Diet Suggestions for Mixed Flocks

pekincochin12

Songster
Apr 8, 2020
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Hi all, I have 2 coops and I am looking for diet suggestions for each. We currently feed Purina Flock Raiser, but I am concerned about the high protein content with my pekins. None of them free range, due to a high presence of predators in our yard. Which birds are in each coop, as well as information about diet are below:

Coop 1: 3 chickens (1 bantam cochin, 2 australorps), 5 Pekins (1 drake, 5 females).
*NOTE: I am aware that there is always a slight risk of a drake trying to mate with a chicken. My chickens have areas that the ducks cannot get to and I have not had any issues with past mixed flocks.*
- Bantam cochin is 3 years, australorps are 1 yr; 2 pekin hens are 4 yrs, remaining 4 pekins were hatched in February
- Currently fed Purina Flock Raiser with brewer's yeast added and free choice oyster shells on the side
- We do have a platform where the chickens can eat separately, so the ducks don't hog everything

Coop 2: 4 drakes (2 Pekins and 2 Khaki Campbells).
- Pekins are 4 yrs, khakis were hatched in February
- Currently fed Purina Flock Raiser with brewer's yeast added

Looking for advice, but I also have a few questions:

1. Someone suggested to me that we could cut the protein content of food by feeding oats mixed in with their food. Is this a good idea? What types of oats are best? Will it lower the protein content too much for the chickens?
2. Should we just continue feeding "The Boys" (coop 2) flock raiser? The two pekins in this coop are older and therefore, don't eat as much as the growing ones. Or would it be better to switch to Purina's duck formula?

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide!
 
Stick with flock raiser/all flock/ brewers yeast (for ducks) with oyster shell on the side or non medicated starter with shell on the side, it's very hard to over do protein, and all sizes of poultry need it for eggs, feathers, skin, weight etc. You can feed up to 75% protein without any side affects.
 
I don’t know how
Stick with flock raiser/all flock/ brewers yeast (for ducks) with oyster shell on the side or non medicated starter with shell on the side, it's very hard to over do protein, and all sizes of poultry need it for eggs, feathers, skin, weight etc. You can feed up to 75% protein without any side affects.
I don’t think the ducks should be fed food over 20% protein as they can get angle wing (when they get too much protein)
 
Purina is at 20% which has always seemed really high to me but it might be good during molts. It really does depend on the duck though some ducks can go with the purina feed and never have a problem.
Yeah, I have one hen who seems to be gaining quite a bit of weight. I know Nutrena even states oats can be used to cut protein for ducks. I just don’t know about the chickens.
 
Stick with flock raiser/all flock/ brewers yeast (for ducks) with oyster shell on the side or non medicated starter with shell on the side, it's very hard to over do protein, and all sizes of poultry need it for eggs, feathers, skin, weight etc. You can feed up to 75% protein without any side affects.
Interesting... I’ve always been told to cut Pekins’ protein intake. One of mine is gaining quite a bit of weight, so I’m concerned. Nutrena mentions it on their website for ducks specifically. I know many ducks can get angel wing as they are growing due to improper diet.
 
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Interesting... I’ve always been told to cut Pekins’ protein intake. One of mine is gaining quite a bit of weight, so I’m concerned. Nutrena mentions it on their website for ducks specifically.
I thought you meant pekin as in the chicken! Cochins are also known as pekins, I should have remembered ducks. Do what to duck people say! :lol:
 
Here's a calculator to figure protein content if you mix in oats or other grains. There's even a list of grains at the bottom: https://www.metzerfarms.com/FeedConversion.cfm?affiliate=undef&CustID=29088871

Pekins are meant for meat production, and they do grow fast and huge. You should try to limit the fast weight gain, whether that's with lower protein, more veggies, exercise, etc. because they can get so big that they have awful joint and mobility issues later in life if they're not raised for meat. Mine love a bag of frozen peas with water in a water pan during the summer, frankencucumbers that were pollinated by the pumpkins, and of course, pumpkins. My ducklings are insane for watermelon, the adults, not so much.

Since they're all over a year old, and the babies are almost 6 months old, you should be able to cut back to about 16% protein without any problems. Your layers need about 17-18% protein while laying and free choice calcium. You could accomplish this by providing insect or dried fish treats (some bugs have more fat than others, so watch for that). They need about 20% protein during molt.

I start my ducks on Purina Duck food + 30% game bird starter to get the protein up to 22% and cut out the game bird after 4-6 weeks, I start chicks on Nutrena non-medicated, then move everyone to Nutrena Naturewise All-flock at around 18 weeks. Instead of scratch during the summer (it makes them hotter), I give them wheat feed (the feedstore calls it wheat berries, it's like $8 for a 50lb. bag). I'm trying a bag of the TSC brand (DuMor? Producer's Pride?) All-flock as it's a bit less expensive and still has good numbers and probiotics. They don't seem to gobble it up like the other feeds, but I moved everyone to a much larger yard about the time I started that bag, so it's probably because of all the grasshoppers and weeds they get to eat now.
 

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