Raising chickens - How much to feed baby chicks
by Judy
I bought your How to Raise Meat Birds book. I have to say that your book was great for giving clear and detailed information. ANSWER: hi Judy, Thanks for buying my book on raising meat chickens. re your questions, if I have 35 birds or so in the box I start out with one 2-foot feeder, which holds about 2-3 cups of chick starter. I feed them during morning and afternoon chores, around 8am and 5pm respectively. The best way to tell if you are feeding the right amount is to observe the little birds about 20 minutes after feeding. They should mostly be away from the feeder, with just a little or no grain left in it. If there is a lot of grain left after 20 minutes, cut back a bit. If you observe a wide size range difference in the birds (after 10 days or so) , it might mean some chicks aren'r getting to the feeder before its empty. Add another 2-foot feeder, and a LITTLE more grain, and observe as above. re feeding the baby chicks ground kitchen veggie scraps after they are a week old, we've never tried it but I can't see why not. I would just give them some occasionally, as their little bellies can only hold so much. If they fill up on veggies alone they might miss some nutrients and growth may slow. - Scott - |