(Not packing peanuts silly! These are honest to goodness shelled, unsalted, grond up spanish peanuts!)
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I was looking for the chart that shows how much food a day old chicken will eat, until it is 20-weeks old, and ready to lay. (I've since found my answer. ~20 pounds to 20 weeks of age...)
Anyway, I was doing some googling for chicken food and found this article.
It was a science fair project in California from 2004, found here
It's an interesting theory anyway...
Has anyone ever tried this?
Enjoy
Marty
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Objectives/Goals
The objective of this experiment was to determine whether or not the introduction of peanuts into the diet
of chickens would result in larger and heavier chicken eggs. Assuming that peanuts would increase egg
size, the additional goal was to determine the ideal amount of the peanut supplement.
Methods/Materials
In order to obtain a proper control sample, the size and weight of the chickens' eggs were measured
without changing their diet. Next, non-salted, unshelled Spanish peanuts were placed in a home blender
and ground into a small chunky consistency. The method was to replace a small amount of their food
with peanuts. The eight chickens were first fed two ounces of peanuts and their eggs were measured and
weighed. Next, four ounces of peanuts and finally, six ounces were analyzed. The procedure for feeding
the peanuts to the chickens was to equally spread the peanuts on the ground so that each chicken would
get a close to equal amount. Each egg was weighed by an electronic ounce scale and measured using a
medical Knee Brace measuring device. As further control, peanuts were withdrawn from the diet and
eggs measured. Finally, the six ounces portion of the experiment was re-tested.
Results
Egg size and weight averages were computed in order to make comparisons. Without peanuts, the weight
of the eggs was 2.03 ounces. With two ounces of peanuts substituted into the chickens' diet, the weight of
their eggs increased from 2.03 ounces to 2.22 ounces. The height and width also increased. Next, with
four ounces of peanuts, the weight increased to 2.35 ounces and the size again increased. Then with six
ounces of peanuts the chickens failed to produce eggs. Next, peanuts were withdrawn from the chickens.
The eggs weighed 2.09 ounces and were smaller. Last, the experiment substituting six ounces of peanuts
was again attempted and once again the chickens stopped laying eggs.
Conclusions/Discussion
The test results support my hypothesis. This project expands our knowledge about the value of feeding a
controlled amount of peanuts to chickens and perhaps other foul. It has value to the chicken farmer who
may want to increase the size of their chickens' eggs. It may also produce healthier baby chicks, but
testing is required. Finally, adding peanuts may assist those attempting to increase the nutrition of other
birds.
This project attempts to make hens produce larger eggs by the introduction of peanuts into their diet.
=-=-=-
I was looking for the chart that shows how much food a day old chicken will eat, until it is 20-weeks old, and ready to lay. (I've since found my answer. ~20 pounds to 20 weeks of age...)
Anyway, I was doing some googling for chicken food and found this article.
It was a science fair project in California from 2004, found here
It's an interesting theory anyway...
Has anyone ever tried this?
Enjoy
Marty
=-=-=-
Objectives/Goals
The objective of this experiment was to determine whether or not the introduction of peanuts into the diet
of chickens would result in larger and heavier chicken eggs. Assuming that peanuts would increase egg
size, the additional goal was to determine the ideal amount of the peanut supplement.
Methods/Materials
In order to obtain a proper control sample, the size and weight of the chickens' eggs were measured
without changing their diet. Next, non-salted, unshelled Spanish peanuts were placed in a home blender
and ground into a small chunky consistency. The method was to replace a small amount of their food
with peanuts. The eight chickens were first fed two ounces of peanuts and their eggs were measured and
weighed. Next, four ounces of peanuts and finally, six ounces were analyzed. The procedure for feeding
the peanuts to the chickens was to equally spread the peanuts on the ground so that each chicken would
get a close to equal amount. Each egg was weighed by an electronic ounce scale and measured using a
medical Knee Brace measuring device. As further control, peanuts were withdrawn from the diet and
eggs measured. Finally, the six ounces portion of the experiment was re-tested.
Results
Egg size and weight averages were computed in order to make comparisons. Without peanuts, the weight
of the eggs was 2.03 ounces. With two ounces of peanuts substituted into the chickens' diet, the weight of
their eggs increased from 2.03 ounces to 2.22 ounces. The height and width also increased. Next, with
four ounces of peanuts, the weight increased to 2.35 ounces and the size again increased. Then with six
ounces of peanuts the chickens failed to produce eggs. Next, peanuts were withdrawn from the chickens.
The eggs weighed 2.09 ounces and were smaller. Last, the experiment substituting six ounces of peanuts
was again attempted and once again the chickens stopped laying eggs.
Conclusions/Discussion
The test results support my hypothesis. This project expands our knowledge about the value of feeding a
controlled amount of peanuts to chickens and perhaps other foul. It has value to the chicken farmer who
may want to increase the size of their chickens' eggs. It may also produce healthier baby chicks, but
testing is required. Finally, adding peanuts may assist those attempting to increase the nutrition of other
birds.
This project attempts to make hens produce larger eggs by the introduction of peanuts into their diet.
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