Too cold for 6wk old CornishXRock chicks outside?

[Caver Dave]

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Assuming your mean specifically the Cornish/Rocks?

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If so, this brings up another question (my apologies if this isn't the correct forum since it involves meat birds)...

I've been told to limit feeding of these birds due to issues of overeating (heart/leg problems).
These came from Ideal, but another hatcheries instructions stated to only feed between 7AM-7PM to reduce these issues.
I read others say they are ravenously hungry ALL the time, so I'm having a hard time gaging the volume of food I should offer...

Initially, I would fill up the 20" chick feeder in the AM & remove it in the PM (1/2 eaten).
By week 4 , the 26 began to consume it over a 2 hour period and were split into a 2nd brooder. Still giving a "full" feeder to each box...
Now at week 6, 13 consume it ALL within an hour... and I generally give them another feeder full in the PM (to keep their crops full & warm during the night) and act like they're starved!

How much volume *should* I be presenting (using the current batch of Layena crumbles/cracked corn)? I use a plastic kiddie cup to fill the feeders from the bag & it generally takes 3 to fill the lower half of the feeders full + 1/2 cup of cracked corn on top...

Are the little red chick feeders too small an amount presenting twice daily?

 

[walkswithdog]

I don't have my feed notes on this computer. I rear both meat birds and dual birds over winter. Usually I feed the meat birds 3 x a day and generally try for all they'll eat in an hour. If you leave it out some of them will eat themselves to death all right.

 

[Caver Dave]

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Do your notes equate to a record of average feed (volume OZs/grams per chicken) depending on week of age? If so, I'd sure like something to compare my feed volume to!

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Do you think mine are getting enough, feeding what they'll eat in an hour twice daily?
I don't really have a way to feed them more than twice a day, but want to insure I'm not giving them too little feed.
Any chance of over feeding if they're devouring it inside an hour?

 

[walkswithdog]

Dave - go over to the meat bird thread/forum - several of the guys have exactly how much per week/wt of feed they're using. They're awesome helpful.