Overnight feed soaking for weight gain

[Chicks in VA]

How do i use my feed the in best way for weight gain!
Thanks

 

[casportpony]

What type of feed do you have?

 

[Chicks in VA]

What type of feed do you have?

16% dumor layer crumbles

 

[Brooks_]

Why are you trying to make them gain weight?

 

[Karasu]

Why are you trying to make them gain weight?

x2, and I doubt giving them more water will help them gain weight.

 

[Chicks in VA]

Why are you trying to make them gain weight?

x2, and I doubt giving them more water will help them gain weight.

So they can get through the winter better and to make sure they stay heathy and less prone to sickness

 

[Karasu]

Giving your birds fatty liver disease is not the best way to keep them healthy. Offer a balanced feed, fresh water at all times, and keep their environment clean and dry and your birds will thrive.

 

[NatJ]

How do i use my feed the in best way for weight gain!

For your laying hens, eating layer feed, the best way to use it is probably:
provide dry feed free-choice
provide water free-choice (make sure it is not frozen)

optional, add water to a small amount of food as a "treat" (warm in winter, cool in summer)
If you do this in the evening, that will encourage them to fill their crops, so they can be digesting it all night long (digestion makes heat). I would not bother soaking it overnight. It soaks up water pretty fast, so 5 minutes is long enough to get it about as wet as it ever will get. (So you can add the water, go check their dry food and their water, and then it should be fully soaked to give to them.) There is no need to limit how much wet feed they eat, but you don't want it to spoil, and they won't eat it if it freezes solid, which is why I suggest only giving relatively small amounts at a time.

Eating too much is bad for them because they get fat and have health problems. Eating too little is bad for them because they get skinny and also have health problems. But most chickens will eat the right amount of complete feed (like layer feed) when they have constant access to the feed and water. If they get too thirsty, they will not eat, which is why water is so important.

 

[Chicks in VA]

Giving your birds fatty liver disease is not the best way to keep them healthy. Offer a balanced feed, fresh water at all times, and keep their environment clean and dry and your birds will thrive.

Okay they need to gain weight as well kind of implied
my bantams are under wight by a little bit and i want to put some weight back on and a hen who just healed from an injury is under weight and i want to put weight on her too

I'm not a D.A. my plans are not to give them fatty liver disease

 

[Chicks in VA]

For your laying hens, eating layer feed, the best way to use it is probably:
provide dry feed free-choice
provide water free-choice (make sure it is not frozen)

who does not give their birds free choice water? well duh if its frozen they cant drink it
i do free choice food!

optional, add water to a small amount of food as a "treat" (warm in winter, cool in summer)
If you do this in the evening, that will encourage them to fill their crops, so they can be digesting it all night long (digestion makes heat). I would not bother soaking it overnight. It soaks up water pretty fast, so 5 minutes is long enough to get it about as wet as it ever will get. (So you can add the water, go check their dry food and their water, and then it should be fully soaked to give to them.) There is no need to limit how much wet feed they eat, but you don't want it to spoil, and they won't eat it if it freezes solid, which is why I suggest only giving relatively small amounts at a time.

good idea

Eating too much is bad for them because they get fat and have health problems. Eating too little is bad for them because they get skinny and also have health problems. But most chickens will eat the right amount of complete feed (like layer feed) when they have constant access to the feed and water. If they get too thirsty, they will not eat, which is why water is so important.

well this a given