How much should I feed?

[Horsefly]

I have two, two and a half week old pekins and I have been giving them free choice of food. When should I start rationing how much they get? It seems they are getting kind of big.

 

[Amiga]

Horsefly,

let them grow! They will soon (3 or 4 weeks) slow down the growth. I kept my runners on free choice until their seventh week (it became apparent they were playing more than eating).

Pekins are bigger than runners, aren`t they? Pekins are beautiful!!

My thought is that slowing down their food at this age will not make them smaller, it will just risk their health. Not only are they getting bigger, but they are building their internal organs, bones, and everything else.

My runners seemed to stop shooting up in height like rockets almost overnight, somewhere around week five. Now the feathering out and filling out seems to be their priority. Oh, and being little nutballs. Their high-strung personality started showing up in week three, actually.

 

[Horsefly]

I didn't mean restricting feed to make them smaller as in size, I ment they are starting to look fatter. I just didn't want to make them to fat because they are a larger breed, and put stress on their joints. Once they are 7-8 weeks old how much should they be getting? Oh I forgot, they are outside now and can get all the grass and greens they want in addition to their normal feed. Thanks