when will chicks stop feeling skinny?

[chkinut]

i have 4 one month old girls. they look and act great! they are on chick starter and they eat lots of grass, yogurt, tomatoes, kale etc. but when i pick them up, i can feel their skinny breast bone! especially my white EE girl. i'm wondering if this is normal?

 

[chickenlady08]

Of all of my chickens I only have a few that are heavy. Most of mine are small and thin. they have calcuim, grit and grower finish at all times. they are given sunflower seeds, bird seed, cracked corn, any type of greens, pasta, veggies, fruits, even cereal, meal worms and probably lots of other things for treats. I have also started adding Flock Raiser with their regular food to add some more protein. although my girls range in age from 1 year and older I choose not to force them to lay eggs. I have tons of eggs and I just supplement extra protein and calcuim. I want them to live out their lives not having to just lay eggs constantly and they seem just fine. I worm them twice a year and plan on using DE this year.

So if anyone has any other ideas about adding weight to my girls that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

How much snacks are you feeding them? Perhaps they are filling up on junk food and not getting enough nutrients that they need from the starter/grower. My chicks get nothing but starter/grower for the first 8 weeks or longer(no junk food). Give it a try if you want and I think you'll find they will start plumping up.

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

None of my chicks have ever felt 'skinny'.. The Jersey Giants I have seem a little more lengthy, but not skinny. They are about 7-8 weeks old and I just started adding some treats. Up until now the only thing extra they get are cooked eggs. Eggs have extra protein and the yolk contains some fat. Maybe scramble or HB some eggs and feed them..

 

[chkinut]

thanks! i'll try only the chick starter and cooked eggs. i thought the way i was doing it would be ok since they were all healthy snacks.....but then again, just like a human baby i guess, they need their "formula"....ha ha!