Chicken's dinner

[nuthatched]

I think 16% is too low for birds that are not kept in tight confinement. I am probably an outlier on that thought tho.

Me too, mine get the highest protein I can find, right now it's 20% chick feed but
I said At Least, (all the bold, color and italics buttons don't work for me.) even if op does that much, it's 10 x better than now.

 

[Melleding]

So dinner is corn, peas, mealworms and maggot mix. And what is that other green stuff on the poor thing's plate?

Chopped cucumbers, crushed eggshells and crumbled seedballs. The vet recommended the seedballs. I have tried 6 different brands of chicken feed so far. She does eat some scratch and the other food. But the chicken feed just sat there untouched. I just kept dumping it and putting fresh feed down since I didn't want it sitting there for long. She likes parrot food, but not chicken food. I've tried giving her nothing but chicken feed, but she won't eat at all then.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Sounds like the (chicken) child is running the household.

Its a beautiful plate, but its not a healthy plate for chickens. The rest of the treats you've assembled may by comforting in thought, but the practice is "poor". However happy the chicken appears, science does not support the offered diet.

Add me to the list of those recommending a complete commercial feed, such as a name brand "All Flock" or "Flock Raiser" with free choice oyster shell on the side and treats (if you must) not to exceed 10% by weight of the total diet. Scratch, btw, is a treat. Also, find a new vet for your poultry.

I'm sure that feeding commercial feed to your chicken, when they want treats, feels no better than giving a twice daily shot to a beloved pet, but when the shot is insulin and the pet has diabetes, you are doing it for their own good. Likewise with the commercial feed - its not the tastiest thing in the offering, but its for their health that you do so.

Finally, and I may be misjudging, but I suspect that even if you take the advice of the experienced posters responding in this thread, you are likely to buy some whole grain non-GMO Organic feed blend. First, you want at least 18% protein, try to avoid the soy-free varieties unless you must for some allergy/dietary reason (soy has certain amino acids not easily obtained from other grains), and second, serve it to the bird either fermented, or as a wet mash of oatmeal-like consistency. Why??? Because all those whole grain feeds are incomplete, of themselves - the manufacturers add vitamin powders to complete the diet - powders picky chickens will gladly disregard while hunting out their favorite seeds. Getting the feed wet first makes it MUCH harder for them to be as selective in their eating, helping to ensure they take their vitamins.

 

[Cazook]

Chopped cucumbers, crushed eggshells and crumbled seedballs. The vet recommended the seedballs. I have tried 6 different brands of chicken feed so far. She does eat some scratch and the other food. But the chicken feed just sat there untouched. I just kept dumping it and putting fresh feed down since I didn't want it sitting there for long. She likes parrot food, but not chicken food. I've tried giving her nothing but chicken feed, but she won't eat at all then.

Wet the feed into a mash and mix a small amount into the usual types of food you give her, increasing the percentage until you can feed only the wet feed. (10% per day change is good) After that you can try the same substitution with dry pellets or keep feeding the wet. Like others said, treats should only be 10% of a chicken's diet for proper nutrition.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Chopped cucumbers, crushed eggshells and crumbled seedballs. The vet recommended the seedballs. I have tried 6 different brands of chicken feed so far. She does eat some scratch and the other food. But the chicken feed just sat there untouched. I just kept dumping it and putting fresh feed down since I didn't want it sitting there for long. She likes parrot food, but not chicken food. I've tried giving her nothing but chicken feed, but she won't eat at all then.

My son's Dr. when he was 2, told me to make sure he had 3 healthy meals in front of him every day and healthy snacks offered between meals. In his words, "When your son gets hungry enough he will eat. In the mean time he will not starve."
It worked in less than a day. He is over 40 years old and eats most anything, never was picky after that and remains a healthy eater for the most part.

 

[Melleding]

Sounds like the (chicken) child is running the household.

Its a beautiful plate, but its not a healthy plate for chickens. The rest of the treats you've assembled may by comforting in thought, but the practice is "poor". However happy the chicken appears, science does not support the offered diet.

Add me to the list of those recommending a complete commercial feed, such as a name brand "All Flock" or "Flock Raiser" with free choice oyster shell on the side and treats (if you must) not to exceed 10% by weight of the total diet. Scratch, btw, is a treat. Also, find a new vet for your poultry.

I'm sure that feeding commercial feed to your chicken, when they want treats, feels no better than giving a twice daily shot to a beloved pet, but when the shot is insulin and the pet has diabetes, you are doing it for their own good. Likewise with the commercial feed - its not the tastiest thing in the offering, but its for their health that you do so.

Finally, and I may be misjudging, but I suspect that even if you take the advice of the experienced posters responding in this thread, you are likely to buy some whole grain non-GMO Organic feed blend. First, you want at least 18% protein, try to avoid the soy-free varieties unless you must for some allergy/dietary reason (soy has certain amino acids not easily obtained from other grains), and second, serve it to the bird either fermented, or as a wet mash of oatmeal-like consistency. Why??? Because all those whole grain feeds are incomplete, of themselves - the manufacturers add vitamin powders to complete the diet - powders picky chickens will gladly disregard while hunting out their favorite seeds. Getting the feed wet first makes it MUCH harder for them to be as selective in their eating, helping to ensure they take their vitamins.

What would be a good type to try? I have tried so many brands! I will try making mash with it, which might help. She was going through her first molt, stopped eating and that's why I took her to the vet. So I think our vet said that to try and get her to eat something. But she is picky, spoiled, etc.

 

[3KillerBs]

I've tried giving her nothing but chicken feed, but she won't eat at all then.

How long did you remove the treats?

No healthy animal will starve itself with food in front of it. It might make you feel better to mix the good stuff with the junk food for a bit (wetting it is a good idea), but if you offer chicken feed and nothing else the bird will eventually eat it.

My son's Dr. when he was 2, told me to make sure he had 3 healthy meals in front of him every day and healthy snacks offered between meals. In his words, "When your son gets hungry enough he will eat. In the mean time he will not starve."
It worked in less than a day. He is over 40 years old and eats most anything, never was picky after that and remains a healthy eater for the most part.

Exactly.

Only a physically or mentally ill child will starve himself in the presence of good food. And chickens are even less likely to do so.

 

[Melleding]

How long did you remove the treats?

No healthy animal will starve itself with food in front of it. It might make you feel better to mix the good stuff with the junk food for a bit (wetting it is a good idea), but if you offer chicken feed and nothing else the bird will eventually eat it.



Exactly.

Only a physically or mentally ill child will starve himself in the presence of good food. And chickens are even less likely to do so.

 

[Melleding]

I initially tried different types of feed and nothing else for a day or two. She wouldn't touch the pellets. I found one organic brand that she would eat, but can't get it now. It was 16% protein. I just ordered some crumbles and will try making mash with it. Actually the grandkids do eat whatever they want. It just happens they like organic fruit and vegetables and not sweets. I think they would starve if they had nothing but junk food to eat. They wouldn't eat it. My cat is the same. Has a certain food she likes and won't eat anything else, no canned food, no table scraps. So they all get what they want.