How many times a day do you feed baby chicks
feeding-baby-birds | VCA Animal Hospital
General Information
Hand-feeding baby birds is only a substitute for parents raising birds, but it does have certain advantages. Hand-raised baby birds usually make better pets, as they have been completely socialized with humans. Hand-raised babies grow up with less fear of humans or other potential dangers such as cats, dogs and young children. Hand-feeding is a huge responsibility and requires time, patience, and commitment. Hand-fed baby birds are entirely reliant on you for everything. Hand-feeding is a job best left for the experienced bird breeder or aviculturist. If you’re considering hand-feeding a baby bird, you should contact your local bird breeder or veterinarian for help. This handout is designed to provide some basic guidelines on how to hand-feed.
When do I start hand-feeding a baby bird?
A chick may be removed from its parents any time before weaning, but many suggest leaving the babies with the parents for up to 3 weeks. Older birds may prove to be more challenging in their acceptance of hand-feeding.
Where do I keep a baby bird?
Precise temperature and humidity is essential for optimum growth of newly hatched birds. Initially, relative humidity greater than 50% is required. Hatchlings (without feathers) should be maintained at 95°-97°F (35°-36°C). As the chick gets older and develops feathers, it has a greater tolerance for temperature fluctuations.
Generally, the temperature can be lowered by one degree every 2-3 days as feathering progresses. Chicks with new feathers (pinfeathers) should be fine at 75°-85°F (24°-30°C) depending on the development of the feathers. Fully feathered and weaned chicks can be maintained at room temperature. If you are raising a chick, always monitor your bird for signs of overheating or chilling. Wings extended or drooping, and panting indicate overheating. Shivering and cuddling of chicks together indicate that they’re cold.
Poor growth or poor digestion (delayed crop emptying) may indicate poor health (including presence of gastrointestinal tract infections), improper consistency/mixing of hand feeding formula, improper temperature of formula, or improper environmental temperature and humidity.
Good quality brooders are available that carefully regulate air circulation, temperature, and humidity. Paper towel, diapers, hand towels, or other soft, disposable products can be used to line the bottom of the brooder and provide secure, clean, dry footing for birds. The bottom liner must be changed frequently to keep birds clean. If the bottom texture is too smooth, chicks’ legs may splay out sideways, leading to permanent deformities. The brooder should be carefully checked to ensure that it does not contain anything for birds to get their wings or legs stuck on or that might cause injury or deformities.
What should I feed my bird?
There are numerous commercially available hand-feeding formulas for baby birds. You should choose one formula and use it until the baby is weaned. Changes in diet may be stressful on the baby's digestion. Be sure to discuss dietary choices with your veterinarian, an experienced bird breeder, or an aviculturist.
How do I feed my baby bird?
All food must be prepared fresh for every feeding.
Food retained from one feeding to another is an ideal medium for the growth of harmful bacteria and yeast. Any food prepared or heated in a microwave oven must be mixed thoroughly to ensure that the food’s temperature is uniform and that there are no hot or cold spots. Food temperature should be at 102°-106°F (39°-41°C) throughout the mixture and should be measured with a thermometer. Food that is too hot may cause severe burns to the crop.
Food that is too cold may be rejected by baby birds and may slow down digestion. Hand-feeding formulas have specific directions on the packaging and explain how they should be mixed.
In general, the younger the bird, the thinner the mixture should be. A day-old chick requires a more dilute mixture (90% water), as it is still utilizing the yolk sac as a source of nutrition. Chicks older than one or two days, should have food containing approximately 70-75% liquid.
"All food must be prepared fresh for every feeding."
Syringes are probably the preferred feeding tool, but some bird owners still prefer a spoon with the sides bent up and inward.
Accurate feeding volumes can be recorded with the syringe. Charting daily feedings is important. The natural feeding response of a baby bird is to rapidly bob the head in an up and down motion. This action can be stimulated with gentle finger pressure at the corners of the mouth. During this head bobbing, the trachea is closed and large amounts of food can be given relatively quickly.
