Confused on chickens needing "meat"

[valmom]

What IS a rolly-polly??

I was thinking of getting mealworms for the girls, but maybe not?

We are treating them with worms from the raking up going on here- lots of worms and grubs.

 

[MissPrissy]

Chickens are omnivores. They eat vegetation and meat. A chicken will eat insects and bugs but they will also catch and eat mice, lizards, snakes and other small animals. Without some form of animal protein there is no way for them to have complete long chain fatty acids in their diet. Chickens with a diet that includes animal protein have better feathering and tend to be more healthy and productive longer. Chickens are not vegetarians by nature and shouldn't be forced to be so. Lack of good sources of protein to complete their dietary needs can be seen in feather eating, pecking and even eating another chicken alive by taking bites out of it until it bleeds and then feeding off the carcass.

 

[d.k]

* Rolly-pollies are aka pillbugs- Those little grey critters that have a segmented shell kinda like an armadillo's that lets them roll up in a ball when you disturb them. The ones that are a little bigger and don't roll up are sowbugs.

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

well I am no expert on what to feed them - but awhile back we had a problem with hens eating feathers - to the point we lost one because of impacted crop - so we started adding black oil sunflower seeds, also adding more oatmeal with fruits, veggies, and sometimes as a treat I go and buy a bunch of those feeder fish from wal*mart and toss them out - the chickens go nuts when they see those little fishies jumping around my ducks love them also LOL and since doing all this the feather eating as come to an almost done deal I still one hen that is doing it but not as bad.


Julie

 

[SeaChick]

I have to side with those who feed thier chickens meat. I really beleive that sicne they're omnivores, they need those particular amino acids that they don't get from vegetable protein. We had major pecking/feather-eating issues this winter in our small flock, and supplementing with animal protein definitely seemed to help. WE started with Balck Oil Sunflower, etc, but it wasn't making a difference.

Also, I don't know your reasons for vegitarianism, but the environmental, social and political impacts of the USA's monoculture of soybeans and corn are pretty nasty. I prefer not to contribute heavily to that. Of course there are lots of other reasons to avoid soy as well. Unfortunately there are not many feeds out there that don't contain soy. The only one I can find has to be mail-ordered and that makes it too pricey for me.

So, we feed organic feed supplemented with lots of other things like organic greens and veggies.... but what the girls really go bonkers for is animal protein. here are some examples from the past couple of weeks:
1- the skin and bones from canned salmon
2- canned tuna
3- the fat and trimmings from the Organic, pastured beef and pork we buy locally (table scraps)
4- organ meats from same (might be a good way for vegetarians to do it cheaply: buy these inexpensive meats, cook -or not- chop, and freeze in small portions to feed later)
5- cooked eggs

This summer when DD is catching way too many small mackerel we'll freeze those for the chickens as well.

We also supplement with AviaCharge 2000 in the winter, which is a natural fish- and seaweed supplement with many amino acids.

Stacey