Having problemss with my flock. (Rooster Just died)

[Gundawg]

The run has perches in the corners they are not shown in the picture. The picture was taken when I first built it and before we added the perches. I checked the bag of food I got from the food bank and it says it is 15% protein. Is there anyway of adding protein to this food? I have about 100# of it I have a half bag of excelo feed I did not check that one for protein content yet that is the bag they are eating I have not opened the food bank food yet but I did feed them some of that a month or so ago they ate that for about 6 weeks before I ran out.

Mike

 

[junebuggena]

Mix it with a very high protein feed, like gamebird starter, to bring up the overall intake.

 

[Gundawg]

The feed I have is 16% protein from excello and the food bank food says 15% protein. I will look into some different feed in the mean time I have stopped giving the scratch and corn as suggested. I like the idea of mixing in some higher protein feed I will look into that.

Thanks Mike

 

[aart]

The feed I have is 16% protein from excello and the food bank food says 15% protein. I will look into some different feed in the mean time I have stopped giving the scratch and corn as suggested. I like the idea of mixing in some higher protein feed I will look into that.

Thanks Mike

Curious, what is "food bank food"?

Did you check the mfg date on the bags?....older feed can lose it nutrient efficacy.

If you mix 1 part 15% and one part 20% you'll get 17%.
(15+20 = 35 then 35/2=17).
Just an example of the math, if you want it.

Edited to correct math

 

[lazy gardener]

Here is what I feed them. I keep layer crumble in the run available at all times. I give them a big cup of scratch and a big cup of cracked corn and a half cup of meal worms each morning. The cup is a very large coffee cup probably 16 Oz size. We also give them vegetables and misc other stuff we save from the house and my wife gives them greens and stuff from the grocery store they sell bags of stuff that are getting old for cheap none of this is spoiled we don't feed spoiled food to them. I am up for any suggestions on nutrition.

Thanks Mike

Quote: Aart, I think you meant 35/2, yes?

You beat me to the punch about checking the mill dates on the feed. Gundawg: anything older than 42 days from mill date is well on the way to being rancid, with decreased nutrition available to your flock.

 

[Gundawg]

I will check the dates. Food Bank Food comes from our local food bank and is donated. It is not always available and I get that food because I donate my eggs to the food bank. I have not been feeding the food bank food for a couple months because it has not been available but I got 100#'s of it the other day and I have not fed that food yet the bags are still sealed because I have been feeding the stuff from my local feed store that was opened already. My flock is less than a year old I got them last May 22ND. I want to get this fixed because I enjoy the chickens and like donating the eggs. I have fed a couple bags of the food bank food in the past but they have had the food from the feed store the most. I think my biggest problem has been over feeding the scratch and cracked corn filling them up with the low protein feed as was suggested by some of you in this thread. I am hoping the problem goes away and the feather picking is not going to be a permanent behavior problem in the flock. If the problem persists I am not sure what else I can do but to get rid of these birds and start over with these lessons learned.

Thanks Mike

 

[aart]

Per the MFG date.....it can be pretty hard to get feed fresher than a month or two in a lot of places.

 

[bobbi-j]

I will check the dates. Food Bank Food comes from our local food bank and is donated. It is not always available and I get that food because I donate my eggs to the food bank. I have not been feeding the food bank food for a couple months because it has not been available but I got 100#'s of it the other day and I have not fed that food yet the bags are still sealed because I have been feeding the stuff from my local feed store that was opened already. My flock is less than a year old I got them last May 22ND. I want to get this fixed because I enjoy the chickens and like donating the eggs. I have fed a couple bags of the food bank food in the past but they have had the food from the feed store the most. I think my biggest problem has been over feeding the scratch and cracked corn filling them up with the low protein feed as was suggested by some of you in this thread. I am hoping the problem goes away and the feather picking is not going to be a permanent behavior problem in the flock. If the problem persists I am not sure what else I can do but to get rid of these birds and start over with these lessons learned.

Thanks Mike

I'm still a little confused. Is the Food Bank Food you're getting actual chicken feed, or people food?

 

[Gundawg]

My Buff Brahma rooster /cockerel just died. He was laying under the hanging water jug dead no marks blood or anything obviously wrong. The hens were upset and clucking. He was in the run area so nothing got a hold of him. He was fine 2 hours ago when I filled their feed dish he was eating then. He was a friendly bird and my wife's favorite bird.

Mike

 

[Gundawg]

I'm still a little confused. Is the Food Bank Food you're getting actual chicken feed, or people food?

Hen layer feed.