If the bird is not displaying a strong feeding response, do not attempt to feed as there is an increased chance of aspiration of food into the trachea and lungs which can lead to death. The best time to feed is when the crop is empty. When full, the crop, which is the sac that hangs over the front of the chest at the base of the neck, will be visibly distended.
How often and how much do I feed?
The amount and frequency of feeding depends on the age of the bird and the formula fed. The frequency of feeding for young birds is greater than that of older birds. The following are general guidelines.
With newly hatched chicks, the yolk sac is the source of nutrients for the first 12-24 hours post-hatching. Chicks less than one week old should be fed 6-10 times per day (every 2-3 hours).
During the first week of life, some birds benefit from feeding during the night. Chicks that have not yet opened their eyes may take 5-6 feedings per day (every 3-4 hours). Once birds’ eyes open, they can have 3-5 feedings (one every 5 hours). As their feathers start to grow in, they may be fed 2-3 times per day (every 6 hours). Their crops should appear full when they’re done.
Feeding between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. is not necessary at that point when birds are sleeping. The best indication of a healthy, growing chick is a good, strong feeding response at every feeding, with the crop emptying between feedings, and the regular production of droppings (feces). Weight gain should be monitored and recorded at the same time each day using a scale that weighs in grams with 1-gram increments to detect subtle increases or decreases.
Birds’ weights may fluctuate up and down daily but should trend upward over a period of days to weeks. Birds that are not gaining weight should be checked by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
When should birds be weaned off hand-feeding formula?
Deciding when to wean a bird off of formula is often a difficult decision for both the bird owner and the bird. As a bird gets older and develops a full complement of feathers, it should be encouraged to wean off formula and to eat more on its own. Some babies start weaning themselves by refusing certain feedings.
Birds should be offered a variety of foods including formulated pelleted diets as well as fresh fruits and vegetables to encourage exploration and experimentation. As food introduction continues, hand-feeding may be withheld at certain times, often starting with the mid-day feedings. As time goes on, the morning feeding may be withheld and ultimately the evening feeding. Some birds learn quicker to eat on their own by watching other birds or older babies eat.
Should I be concerned about disinfection?
Baby birds have poorly developed immune systems and are more susceptible to developing infections. The brooder should be disinfected regularly. All feeding utensils must be cleaned, disinfected, and dried thoroughly between feedings. Using separate feeding utensils for every individual bird is recommended.
How do I know if something is wrong?
If you suspect something is wrong with your bird, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. Signs to watch for include:
- Chirping or crying all the time
- Fussing a lot and not sleeping
- Listless, droopy wings or head
- Not accepting food
- Lack of feeding response
- Slow or lack of crop emptying
- Poor weight gain
- Slow growth
- Abnormal posturing or abnormal wing and/or leg positions
- Abnormal or lack of droppings
- Wetness or food on skin over the crop (indicating a possible burn)
Feeding Chicken: How Much, and How Often? [Feeding Chart & Guide]
Introduction
Chickens are great additions to both traditional and urban farms.
They help with pest control and produce enough eggs that many people sell them or give them away. Chickens are also foragers by nature, so they will happily spend the entire day pecking around for something to eat. There are a ton of food options for chickens, allowing you to provide them with a healthy diet and fun treats as well. Here are the things you need to know about feeding your chickens!
What to Feed Chickens
Feeding your chickens doesn’t have to be complicated! Chickens aren’t usually picky eaters and you may have more trouble keeping them from eating things they shouldn’t eat than finding things they can eat. A healthy diet will stimulate healthier egg production and improve immunity.
What to Feed Your Chickens:- Commercial Feed: Commercial poultry pellets should make up the base of your chickens’ diet. These pellets are formulated to meet the nutritional needs of chickens and will ensure they’re getting everything they need without having to forage.
This is especially important for chickens that can’t free roam in a large area since food may be limited in a condensed area. Commercial feeds are usually made with foods like sunflower seeds, oats, and wheat. - Grasses: Chickens will eat broad-leaved weeds, like dandelions, and they will eat grasses like clover and Kentucky bluegrass.
