Food getting everywhere *update with another question*

[mjhunter84]

Updated first post with another question...

 

[Den in Penn]

**I have started using a big lid underneath their food and it has been working great. My next question is how much do they need to eat? I am starting to have to refill their feeder everyday. They are now about 3.5 weeks and we have 10 chicks. I have enough food I just don't want to over feed.**

Your finding out first hand that growing chicks eat an increasing amount. You feed them as much as the want if they are layers. Their bodies are growing and need the fuel and building blocks to grow well. The quart feeders work well with a few chicks. But if you have more then a few you need a larger feeder or a second feeder, when they get old enough to empty it in a day. With my twelve this spring I switched it for a small trough feeder, that holds about three times as much, when they started to empty the quart feeder.

 

[mjhunter84]

Do you have a picture of the type of feeder you suggest? That is good to know. I just didn't know if you could over feed chickens,

 

[Den in Penn]

I made this to fit into the grow out tractor. The interior dimensions are 3" deep x 4" wide x 17.5" long. The wire over top keeps them from standing in the trough.