Overeating?

[seminolewind]

I let my month old chicks out in the run today, and they ran around eating bugs, sand, grass, etc, their crops were large. Will they overeat? Do they know when to stop? Karen

 

[silkiechicken]

They know when to stop. Of course meat birds are an exception.

 

[Davaroo]

I suppose tis possible, but I never heard of it. Theyll quit when they are full. Good point about the meaties.

 

[devora]

Quote:
Are you saying a meat bird will over-eat? Will it damage itself (like a cow, a creature that will eat grain until it dies)? Interesting that layers/meaties could be so different.

 

[PurpleChicken]

It never ceases no amaze me how much my birds will eat.
They will eat from morning to night and then BOK BOK for
a snack.

Todays menu:
Layer Feed
Free range everything
The left over stuff from the soup pot - they picked the bones clean + devoured
the celery and carrots
Some scratch
Some bird seed
Left over spaghetti I didn't want to throw away
Tons of Quaker oats (Their favorite treat)
Rabbit pellets

My Leghorn hens crops were as big as their little bodies.

If I went out to the coop right now they would run back and forth
expecting a snack.

 

[Davaroo]

I dont know about killing itself, but Ive read that meat bred birds will not forage or go looking for food away from the feede. More like laziness...

 

[seminolewind]

I was thinking of getting my debeaked BO some rabbit or alfalfa pellets since she is not able to pick grass. I think alfalfa is high in calcium as well.

 

[Lunachick]

Dontcha all know? Chickens are pigs.

 

[McGoo]

How can you tell if their crops are full?

 

[ali]

WHAT ARE SOME MEAT BIRD BREEDS? JUST SO I CAN BE SURE I DON'T HAVE ANY. ARE WELSUMMERS AND BRAHMAS ON THE LIST, THEY SURE DO EAT ALOT!