- Insects: Chickens love to eat bugs and are very effective at helping to control populations of ticks. They will also eat earthworms, beetles, and crickets.
- Seeds and Grains: Chickens will eat pumpkin seeds, oats and oatmeal, corn, and cooked rice are all good options to feed your chickens. Just feed these in moderation as they tend to be very nutrient-dense.
- Grit: To help digest their food, chickens need to eat grit like sand or coarse dirt. The grit will help the gizzard grind up the food, making it easier to digest and to pull nutrients from.
- Vegetables: Chickens love veggies and will gladly accept whole veggies as well as vegetable peels.
Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, bell peppers, and tons of other veggies are chicken-safe. Avoid feeding raw potatoes and potato peels, as well as other nightshades, as these can make your chickens sick. Veggies can be fed on a daily basis. - Fruits: Bananas, apple cores and peels, melons, and grapes are good options, as well as other non-citrus fruits. It’s best to remove seeds from apple cores prior to feeding since apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide.
- Mealworms: Mealworms are available in freeze-dried and live forms, so you will be able to choose which to feed your chickens. They will happily eat either one, though!
- Table Scraps: Chickens will eat just about anything you offer to them. Pancakes, pasta, leftover oatmeal, and unusable scraps from produce like cores and peels. Feed table scraps in moderation and make sure to cut everything up into bite-sized pieces before feeding it to your chickens.
- Protein: Chickens are omnivorous, so feeding them meat can be beneficial to their diet. They don’t need a lot of meat but will often catch frogs and other small animals when possible as a snack. Chickens also can have some dairy, like cottage cheese, in small quantities. Meat and dairy proteins should be fed in moderation.
- Beans
- Raw Potatoes
- Onions
- Citrus
- Candy
- Rhubarb
- Avocado
- Ginger
Chicken Feeding Chart
Age in Weeks Amount per Chicken per Day 1 .42–.53 ounces (12–15 grams) 2 .53–.74 ounces (15–21 grams) 3 .74–1.2 ounces (21–35 grams) 4–6 1.2–1.7 ounces (35–50 grams) 7–8 1. 
9–2.1 ounces (55–60 grams)16–27 2.4–2.8 ounces (68–80 grams)
Source: https://nation.africa/kenya/business/seeds-of-gold/diary-of-a-poultry-farmer-feeding-regime-for-chicks-important-424692
How Often to Feed Chickens
Ideally, you should split your chicken’s feed into two servings daily. If you’re home during the day, you can even make this 3-4 small feedings. Chickens enjoy small, frequent meals as opposed to large meals once a day. It’s best to feed your chickens their pellets in a feed trough of some sort for easy cleaning but treats and scraps can be tossed on the ground to provide an enriching hide-and-seek game for your chickens. Just make sure you’re not overfeeding or you may end up with leftover rotting food.
A major benefit of feeding small meals twice daily is that it decreases the risk of attracting pests from food left sitting in the feed trough. Pick up any unfinished food at night to avoid attracting mice, possums, and other pest animals.
The Importance of Water in a Chicken’s Diet
Basically, all living things require water in some form for survival, and chickens are no different. They should always have access to clean water to prevent dehydration. A single chicken can drink up to a liter of water daily, and sometimes will drink even more during hot weather. Take this into account when you’re filling up your chickens’ waterer, and make sure to account for environmental factors like evaporation.
You should be providing clean, fresh water to your chickens at least twice daily and your container should hold enough water for the number of chickens in the flock. Your chickens should never lose access to water, so make sure you are giving them plenty! Dehydration, decreased egg production, stunted growth, and general poor health can all result from not having adequate water.
What Additional Supplements Do Chickens Need?
Sometimes, chickens are not able to fully absorb and make use of the nutrients in their food, so supplementation may be necessary.
Not all supplements are needed all the time, but here are some supplementation ideas for you to keep your chickens healthy.
