Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[MaryJanet]

Did someone say song birds?

Awwww Lulu

 

[MaryJanet]

Yes, that was why I stopped using it for a while...my hens picked out the seeds, and flipped out the ground part which was the supplements (nutritional)...But they now have layer pellets. (I can now get organic soy free layer locally, so don't use these)...BUT will shortly be offering grower crumbles with BSFL...I'm so excited. (I can't get organic all flock, so make my own mix of layer/grower so the Roos are okay)

This is why the hens at my house have pellets.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

9 Years Ago Today

Today is a big anniversary date around these parts. 9 years ago today, April 8, 2013 our first chickens came home with us from tractor supply. For those of you who don't know the story, you can find it here.

Post in thread 'Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock' https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...es-stories-of-our-flock.1286630/post-20958609

Here are those first chicks. Beautiful white leghorns all.
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And here are all of the other chickens who have lived with us, even for a short time, here at Fluffy Butt Acres. All have touched our hearts and enriched our lives in some wonderful way.

Dolly
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Trisha
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Elphie
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Daisy, The Greatest Hen Ever

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Patsy
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Lilly
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Jabberwocky
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Hattie
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Maleficent
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Aurora
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Sansa
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Phyllis
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Sydney
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Sydney, Lucky and Dusty

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Ned
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Lucky
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Ned and Lucky
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The chicks that were lost in the mail
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Sylvie and LegerthaView attachment 3055655View attachment 3055656View attachment 3055657View attachment 3055658View attachment 3055659

BettyView attachment 3055660View attachment 3055661

What a beautiful tribute to all of your past and present residents, Bob! What a storied history, my emotions ran the gamut as I looked at each picture. Oh my.

 

[rural mouse]

Just my view but that is small unless they are getting lots of free range time and this is only when they need to be confined like snow days or away from home and can’t supervise days.

Agreed.

 

[rural mouse]

The 10x10
Or my planned 10x100??

The 10x10

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I am going to give it a go. The other brand to look at is HenUp - it isn't insect protein but it is soy-free and is in pellets.

I think I will try one 25lb bag [Edit - the Scratch and Peck brand] to start. They also sell oyster shell that looks very different from what I've got. Chewy sells this same pelleted layer feed a bit more cheaply but you must order more than $49 for free shipping.

 

[RoyalChick]

I've been looking at this, as I'm looking for more calcium, am supplementing calcium every-other day and I'm tiring of it, wondering how to instead supplement protein, less labor-intensive, as I would prefer 18%. I tested the 18% Nutrena Feather Fixer with no calcium supplementation and found it is better than all-flock but not enough calcium - started getting soft shells from one or two hens, I still think Peanut is one. Also observed that the Buckeyes love ground eggshells and do not touch the oyster shell at all. Maybe because the ground eggshells are available? They were going at some oyster shell last summer when it was spilled/scattered on the ground, I may try that.

The ingredients list on the page for the pelleted layer w/ grubs has no grubs. Fish meal, and flax meal and oil. What do you think? In error?
@micstrachan what did you say about flax?
https://www.scratchandpeck.com/shop/organic-layer-pellets-grub-protein/
"Organic Wheat, Organic Barley, Organic Peas, Organic Flaxseed Meal, Fish Meal, Ground Limestone, Organic Flaxseed Oil, Vitamin and Mineral Pre-Mix"

It was me that found a paper that said long term use of flax seed is not good for hens and exaccerbates fatty liver hemorrage. It is fine for a short while but it is why I didn't go with some of the options.
It is given to broilers because it improves the health aspects of the meat for people and I think does the same for eggs by increasing Omega 3 fatty acids - but it is at the expense of the health of the hen.

 

[featherhead007]

It was me that found a paper that said long term use of flax seed is not good for hens and exaccerbates fatty liver hemorrage. It is fine for a short while but it is why I didn't go with some of the options.
It is given to broilers because it improves the health aspects of the meat for people and I think does the same for eggs by increasing Omega 3 fatty acids - but it is at the expense of the health of the hen.

What about safflower seeds? I supplement the feed with them.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

It was me that found a paper that said long term use of flax seed is not good for hens and exaccerbates fatty liver hemorrage. It is fine for a short while but it is why I didn't go with some of the options.
It is given to broilers because it improves the health aspects of the meat for people and I think does the same for eggs by increasing Omega 3 fatty acids - but it is at the expense of the health of the hen.

Thank you.
Well, flax seed meal is listed just ahead of the black soldier fly grubs in the Scratch and Peck. Hmmm! What do you think of that? I may try it anyway, as I do want to switch to something.

On this fatty liver disease issue. I thought I'd quote the relevant posts, but they aren't there now. I don't know much, but the little reading about the human condition - when not alcohol related, it sounds like a metabolic issue (comes along with other conditions present, i.e., insulin-resistance), and without always very well known causes for these given other conditions, these metabolic issues. And the chicken-related stuff sounds similar, as in too much carbohydrate calories - that ratio between energy and protein quote @bgmathteach posted...

So I do wonder about estrogen-inducing things which affect metabolism such as soy, but also chemicals around us and in our foods such as bisphenols (BP-A, BP-S, etc.) which (according to a radio report I just heard) appears to affect fetal lung development, more in girls than boys. These I suspect may have an affect on metabolism also, either through the effects in development or through exposure later in life. Also phthalates seem to disrupt metabolism. No amount of good chicken-keeping can prevent what's already happened to a chick or it's mother in egg formation (@micstrachan take note) if there's been exposure...

All - Does it make you consider that the better calories for chickens might be essentially a low-carb diet? Protein & fat based, at least in higher percentages to carbohydrates, than is found in traditional corn-based feed? So protein from peas - another area non-soy feeds are turning to - might be okay IF one accounts for the carbs there too?

Finally, and sorry for the long post, @Ponypoor 's posts on founder in horses also made me wonder if a diet that is supplemented with a lot of high-saccharride greens might actually not be good for chickens? That they really need to be foraging for proteins and fats, in insects and grains, and only nibble a bit on the beautiful clovers and flower leaves? So does cabbage have a lot of sugars in it? What about collards, my current favorite greens treats for the chickens?

 

[RoyalChick]

What about safflower seeds? I supplement the feed with them.

I haven't seen any specific studies but everything I have read says they are good for chickens.