DIY Duck Feed vs DIY Chicken Feed

[Aunt Angus]

Also, they look quite a bit smaller, and there are hawks around, Red shouldered I believe. As far as I know they don't get big chickens, but I don't know about little ones. Still, I will look into it a bit further.

Red Tails will absolutely take bigger chickens. They will drop on them and eat the chickens where they kill them.

 

[Sally PB]

Hawks, eagles, feral cats, and the local dogs (mine and my neighbors) are why I don't free range. I think of my chickens as "petstock." More than just livestock for their eggs, but not on quite the same footing as my dog, who is a member of the family.

I will be looking into the nutritional value of more of my garden crops to see if I can give them to the chickens as part of their feed. And I have acres of weeds, some of which I bet would benefit them as well.

 

[happybird100]

Red Tails will absolutely take bigger chickens. They will drop on them and eat the chickens where they kill them.

The ones we have are Red Shouldered hawks. I believe they are smaller than the red tailed hawks. The neighbors have chickens and they don't seem overly interested; however the neighbors also keep them penned.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The ones we have are Red Shouldered hawks. I believe they are smaller than the red tailed hawks. The neighbors have chickens and they don't seem overly interested; however the neighbors also keep them penned.

Oh, I totally read your first post as red tail! Haha! You are right about them not bothering larger chickens as much.

 

[songbird]

Red Tails will absolutely take bigger chickens. They will drop on them and eat the chickens where they kill them.

We lost a pretty big hen yesterday to what I think was a RSH. It could have been a red tail, but we have a RSH nest just beyond our paddock, so I figured that was the villain.

 

[songbird]

Oh, I totally read your first post as red tail! Haha! You are right about them not bothering larger chickens as much.

We just lost a (fairly large) hen yesterday to a RSH.

 

[songbird]

We just lost a (fairly large) hen yesterday to a RSH.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

I should've mentioned there is some room to free range, though I have no idea how long that would last. I would think free ranging and some legumes would work?

Do you get enough precipitation for things to regenerate? Again too, ducks are incredible terra-formers, so the viability of the available real estate will increase!
Oh, did I say ducks already? I really meant to say Indian Runners!
https://www.businessinsider.com/thailand-farmers-field-chasing-ducks-rice-paddies-2020-10

 

[Pollo Blanco]

The tractor suppy/purina food conversation is pretty heavy on here but I think it's overdone. A company is allowed to change ingredients. The other conversation is about lower methionine and lysine I'll get off my soap box now.

Well, Purina is owned by Nestle, and I don't patronize Nestle.
Let's not forget that GMO's and Roundup Ready grains don't have Tryptophan because that's how Glyphosate works; disruption the Tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid, to kill weeds, as if Glyphosate isn't dangerous enough on it's own.

 

[NatJ]

Let's not forget that GMO's and Roundup Ready grains don't have Tryptophan

I have not heard that before. Can you point me to a source for that information, so I can learn more?