They should be provided with a source of grit, especially if they are not free range. Free range chickens often pick up gravel and dirt as they roam, fulfilling their grit needs. Chickens also need adequate calcium for egg production, and this can be achieved by feeding them dried eggshells that have been crushed or ground into powder. There are also oyster shell supplements available at most feed stores.
During the summer, adding electrolyte supplements into the water may be necessary and powdered electrolytes are usually available at feed stores. Powdered probiotics can be added to your chickens’ food to maintain digestive health. Apple cider vinegar may help thin mucus and garlic’s antibacterial properties can help reduce the risk of illness, although it may alter the taste of your eggs.
Are Table Scraps Good for Chickens?
Yes…and no! Some table scraps are healthy for chickens, like fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
Others are dangerous to their health, like citrus and raw potatoes, and some table scraps aren’t necessarily “good” for your chickens, but they’ll enjoy eating them.
Feeding your chickens table scraps can be a good way to dispose of food that would otherwise go to waste. Chickens are pretty much game to eat whatever you offer, so if you give them pizza, they’ll probably eat it. Should your chickens be eating pizza in large quantities or on a regular basis? No.
Feeding your chickens table scraps should primarily consist of healthy, unprocessed foods. Pasta, pizza, and anything else that’s highly processed or contains high levels of salt or sugar should be fed in very small quantities on rare occasions or should be avoided altogether.
What to Do if Your Chicken Isn’t Eating
If you have a chicken that isn’t eating, you can offer things like a mush of commercial feed mixed with warm milk or water. Sometimes, all your chicken needs is to be handfed for a little while, so you can try this as well as attempting feeding via syringe or spoon.
If your chicken continues to refuse to eat or if you have multiple chickens who are suddenly showing inappetence, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. It’s possible your chickens may have encountered toxins or poisons and need veterinary care. When in doubt, contact your vet! Veterinarians are happy to answer questions, and many would rather see your chicken before they are very ill. This gives your chicken the best chance of regaining health.
Conclusion
Feeding your chickens can be fun for you and your chickens. They’re curious animals and will appreciate experiencing new foods. You can even make feeding a game by doing things like providing a hanging head of cabbage for them to peck at or a block of frozen fruits and veggies to cool off during the summer. The most important thing is that your chickens are healthy and happy!
- Next on your reading list: How Long Can Chickens Go Without Food?
Featured Image: Racheal Carpenter, Shutterstock
diet in the first days of life, chicken feed norms
The diet of chickens, especially small ones, is different from the diet of adult chickens. Many breeders who raise chickens in the household are interested in how and what to feed the chicks so that they develop properly. For healthy growth, chickens require a balanced diet in sufficient quantities. The composition of the products depends on the direction and age of the chicks. |
Content:
- What does healthy chicks eat?
- General rules for formulating rations
- What to feed chickens?
- General rules for feeding
- Feed for chickens of various ages
- Feeding frequency
- Feeding Features
- Farmer's Councils
What does a healthy chicken diet consist of?
Sources of proteins, vitamins, micro and macro elements are products of plant and animal origin, as well as substances synthesized in the laboratory. For the production of finished formulations in the factory, only high-quality proven raw materials are used. In feed for laying hens and broilers are introduced:
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It is quite difficult to independently calculate the proportions and mix the components thoroughly without the appropriate equipment.
General dietary guidelines
The terms of growing meat breeds are 1.5-2 months, laying hens - up to six months. During this time, the bird should gain weight of 2.5-3 kg. To accelerate the growth of muscle mass in broilers, it is recommended to use specialized feed. It fully meets the needs of the bird in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. The composition and consumption of feed should be appropriate for the age of the chicks.
At 1-2 weeks of life, the foundation of the skeleton is laid in chickens, muscle mass increases at an average pace. At this time, it is necessary to introduce a sufficient amount of proteins, fiber, and mineral components into their diet.
In the growth phase, chickens are gaining weight intensively. They need as many amino acids and proteins as possible, which act as a building material for cells, as well as complex carbohydrates.
The dose of vitamins and minerals received with food is increased.
