How Much Is Normal

[REINABUGY]

I have 52 chicks that are 4 weeks old. they have been eating a 7lb feeder full of food a day. Is that normal???

 

[The Chicken People]

wow thats alot of chicks..are they wasting any?

 

[REINABUGY]

I really dont think that they are. But it does seem like a lot of feed. My bigger girls dont even eat that much.

 

[The Chicken People]

well if they are not wasting it then I guess its fine!

 

[Guinea Goonie]

52 birds will go through a BUNCH off feed. They are more than likely wasting a good portion of it though.

Start mixing in poultry grain with you feed. This will give them some "grit" and something that takes a bit

to digest. Be sure you have PLENTY of fresh water on hand. I am sure they are slurping through the water.

Good Luck with your flock. We did this about 2 years ago and have about a third of the original birds.

We now have a good number of their off spring and a few new ones. We started Adding Guineas about

a year ago and I now have a 60/40 mixture of birds, hen chickens over Guinea and roos.

 

[REINABUGY]

Yeah they drink a lot of water to about 3.5 gallon waterer in 1 day and a half. i have to fill the feeder every day. Will the grain be ok for 4 week olds. they are on medicated chick starter.

 

[digitS']

Are these broiler chicks, laying or dual purpose breed? . . . a mix?

52 broiler chicks at 4 weeks will eat about 8.5 pounds of feed each day.

If'n I did my math right

. University of Missouri

(If you give grain you will need to provide them with rock grit. )

Steve

 

[REINABUGY]

No they are not broilers. They are the normal egg layers from MPC. The rainbow package.

 

[Opa]

That really isn't an excessive amount of feed for 52 chicks unless you see evidence of wasted feed on the ground. Poultry grains aren't "grit" and if they elect not to eat it they will bill it out of the way thereby resulting in wasted feed. If you do elect to feed grains you will want to provide actual grit.

 

[REINABUGY]

When should I start giving them grit. Should I wait until after I take them off starter at 16 weeks?