Noob feed question of the week

[mystang89]

How much do you feed kits on pellets and when do you stop feeding that much? If I have 2 kits in one cage, 2 kits in another and 6 kits in another do I just make sure that , for the kits which will become friers I just keep their feeder filled? For the kits that I am keeping do I keep it filled and if so when do I start feeding them normal like I do my breeders?
Thanks and sorry. I tried using the search for "how much feed to use" and got the message that the words were too common....not a big fan of the search engine.

 

[michaelhodgejr]

I normally free feed my growers until processing age which is right around 10-12 weeks since I keep them in two very large grow out pens. If i'm keeping one for breeding, then at 12 weeks I switch to about an ounce per lb of body weight or whatever they can eat within a few hours. Then they are fed all the hay they can eat.

I'm curious how others handle this though.

 

[AnnClaire]

Same as Michael ... free feed for the freezer-bound, limited rations from 12 weeks on for keepers/show prospects.

 

[mystang89]

Thanks much!

 

[skysthelimit]

I free feed until 4 mos, because most Rex don't hit 5lbs before 16 weeks, so pretty much whenever they hit the 5lb mark, I stop free feeding.<br /><br />__________ Sun Nov 04, 2012 8:41 am __________<br /><br />With my other breeds I think it comes out to about the time when they reach 40-50% of their adult body weight.

 

[ladysown]

i never free feed. not even my growers. When I did free feed them they didn't grow any faster than the kits on a measured amount, and I ended up with wasted feed.

I simply go.. okay...you are going to eat 1 cup as an adult, so I'll just feed you one cup of feed now.

IF I'm running two together I'll give an extra half measure.

Now that said.. at about 6-7 and then at about 10 weeks they often go through a ravenous stage so I'll feed 'em hay and a touch of grains then. they continue to grow, get the added energy they crave and off they go.