At the finishing stage, the amount of carbohydrates is reduced so that the broilers gain more muscle mass, and not fat. At this stage, it is important to prevent weight loss. For these purposes, finishing compound feed is introduced into the diet.
What to feed chickens?
Cereals form the basis of the diet.
| Corn | One of the most useful and nutritious ingredients. Corn is the leader among grains in terms of protein content, while it contains less fiber than other cereals. The product is easily digested and well absorbed. |
|---|---|
| oats | Source of many amino acids. It is considered a dietary product, but contains a lot of fiber. In large quantities, it causes blockage of the intestines, so its share in the composition of the feed does not exceed 20%. Oats are given in a purified form, completely removing the film from the grains. The size of the fraction depends on the age of the bird. Sifted oatmeal is usually added to prestarter formulations. |
| Wheat | Contains a large amount of vitamin E, B. Feed wheat is usually used in bird feed. The percentage can be up to 30%. |
| Rye | It is a source of a number of useful proteins, but contains too much mucus, which negatively affects the digestive system of chickens. It is added to some feeds in small quantities. |
| Barley | Practically not inferior to oats in useful properties, but also contains a lot of fiber. It is introduced into the composition only in a purified and sifted form. |
| Buckwheat | Despite the fact that the product contains components useful for poultry, it is rarely used. Basically, it is added to granulated feed, because. in loose form, chickens do not peck it. |
| Bran | Products of processing grain crops are introduced to increase the caloric content of the diet. By themselves, they have no nutritional value, so they are rarely used. |
Peeled vegetables are used as succulent feed.
| Potato | Improves poultry digestion, promotes the absorption of nutrients. It is introduced in boiled dehydrated form. In the process of preparing food, it is unacceptable to use green potatoes, since poisonous solanine has formed in them. |
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| Beet | It normalizes the work of the intestines, prevents its blockage, provides the needs of chickens for vitamin B2, carotene, sugar. It can be given both fresh and boiled. The content of beets in the diet is about 15%. |
| Pumpkin | It contains a lot of vitamins and microelements. The product is added in an amount not exceeding 15% of the total volume. |
Protein components provide the daily requirement for amino acids. Protein sources are also rich in vitamins and minerals.
They can be of plant and animal origin. Amino acids are well absorbed by the body. Animal proteins are obtained from various types of flour:
- fish. This product makes up to 8% of the diet, but is not used in broiler feed so that the meat does not have a specific smell;
- bone. In terms of the amount of proteins, it is not inferior to cereals, and at the same time it is rich in fats (11%) and vitamins A and E. It is given to chickens from a month old;
- blood. The product is rich in essential amino acids, but in high concentrations it provokes indigestion. Its share in the diet should not exceed 4%;
- pen. This component is used as an available source of protein to balance the feed composition. It is added in small amounts (up to 2%).
Dairy products are also a source of well-digestible animal protein: cottage cheese or whey. Their inclusion in feed mixtures for laying hens increases the egg production and fertility of chickens.
Legumes are richest in vegetable proteins:
- soy in terms of percentage and qualitative composition of proteins and amino acids is practically not inferior to products of animal origin, it also contains vitamins and minerals;
- peas also provide protein requirements for poultry, although to a lesser extent; chickens do not eat it well because of the specific smell and taste, therefore, no more than 10% is introduced into the feed;
- soybean and sunflower meal and cake are an inexpensive, highly digestible source of amino acids. In compositions for adult chickens, their share is 15-17%, for chickens and young animals - 10%.
General feeding rules
| Each individual should consume approximately 15-30 g of food per day: how much depends on the breed, weight of the chicks, and the intensity of their development. In general, the amount of feed each time should be such that the young hens will eat it in 30 or 40 minutes. |
If the chicks do not eat the feed given to them often, then its rate should be reduced. If, on the contrary, the food is eaten quickly, then it is desirable to increase its volume.
