Chick Poo

[Chris623]

While I was out of town this past weekend, my chicks ran out of the medicated crumbles I'd purchased at Atwoods. My girlfriend went back to Atwoods to buy more and saw there was a 20 pound bag for just about double the price of the 4 pound bag we'd run out of. Even though it was not the same brand, Atwoods swore it was "the exact same stuff". (It was their Ranch Pro Chick Crumbles.) While they were on the previous feed, their poo was a nice dark green with white streaks in it. Looked healthy to me. Now that we are using this Ranch Pro, a lot of the poo in the brooder is runny and almost tar black. Is that acceptable?

 

[Judy]

Most on here buy it in 50 lb. bags to save $$$!

Here are a couple of sites to help you out (the first one is graphic pics of poo)

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=157516

 

[elmo]

By "exact same stuff" I bet they meant "it's chicken feed!"

The formulation of chicken feed varies a good deal. You'd have to compare the ingredient list to be sure, but I bet this second bag is a different formulation than the kind you were using.

Just make sure that the feed is the right type for the age of your chicks, and that's going to mean checking the protein content. Growing chicks should get feed with around 20 percent protein, with no added calcium.

When they're old enough to begin laying, the protein content of their feed should drop to around 15-16 percent, but the feed should contain calcium supplementation.

 

[Chris623]

Quote:
Thanks..............I'd already done a "search" and found the first of those links.

 

[Chris623]

Quote:
I'll go check the bag...........thanks.............................................................Okay, 18% protein, 1.4% Calcium. Darnit!!!!!

I don't have the old bag to compare because it was empty and they threw it away while she was at the store.

Thanks for the "heads-up"................I'll go get what they were eating before.

 

[Chris623]

Just got home from Atwoods. What they were eating before was Manna Pro...........which also is 18% protein and more calcium than this Ranch Pro. So I'm actually better off with this. What chick starter feed has 20% protein?