Delawares from kathyinmo

[Beekissed]

As in nutritional yeasts? Or probiotic yeasts? They don't exactly say what XPC is?

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I'm not savvy enough about yeast to really know for sure, but this stuff seems more like brewers yeast than nutritional yeast ... fiber from the growth medium is clearly present. They explain more about it at the Diamond V website. I originally found the product when I was looking for a sane way to supplement ducks with niacin. But I never resolved if it is, in fact, a sane way to supplement ducks with niacin ... :/

When researching I found this link to a lot of discussion about using the Original XPC product for humans. Also interesting! http://www.meetup.com/The-Madison-Raw-Food-Meetup-Group/boards/view/viewthread?thread=8087590

The Feeding Poultry book talks a bit about using spent brewers grains for poultry ...

 

[Beekissed]

Sort of like the same benefits of feeding fermented feed?

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Sort of like the same benefits of feeding fermented feed? 

It would seem so, yes!

 

[finnfur]

Sort of like the same benefits of feeding fermented feed?

X 2 and cheaper most likely

 

[Beekissed]

Yep...seeing that it's free, you can't get much cheaper than that!

LJ, from what I understand of all I've read on fermented grains, the niacin absorption levels are greatly increased when they are fermented, as is the absorption and utilization of many vitamins and minerals that would otherwise be passed through the GI tract and wasted.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Yep...seeing that it's free, you can't get much cheaper than that!

LJ, from what I understand of all I've read on fermented grains, the niacin absorption levels are greatly increased when they are fermented, as is the absorption and utilization of many vitamins and minerals that would otherwise be passed through the GI tract and wasted.

Yes. By reading through the great threads on fermented feed and doing other research I'm reading "gut health" is said to be so much better when offering fermented feed, and one of the most important ways it is better is in the nutritional function of the gut. Fermented feed and healthy Deep Litter ... deep litter also helps with all kinds of immune boosts, which are gut related. Both are mentioned in the Feeding Poultry book, but I gather "back then" they were such common practices that they didn't need much explanation in that book. Take away the fermented feeds and get the birds off deep litter, and suddenly you have to figure out how to provide whatever "good stuff" was in those things because the birds need them to stay healthy for any length of time.

I'd say some of the best things about the yeast supplement (from the promotional research literature, so take it for what it is worth ... and the same has been said about the fermented feed), is the reduction in salmonella and e coli and the increased resistance/resiliency to coccidiosis ... all related to "gut health." So, for people who can't do the fermented feed and/or maintain healthy deep litter for any reason (like maybe they don't do deep litter in their breeding pens or brooders), yeast supplement would be a possible alternative. And if anyone is concerned about e coli or salmonella buildup in their existing flock, yeast supplements seems worth considering as a "treatment."


So far the ducks aren't getting any of the fermented feed treats. But I would like to start them on that very soon -- they already have the trough feeders. There is suddenly a BIG demand for duck eggs ... I think duck eggs are the trendy new "pastured" product for people following all kinds of "buy local, eat animal products" diets. I'm not complaining except that I haven't entirely cracked the secret duck code, so am not feeling prepared to add more ducks to my flock.

 

[Beekissed]

Huh! Who knew? Years ago you couldn't get rid of a duck egg to save your soul! Folks found them "heavy" or described them having an "oily" taste.

Another alternative for prevention of e.coli, salmonella and coccidiosis is simply adding mother ACV to the water on a continual basis...here's a thread detailing that:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...osis-and-other-poultry-diseases-in-chicks-acv

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Huh! Who knew? Years ago you couldn't get rid of a duck egg to save your soul! Folks found them "heavy" or described them having an "oily" taste.

Another alternative for prevention of e.coli, salmonella and coccidiosis is simply adding mother ACV to the water on a continual basis...here's a thread detailing that:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...osis-and-other-poultry-diseases-in-chicks-acv

I've also read that ACV is good for helping with excessive-calcium-induced gout.

I have an automatic watering system, so can't do ACV in the water. I tell myself the Fermented Feed will be a replacement for that. Not having to cary water or scrub waterers is SO important to me I can't persuade myself to consider what is best for the birds in this regard.

Duck Eggs are reported to have "more nutrition" than chicken eggs, and these days ducks and chickens are fed the same stuff so the duck eggs taste very, very, VERY much like chicken eggs (turkey eggs? now those taste & smell different!). I bet most people wouldn't be able to tell a duck and chicken egg apart if they were scrambled up and served on a plate. People like that most of the duck eggs are somewhat larger than chicken eggs (I can't close the cartons and REFUSE to buy the special duck egg Jumbo cartons at $1.00 each) and the duck eggs have "pretty" shells.

One does wonder, though, if the ducks are fed the same feed and kept in similar conditions to the chickens, then how different can the nutritional composition of the duck eggs be from the chicken eggs?

A few months ago people were freaked out by the duck eggs and didn't buy them so they were what we ate and what we fed to the dog and etc. We were happy with that. But we did get rid of some of the ducks. Then the trend started. Just yesterday I was getting hassled about "why don't you want to let us have more duck eggs?" Cuz what I "want" has a lot of pull with the birds.

I told the customers I was thinking about "auctioning" the duck eggs, and they shut right up.

 

[Beekissed]

I agree! I'm thinking the "more nutrition" in duck eggs is solely based on the fact they are larger, with larger yolks but I could be wrong about that. Funny how people will follow any trend that comes down the pike, isn't it? I think a person could be a millionaire in this world if they only knew how to start hype for this or that thing and then supply it, which is how much money is made in this country, I'm sure.

Maybe we could start a trend of chicken poop being good for the skin and see if we can capitalize on that market?