Feed for chickens of various ages
| PC-2 | Designed for chicks under 7 weeks old. It is produced in the form of finely ground grains, designed for an insufficiently unformed digestive system, easily digestible, contains all the useful trace elements. |
|---|---|
| PC-3 | Balanced mix for young animals 8-20 weeks old. Promotes rapid growth and proper formation of the reproductive system. It is produced in the form of grains with medium-sized fractions. |
| PC-5 | Designed for broiler chickens from 2 weeks to 1 month of age. It consists of a complex of easily digestible components that stimulate a set of muscle mass. |
| PC-6 | It has similar characteristics, but is designed for broilers older than a month. |
All types of feed can be divided into three groups:
| carbohydrate | Protein | Vitamin |
|---|---|---|
| Promote accelerated growth and muscle mass gain. Their composition is dominated by cereals and vegetables. Chickens digest foods high in carbohydrates well, which cause a slowdown in metabolism and rapid weight gain. Such feeds are designed for broilers and increase the average carcass weight. | Such compound feeds are developed mainly for laying hens. A large amount of protein increases the productivity of the bird, improves the palatability of the eggs, and makes the shell stronger. | Strengthen the immune system, help to survive the winter period. Usually produced in the form of concentrates, which enrich the main diet. |
According to the form of release, the compositions are of 2 types.
| Loose ones consist of fine-grained components. The disadvantage of such compositions is that they are worse absorbed. The chicken chooses tasty crumbs from the feed, and the less appetizing ingredients are thrown away. As a result, the bird receives less nutrients. In addition, a lot of dust remains in the feeder. However, it is impossible to completely abandon loose compositions. Chickens in the first weeks of life are not able to swallow and digest large granules, therefore they can peck only small grains. For broilers, loose compound feed can be introduced into the diet from the first days of life, and for laying hens - from the second week. When using dry mixes, it is important to provide the hens with sufficient drinking water. |
Expanded feed is produced by short-term heat treatment under high pressure. Nutrient mixtures are in the form of granules and contain liquid components in their composition.
However, when heated, some of the vitamins are destroyed. |
The advantages of expanded compositions include: Feeding frequency
The first time chickens are fed on the same day they are born. Then, until the age of 7 days, the chicks of meat breeds are fed 6-8 times a day, from the 2nd week of life - 6 times, from the 3rd - 4 times a day, by the age of one month, chickens are fed three times a day. Chicks of egg breeds up to 1.5 weeks are fed 5-6 times a day, and by the month they are gradually transferred to 3 meals a day.
When choosing a mixture, it is recommended to give preference to complete formulations. However, if the breeder has enough of his own food, you can limit yourself to concentrated additives to enrich it.
Such compositions are marked with the QC marking. Concentrates for meat and egg-bearing breeds solve different problems:
| for broilers | for laying hens |
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It is unacceptable to use concentrates as the main feed, since an excess of nutrients is no less harmful than their deficiency. BVMB is introduced into the composition of the mash, taking into account the age of the chickens.
Feeding Features
| 1st day of life | Feeding of chickens of egg breeds begins immediately after they dry out. The first food for newborn chickens should be a hard-boiled egg. It is cut as small as possible so that the chicks can swallow small crumbs and roll it in semolina to prevent pieces from sticking to the paws and fluff. In the brooder where they are, they put a drinker with clean, boiled and cooled water. Newly hatched chicks are also fed boiled eggs under the brood hen. |
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| 2nd day | On the 2nd day, the chicks are already given a mash of eggs and homemade low-fat fresh cottage cheese (the ratio of ingredients is 1 to 1). The formula for feeding day-old chicks should be fresh and fed every 3 hours. |
| Week 1 | From the 3rd day, chickens are fed with a more varied mixture of cottage cheese, boiled eggs, crumbly porridge from corn, oat or wheat chips (the share of cereals should be 65%). Finely chopped greens and boiled red carrots grated on a fine grater are added to them. You can give germinated grain or grass flour at the rate of 2-3 g per chicken per day. More than 5 g of such flour cannot be fed due to the high content of fiber in it. Separately, a little skimmed milk or yogurt is poured into the container; it is better not to add them to the mixers. Twice a week, a few crystals of potassium permanganate are added to the water so that it becomes slightly pink. Keep it in drinkers for no more than 0.5 hours, and then replace it with clean water. This protects chickens from stomach diseases. You can feed the chicks with special industrial compound feed for chickens from the first days of life. It is made up of products that are easily absorbed by the body of small chickens and fully satisfy all their needs. |
