How much Food do Baby Chicks need a Day

[ariri30]

TSC generally has a “must buy a minimum of 4 chicks” just FYI

And the one I go to in NY has a minimum of 6!

 

[trhbrook]

Welcome!
Chicks need free choice chick starter, or an all-flock feed that can be fed to chicks. They need to eat free choice, so keep the feeder full, and use small bags of feed so it doesn't get old.
Check the mill date on each bag, so you are feeding stuff that's within a couple of months of milling, not older.
Birds fed mixed whole grain diets, or lots of extra goodies, can and will get fat and often also malnourished.
Mary

What kind of “treats“ would make chickens fat? Mine get all my fruit and veggie scraps. I’m assuming this would not contribute to weight gain?

 

[NatJ]

What kind of “treats“ would make chickens fat? Mine get all my fruit and veggie scraps. I’m assuming this would not contribute to weight gain?

Mealworms, corn, bread, bacon--anything high in calories. Or anything so tasty they just plain eat more than they otherwise would.

If you're giving them fruit and veggie scraps, they should be fine. (Some people might worry that the chickens will get too thin or not get enough protein, but I personally would not worry about that.)

 

[Debby R]

sorry i just had one more question, till what week of age should i free feed them

Forever.

 

[Debby R]

Mealworms, corn, bread, bacon--anything high in calories. Or anything so tasty they just plain eat more than they otherwise would.

If you're giving them fruit and veggie scraps, they should be fine. (Some people might worry that the chickens will get too thin or not get enough protein, but I personally would not worry about that.)

Mealworms, corn, bread, bacon--anything high in calories. Or anything so tasty they just plain eat more than they otherwise would.

If you're giving them fruit and veggie scraps, they should be fine. (Some people might worry that the chickens will get too thin or not get enough protein, but I personally would not worry about that.)

Fruits can make chickens fat due to the sugar in them. So can sunflower seeds. They should get no more than 2T(5% of food)/day/per chicken of treats. There is a major problem with obesity in backyard chickens. Food is love, right? NOT! Mine stay in the pen due to predators so I give them a bucket of their favorite and very nutritious greens which is chickweed. Gives them something to do, also. I give them unsweetened apple sauce, chick feed mixed with water into a paste, etc.

 

[mommiesrcool]

Fruits can make chickens fat due to the sugar in them. So can sunflower seeds. They should get no more than 2T(5% of food)/day/per chicken of treats. There is a major problem with obesity in backyard chickens. Food is love, right? NOT! Mine stay in the pen due to predators so I give them a bucket of their favorite and very nutritious greens which is chickweed. Gives them something to do, also. I give them unsweetened apple sauce, chick feed mixed with water into a paste, etc.

I just got my baby chicks on Friday but at the time i took the picture and video it was 11 pm so thats why there was no food. the feeder comes in at 7 am and gets taken away at 8 pm

 

[mommiesrcool]

I just got my baby chicks on Friday but at the time i took the picture and video it was 11 pm so thats why there was no food. the feeder comes in at 7 am and gets taken away at 8 pm

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z5CZLK3wAj8dMQzbA

 

[mommiesrcool]

As a pet parrot owner, the big problem is with too many treats, not the food availability. Dylan, the parrot in my avatar, will say "Want more" when she sees us with chips, or other treats she likes. Her food dish is full, but she will eat treats! Chickens are no different, they just can't say what they want in English. But they let us know! Pets get over fed. The boring food in the feeder will not be over-eaten, unless you are raising a Cornish-X meat bird!

i just got my chicks on Friday https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z5CZLK3wAj8dMQzbA

 

[Kellow1]

when i go to TSC I'm going to get two Rhode Island Red Pullets, i wanted to know how much fees they need a day? when i used to have baby chicks they over ate A LOT so much that they had to lose some weight.

It is possible that you had meat birds that grow very quickly. Otherwise, you were feeding the wrong feed. When chicks are little, under 19 weeks of age, they need a grower formula that is available 24/7. When they begin to lay eggs, they need a qood quality layer feed with oyster shells on the side.

 

[Kellow1]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z5CZLK3wAj8dMQzbA

Baby chicks need to have feed available at all times while they are growing!