $40 each, though she probably could have gone for $45. Chickens are selling really well right now! I just sold three adult hens for $85, and they went really fast! Tonight I am selling five month-old Jungle fowl chicks (three girls and two boys) for &40.

Thanks for the advice! I will update!

 

[Folly's place]

That sounds great!
This is an abnormal year, with demand for chickens through the roof, and not enough to meet the market. Who knows about next spring?
I could wish that prices were like that here too!
Mary

 

[yakitori]

My 8 birds ( 5chickens 3 guineas) ate through 40lb on 8 weeks.

so about 5lb/bird for me

 

[Al Gerhart]

Just use the weight gain and work backwards. Three pounds of feed per pound of gain will get you close although that is for the more efficient birds. Five pound bird ought to take 15 to 20 pounds of feed to raise. $20.00 per bag, $.40 per pound x 20 pounds is $8.00 per bird in feed. Assuming zero waste and efficient weight gain. An adult laying hen is going to eat a quarter pound of pellets per day, 7.5# per month.

 

[RRM]

How many pounds does a standard sized chick eat per week? Does anybody know how many pounds they will eat from age one day to eight weeks? Or any other measurement?

Next spring I am planning on getting 50-100 standard-sized chicks, raising them to eight weeks of age, and selling them. I am trying to calculate a rough plan of how much they will eat. Also, if anybody has any experience on raising chicks like this any advice would be appreciated!

We raise Australorp’s to sell as started pullets, and we calculate 1.25 to 1.50 pounds of starter/growers crumbles per week per bird, which seems to be very close for our setup. Chicks have access to feed 24/7 while in the brooder under heat lamps. Once they are moved to the transition pen (3 to 4 weeks old) they still have 24/7 access, but since they sleep when it’s dark there is no eating going on.
Our feeders are very efficient in regards to waste, if your chicks can waste feed from your existing feeders you’ll need to up the rate of feed per bird to account for the waste.

 

[PioneerChicks]

My 8 birds ( 5chickens 3 guineas) ate through 40lb on 8 weeks.

so about 5lb/bird for me

Thank you!

Just use the weight gain and work backwards. Three pounds of feed per pound of gain will get you close although that is for the more efficient birds. Five pound bird ought to take 15 to 20 pounds of feed to raise. $20.00 per bag, $.40 per pound x 20 pounds is $8.00 per bird in feed. Assuming zero waste and efficient weight gain. An adult laying hen is going to eat a quarter pound of pellets per day, 7.5# per month.

Okay, I will do a bit of math. Thanks!

We raise Australorp’s to sell as started pullets, and we calculate 1.25 to 1.50 pounds of starter/growers crumbles per week per bird, which seems to be very close for our setup. Chicks have access to feed 24/7 while in the brooder under heat lamps. Once they are moved to the transition pen (3 to 4 weeks old) they still have 24/7 access, but since they sleep when it’s dark there is no eating going on.
Our feeders are very efficient in regards to waste, if your chicks can waste feed from your existing feeders you’ll need to up the rate of feed per bird to account for the waste.

Thanks for caculating! And may I ask what feeders you use?

 

[Percheron chick]

I raise pullets to sell and figure 10# per chick to get them to 10 weeks. I find they do not waste as much feeding fermented feed as less ends up in the bedding. After that the 4 oz per bird per day is close enough. I sell mine closer to 20 weeks and each chick costs me $12-13. This includes cost of chick, feed, bedding, $1 for stuff (power, ACV, vitamin) and another $1 for loss.
$40 is crazy. Don't bank that you will be able to sell them for that next year.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I raise pullets to sell and figure 10# per chick to get them to 10 weeks. I find they do not waste as much feeding fermented feed as less ends up in the bedding. After that the 4 oz per bird per day is close enough. I sell mine closer to 20 weeks and each chick costs me $12-13. This includes cost of chick, feed, bedding, $1 for stuff (power, ACV, vitamin) and another $1 for loss.
$40 is crazy. Don't bank that you will be able to sell them for that next year.

Thank you! How young are your chicks when you start fermenting feed? I do it for my adults but don't know if I should do it for chicks.