| 2-4 weeks | From 1.5 weeks of life, a little sunflower or soybean meal (3-4% of the total food volume), chalk or shells, bone meal (5-7% of the feed amount or 2-3 g per 1 chick). Particles of top dressing should not be more than 1-2 mm. Very fine gravel or sand washed in water is placed in a separate container. After 10 days, eggs are removed from the diet, but other components are introduced, for example, root crops (boiled potatoes, etc.). Salt, rice, rye, wheat bran (up to 10%), herbal flour (6-10%) are introduced into the menu of two-week-old chickens. From 3 weeks old, chicks gradually begin to accustom themselves to whole grains. |
| 1 month | At this age, the young are already quite strong, they can spend time walking, where they independently find greenery, seeds of various plants, worms and beetles. If the birds are in a closed aviary and cannot pluck the grass, then they need to be given it along with grain and vegetables. In general, the share of green grass in the diet of one-month-old young animals should be about 1/3 part, no less. Grain can be given both ground and whole: the birds are already able to peck it. It can be anything: wheat, barley, corn, oats, etc. At this age, legumes can also be fed: peas, chickpeas, small beans, etc. In addition to grain products, you can feed root crops, fresh or boiled, to monthly chickens, vegetables from the garden and their tops, kitchen waste of both plant and animal origin, bran, meal and cake, compound feed. From mineral additives - bone and fish meal, chalk or lime, shell rock, salt. In addition to food, young animals should always have clean water in drinking bowls and pebbles that the bird needs for normal digestion. |
Chickens of meat breeds differ from egg breeds in that they need more complete proteins and vitamins, so their diet should be tailored to this feature. Therefore, it is necessary to give more protein feed, such as legumes (grains and green mass), meat and bone and fish meal, fresh kitchen waste. It should also be borne in mind that they eat more, so they need to be fed more often, especially in the first days of life.
Farmer's councils
When changing nutrition, the sensitivity of chickens to changes in composition should be taken into account.
For this reason, birds should be transferred to a different diet gradually, over 3-5 days, daily adding new food to the usual food, gradually increasing its amount.
There should always be fresh water in the drinker, in which a little potassium permanganate is diluted - so much so that the liquid does not turn pink.
It is advisable to mix common salt (up to 5 g per 1 kg of the mixture) and ground egg shells into the feed.
The main disadvantage of self-prepared mixtures is the fragility of their storage. In contrast, prepared feed can be left in the feeder for as long as the chicks need to saturate.
In our company, you purchase safe, certified mixtures with high nutritional value. Products exceed the requirements of GOSTs in quality. At your request, it is possible to develop an individual recipe for specific chicken breeds.
The MEGAMIX company cooperates with a network of dealers in Moscow and regions. You can clarify the terms of the order and delivery by phone +7 (8442) 97-97-97 or on our website.
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09.11.2020
their diet, a table of nutritional norms in grams, as well as food consumption after 5 days of life Selo.Guru - an Internet portal about agriculture
Nutritional considerations at home
Immediately after hatching, chicks have enough nutrients in their bodies. Therefore, the first few hours they will do just fine without feeding. But then it is necessary to equip them with feeders with food and fresh, clean water. More precisely, the sooner the chicks start eating, the better.
Ideally, the first meal of the chicks should be no later than 2 hours after they are born. Why is the timing of their first meal so important? Because it is inextricably linked to their reproductive characteristics.
When feeding these chicks, it is important to take care of many factors :
- that the feed contains the right ingredients;
- so that the quantity is sufficient;
- so that the periodicity is correct;
- so that the diet is nutritious, and fresh clean water must be constantly available.
Of particular note is that the chick feed must be placed in troughs that are accessible to the chicks.
