Our babies made it

[ZooSD]

They look great. I have my first group of 15 that are 6wks old today and all over 5lbs, some over 6. I started fermenting their food and switched them to turkey starter for the higher protein. The seem to actually fill up for awhile after eating and take a rest from the food trough (5ft section of plastic rain gutter) I love watching them dust bathe and run around outside.

 

[daviechik]

yikes, mine are TINY then compared to yours... mine are around 1.5lbs (maybe 2 now) and will be 5wks tomorrow... i just switched them to the flock raiser from start and grow. im sure that has part to do with their small size. I also think I was under feeding them, now that they are eating the higher protein stuff Im finding they arent eating it all like starving chickens the way they were before.

 

[ZooSD]

I feed mine 2x day, fermented (with up/acv) turkey starter. It's 28% protein. After the second feeding (around 3pm) they don't get fed until 6 a.m. the next day. I mounted the rain gutter about 6" up on the fence so they couldn't climb in it and they have to be standing to eat. Their 5 gallon waterer is on the other side of the pen sitting on cinder blocks so they have to stand to drink too. Before I did that they would plop down for dinner and a drink. I also put a 16wk old pullet and a bantam roo in with them to keep them moving around more.

 

[daviechik]

We have two pounders!! Five weeks old today and the biggest two or three are 2lbs

 

[BCMaraniac]

When ours are around the feeder or waterer like this, my husband says it looks like Walmart the day after Thanksgiving.

 

[daviechik]

 

[Mingming]

They look great!! Have you thought about how long you're going to keep them? Are you looking to get to a certain weight?

 

[daviechik]

Im not sure, its kinda just waiting and seeing what happens. Id like to get them to roughly 6-8lbs if they can get there, that would be great but its taking longer than i thought (which is fine as long as they are healthier) They are only 5 wks so I was banking on around 8wks before starting to pull any of them. Everyone is walking, hopping/flying and fairly active with plenty of room to roam. For sure seeing some "chest bumping" going on among some of the chickens im thinking are roos'

 

[daviechik]

lol... i hear ya!! Doesnt matter if they have had water all.day. the moment i bring a fresh waterer over they all act like they are camels in the desert. silly chickens.

 

[daviechik]

I feed mine 2x day, fermented (with up/acv) turkey starter. It's 28% protein. After the second feeding (around 3pm) they don't get fed until 6 a.m. the next day. I mounted the rain gutter about 6" up on the fence so they couldn't climb in it and they have to be standing to eat. Their 5 gallon waterer is on the other side of the pen sitting on cinder blocks so they have to stand to drink too. Before I did that they would plop down for dinner and a drink. I also put a 16wk old pullet and a bantam roo in with them to keep them moving around more.

Thats a GREAT idea... Thankfully they are fairly active but if they start acting like little blobs ill toss one of my laying "babies" (17wks) in with them...