recording growth

[centrarchid]

Anyone take time to record chick growth in terms of weight? Then graph the results?

 

[spottedtail]

I've done it a few times, just out of curosity.
Haven't done it on a regular basis. Just don't get enough worthwhile info to go through the trouble.
However, I have trapnested. This, at least in my case, does provide useful information.

spot

 

[centrarchid]

I am curiuos about growth of chicks raised by hens versus those raised without. Chicks when weaned seemed not to eat as much for a couple days. Suspect they loose weight or at least do not put as much on for that time.

 

[elmo]

By "weaned," what do you mean? When the hen quits calling her chicks over for tasty bugs but pecks them away instead?

I didn't notice any of mine eating less when this happened. When the hen called it quits on mothering, I separated her from her chicks and the chicks just kept eating their little heads off as usual.

I did graph the growth of this year's hen raised chicks, but unfortunately I can't find my data from last year when I raised a batch artificially and indoors. I wrote the information on our calendar, and another family member threw that away last January (darn).

My impression is that the hen raised chicks grew faster and feathered out more quickly, though.

 

[centrarchid]

Elmo,

Your definition of free range same. Broods with hens I am watching as you indicate seem to grow faster early on and through maturity. My mothered broods grow up more or less free range, When weaned they seem less inclined to forage during the couple days they are walking about calling for their mother. They no longer seem to recognize her nor she them. After the couple days is over, aggressive feeding resumes.