Important! If you decide to buy day-old chicks, for example, in the market or in a poultry farm, then do not forget to ask at what specific time they hatched and how they were fed. It is better if they eat according to the regimen.
At the beginning of life, you need to do this every 2 hours. How often should the chicks be fed? Depends on their age. Feeding norms for chicks according to their maturation are as follows :
- from the first to the tenth day - 8 times a day;
- on day 11 - the number of feedings is reduced to 6 times;
- after a month you can feed 4 times a day;
- times a day;
- When chicks are 6 weeks old, feed three times a day.
Equally important is the serving size (in grams). It is necessary to ensure that future chickens do not remain hungry and do not overeat.
More details about feeding chickens up to a month and after can be found here.
Feed rates for each chick in grams
Here, too, much depends on the age of future laying hens. For example, chickens up to 5 days old are fed at the rate of 10 grams per one. If the chickens are a week old or so, then their daily allowance is a little more, 12 grams. If they are 2 weeks old, the daily rate becomes even larger. It equals 20 grams.
It is important to give food at approximately the same time intervals in a designated area. Detailed feeding table.
| Food name | How old (in days) is the chick? | ||||||||||
| 1-5 | 6-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 9039 | ||||||
| “Dzrebranenka” (crushed grain), 2-3 species | 4 | 4 | 10 | 32 | 40 | Pisho 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 2 | 3 | - | - | - | |
| Wheat bran | - | - | |||||||||
| Eggs (boiled) | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Come 9000 | 2 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 | 5 | |||||||||
| A removed milk | 4 | 6 | 10 | 15 | |||||||
How to make food yourself?
When the chicks grow up, the logical question arises: “How do you make your own chick feed?”.
Many poultry farmers generally refuse to purchase feed . There is one undoubted plus in this decision: you know exactly what you feed your hens, and therefore you can completely eliminate the possibility of feeding low-quality feed.
What is a mash?
It can be categorized as wet food. It is a mixture of "crushed" and various nutrients. The beauty of the mash is that you can put almost anything in it. Any vitamins and supplements. In any case, they will be evenly distributed over this "slurry". In addition, food waste from the table can be added to it. This makes the mash even cheaper and adds variety to the diet of the chickens.
When feeding chicks with a churn, never leave it in the feeders. Eating stale mash can lead to bird diseases and even poisoning.
It is very important that the chicks eat within a few hours of . Ideally, within an hour. The freshness of food is especially important in summer. In the heat, it deteriorates very quickly.
Nutrition at different ages
Daily allowance
Ideally, it is better to take care of the babies on the chicken. She may not be their mother. But it must be a hen - a mother hen, who just sat down to incubate eggs. In the middle of the hatching cycle, you can change the eggs for small chickens at night. But even if everything works out, it does not hurt to know how to feed day old chicks.
First, their first meal should be boiled hard egg yolk . On the second day, they can be given the whole egg.
Boiled and chopped, of course. When they start to get up, you can offer them protein food and millet.
The importance of clean water cannot be ignored. It is essential for normal digestion. It is also important not to leave the chicks without food for more than 2-3 hours. Even at night you have to feed them. You can add to the diet diluted wheat groats on the back, grass. It, like an egg, should be finely chopped.
Weekly
After 5 days or when the chicks are a week old, their digestive system has adapted, so you can try to diversify their diet.
Give them crushed chalk . It must be mixed with grains. Green onions, nettles can also and should be given to chickens. You can give yogurt a couple of times a day. It is very important to equip a feeder and drinker that is convenient for both the chickens themselves and the owner.
Monthly
Care and maintenance of laying chicks that are one month old is not an easy process. But in general, if you get used to it, it's not that difficult. Monthly chicks and older can already spend most of the day on the run. If they walk most of the day, they produce vitamin D, which in turn helps the body absorb calcium.
Also, if they roam freely, it allows them to get enough greenery. Chickens of this age are transferred to a diet consisting of whole grains, or coarse grinding. Be sure to add fish oil (especially important for laying hens) and calcium supplements to the grain. They can be found in specialized stores that sell agricultural products.
