Dry vs. Moist Chick starter

[uhuh555]

We use supplement fortified water mixed 50/50 with 24% chick starter. This way the chicks hydrate quickly without loosing the electrolyte balance of their systems.

Moist fortified layer feed is good for your laying hens during the winter months. During the winter hens drink 20 to 25% less water and that has an impact on their laying cycle. Our hens lay all year around without any break. They maintain their weight year around. If you weigh your hens while they are laying and weight them when the stop laying during the winter months you will notice a 20 to 25% weight reduction that directly corresponds with the water intake during these laying and non-laying time periods.

Note in the below picture that the chicks are eating out of the moisten food feeders but not the dry feeders. The dry feeders have been in there since day one and on the third day they are still 3/4 full while the moisten feed feeders are filled twice a day. The water consumption is about 6 quarts per day plus the 2 gallons in the moist feed for a total of 3.5 gallons per day. This is good for all chicks and poults alike. This method leads to greater weight gain and lower feed conversion ratio.

 

[HEChicken]

Interesting post. I didn't know the science of it, but did offer my chooks a mash twice a day throughout the winter months and they really seemed to enjoy them. To make the mash, all I was doing was taking warm water (and sometimes the flavored water drained from a can of peas, beans or corn) and adding the dry food to it. Their morning started with a bowl of this, they had dry food available all day and then I took another big bowl of mash out to them in the late afternoon. They would all come running and dive into the mash - there was never any left. I gradually cut back on the moist mash as Spring arrived but think I will do this again this winter.

 

[uhuh555]

HEChicken,

When using liquid from canned vegetables be aware that the salt levels can be too high and effect their kidneys/liver and heart. If they are home canned without salt it would not be a concern, but the commercial canned good have way to much salt.

 

[SteveH]

I know both chickens and hogs love wet-mash , but was afraid to mix it for my day olds due to the chance of getting mold started in the feeder ; or getting them accustomed to eating something I have no intention of taking the extra time to prepare in the future

.

 

[Karrie13]

How long do you feed them the 50/50 ration, until processing age?

 

[Penturner]

is that a 50/50 by weight or volume?

 

[SteveH]

I decided to mix a little wet-mash just to use to teach my chickies to come to my voice instead of running to the back of the brooder . Made the big mistake of putting it in a flat tray . After a few minutes a CX stopped to try it and soon attracted others . He was knocked over in the feeding frenzy and one side covered in mash . The EEs soon had a mess in their muffs and were pecking at each other ; the CX drew attention to himself in his attempt tp clean himself and was mobbed by three chickies . I had to remove the mash and rescue the CX by cleaning him off . He already had a dot of blood where they plucked out some down from his shoulder . No more wet-mash for me , I'm afraid of starting some bad habits .

 

[uhuh555]

The 50/50 mix is by volume yielding approximately 65% moisture content. Very close to the moisture content of their natural foods if they were free ranging. We usually feed all the mash they want for the first 2 weeks, after that they get all they can eat in 30 minutes in the AM when the feed is started for the 12 hours on. The dry feed is then given for the remaining 11.5 hours. This way they get their daily ration of supplements to start the day with. If you use the proper feeder you don't have the above mentioned problems. Molds require 24 to 36 hours to develop. No mash is left for more than 6 hours before being changes. We use two sets of feeders that are washed in the dishwasher after each use--the same with the waterers. Dry feeders are washed before refilled or when they become soiled.

We use pelleted sawdust for bedding. It has only 5 to 7% water content unlike the wood shaving that have 60 to 65% moisture content. If the bottom of a waterer comes off and spills it's content when you are putting them in the brooder/pen it is immediately absorbed. We keep it stirred up each day replacing with new when it becomes saturated with their waste. It is removed and composted for use in the garden. A bag can absorb 8 gallons of water and still feels dry. It resists developing mold due to acidity of the pine wood used. It also keeps the odor down. In an 8' x 8' area it takes 4 bags and we change it once for a total of 8 bags for 3-4 week use.

 

[TimG]

A little off topic, but when there are puppies around here, I transition them to solid food by soaking dry food in milk and letting them eat this. They like it a lot, but not as much as the chickens. I often feed the puppies outside and the chickens quickly learned what was going on and would fight their way to the food bowls. Although they ate the dog food, it seemed to be the milk that they were really after, they would peck at the drops of milk after the dog food was gone.

 

[uhuh555]

My Grandma used to give her day old chicks sour milk when she bought them from Sears thru the mail order catalog (eons ago). When she had extra yoghurt she'd give it to the laying hens in the winter time for extra protein. She claims they rarely would get sick if they were given it often enough. It was probably the probiotics in sour milk and yoghurt. She also would give them canned cat food that Grandpa brought home from work, the company he worked for as an electrician/maintenance man manufactured "Puss & Boots" brand cat food and he could buy it for 2 cents a 1 pound can. Goes to show you how versatile their taste buds are.