How Much Feed Should I Give?

[ashleylancaster]

How Much Of The Baby Chick Feed Should I Be Feeding My Baby Chicks? They Are About 3- 4 Weeks Old.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Just leave it out for them to eat free choice. They'll eat what they need, filling their crops through the course of the day.

Unless they are meat birds? Then I do believe people ration their food to control growth rate, not something I know much about!

 

[CupOJoe42]

As a general rule, each chick will eat 10 pounds of starter ration within its first 10 weeks of life. If you fill the feeder in the morning, let the chicks empty it before filling it again. Leaving feeders empty for long invites picking. Don't let dirty of stale feed accumulate either. Clean and scrub feeders at least once a week.

 

[Judy]

There are certainly advantages in making them empty a feeder before refilling, but I doubt many on here do it. When I do it, there is always another feeder with feed available.

 

[stcroixusvi]

Quote:
This is true with our 22 chicks. We go through a 50 lb bag of starter every two weeks. We keep three feeders continuously filled, and have happy chickens.

 

[triplepurpose]

I too give them as much as they will eat during the early stages, leaving food out for them so it is always available (and putting it away at night). The babies need to eat more frequently than adult birds. The amount they eat grows increasingly the bigger they get. Then later I begin spacing out feedings, preparing them for introduction to the main flock, who get fed twice a day.

 

[nlbeardmore]

My chicks wont stop eating! as long as they look healthy and lively go by your own judgement

 

[triplepurpose]

Yes. And basically it's worth remembering that there's no harm in giving chickens, of any age, as much food as they will choose to eat... (Unless they are cornish cross, but those don't count)