Angelwing, protein levels, and processed food - Can this be a sticky?

[Cottage Rose]

Ya darn it!

I knew that about extruded feed but love the pellets because there is so much less waste.
There's a local guy Randy Spicer that raises pheasants that came up with a feed that has a meat/fish base and other goodies. Much more natural. Its made and distributed by a feed company (forget the name) and I don't know how wide spread but we're in Michigan so it might be available in surrounding states, maybe beyond.
I don't have time to look up his info right now but do a search on Spicer Feed or Randy Spicer

 

[Wifezilla]

Found it....
http://www.spicerbirdfarm.com/spicerfeed.html

 

[Cottage Rose]

OH thank you for looking that up!

Now folks can find out if you can get this feed via the Hubbard feed website!
I tried it eariler this year but it was mash form and I was being picky, wanting to use pellets. Well guess what i'm going to get the next time I buy feed?

OKAY next brain buster question...
Why did one of my goslings get AW this year (first ever gosling to get AW)
and others not when they've all been fed the same thing since 2005???
Plus the biggest, fastest grower gosling this year has perfect wings.
Only difference is these are colored Sebastopols.
Could it be the breeds in their background are more prone to AW?

GD I want to thank you for bringing up the extruded feed factor.
I think you hit the nail on the head with that point
plus I think soy isn't helping either.

 

[Cottage Rose]

This is a most complex topic isn't it?!

Somebody please tell me....

~If its genetic why don't all the goslings from the same breeding get it?

~ If its managment/feed why do I have my first case of angel wing in my goslings
after raising them all the same way since 2005?

~ If its from over feeding/too high protein/not enough grass/feeding soy/feeding extruded feeds and/or growing too fast (whew!) why didn't my gosling that grew and feathered out the fastest this year get AW?

 

[Wifezilla]

Great questions. I think we are dealing with a combination of genetics and environment.

Genetics loads the gun and feed pulls the trigger so to speak.

It's like people and smoking. You can take 100 people and have them all start smoking at 18. By age 60, some will have lung cancer, some will have developed emphezema, some with have chronic infections, etc.. while some will show no damage at all.

My father in law smokes like a fiend and he is in his early 80's. My friend's dad died from emphazema (sp?) at only 53.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Ya I know but it just seems like in 5 years there would be more than one case.
But... that might be a clue...I'm working with some new bloodlines.
It must be a genetics/feed combo thing but doesn't manifest itself in every offspring.
So Bernard was probably right.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Your post looks normal on my computer, hope you didn't catch a virus

 

[Cottage Rose]

DWD...whatever are you talking about???

Just kidding!
I deleted my question because that highlighted word diskapeered!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

This was very interesting. I have 5 ducks (first timer) and 4 out of the 5 have AW. I don't believe it has anything to do with high protein, at least in my case. Overfeeding is definitely a possibility but I'm leaning towards genetics. I started them on 20% starter. At 6 weeks I gave them one feeding of 24% (TSC was out of the 20%) but they already showed signs before that. After realizing that could harm them, I switched them to the 15% grower/finisher the following day. At 8 weeks they have been turned loose in the yard during the day and one of the 4 is recovering although it does seem to come and go. Yesterday her wings looked fine and today they were a little more AW again. I've reduced their feed intake (thanks to the chickens eating most of it) and they are getting plenty of grass, weeds, and thawed/frozen veggies. The others don't seem to be getting worse, just not any better.

 

[Cottage Rose]

So then is there varying degrees of angel wing from minor to severe in appearance?