How to encourage weight gain?

[Geogurl]

Hello - I'm new to raising chickens and recently learned how to assess their "fatness" by feeling their breastbone. My 3 9-week-old chickens all have breastbones that are sharp and feel like a ridge. They seem to eat very little of their Purina StarterGrower. The food is fresh based on the date of the bag, and they seem to prefer just the small crumbles, leaving behind a cornmeal-like dust. Should I try wetting some of the feed? I would like to know how much each bird should be consuming per day, how to tell how much each is getting since they all eat from one typical hanging feeder. They also get one or two handfuls of scratch mix each day, and then treats morning and evening rotating through the following: greens from my garden, caterpillars from the garden, fresh fruits and veg, plain yogurt. They have access to chick grit. They seem healthy, lively and curious and always hungry. I use a hanging feeder now so they have access to the Purina feed all the time. When is it time to toss the uneaten feed in the feeder? They have never "finished" eating all the feed. Are they just skinny teenagers at 9 weeks?

 

[casportpony]

Should I try wetting some of the feed?

Yes, try that. Mine don't like the dust either.

 

[Geogurl]

Thank you! I tried it already, they liked the wet feed and it was easier to see how much they actually ate. It's going to be a little bit harder to keep food tidy and may attract more flies and ants.

 

[Dephora]

I wonder if the breast bone thing matters for age? I always assumed as chicks are growing they sort of always grow faster than their meat can catch up. Unless they are meat bird varieties of course.

 

[Geogurl]

Yes, at 9 weeks they may be expected to be on the thinner side. They seem to like wet crumbles and now I'm experimenting with fermenting it and some scratch to see if I can optimize their nutrition that way. Doesn't cost anything more, so why not?

 

[Dephora]

I give mine fermented feed. They seem to do alright. Some people told me they notice their birds eat less with fermented feed but I haven't noticed much difference. Right now they eat around .25 cup of fermented feed a day. The adults maybe a tiny bit more than that. I will say the adults and chicks all seem healthy. Haven't noticed any illness, this will be my first winter with laying adults, so I am hoping their egg production keeps up, that will be the real test for me.

 

[Geogurl]

Thanks for letting me know how much to expect them to eat. That is very helpful.
Good luck with your layers.

 

[Dephora]

Thanks for letting me know how much to expect them to eat. That is very helpful.
Good luck with your layers.

It is a good starting point atleast so you don't ferment too much at once. I must have fermented 4 times that the first time! They took to it fast, I gave it to them after only 2 days. Then eventually moved up to 3.