had to cull one of my Jumbo browns today

[john in wa]

I have had all my birds on game bird starter from day one. i had to cull one today that was beat up by the others. i culled a batch a while back and they all were in nice shape but this bird today had fat every where. his gizzard, craw,heart ,between his skin and flesh every thing was covered in white fat. should i cut the food intake down or change feed? I am going to cull the rest of them tomorrow to see if all the birds are like he was. i wonder if i have been over feeding them. they have free choice game bird starter 24/7 they never run out of feed. I am feeding purina game bird startena 30% protein. or could this be from the colder weather and the shorter days so they are less active?

thanks

 

[JJMR794]

Sounds Like They're In Good Shape John. I Cant Say If Birds Like Many Animals "fatten Up For The Winter" Or Not. But Personally I Like A Decent Fat Layer On Mine--- I Pluck Rather Than Skin Them And The Fat Layer Between The Skin And Meat Helps Keep It Moinst And Tender While Cooking--- Just My View

All I Feed Mine Is The Purina Startrena 30% As Well And They Do Great On It. Havent Culled In A While So I Have Not Noticed A Fat Content To Them.... Tho Mine Dont Get 24/7 Free Feed They Get More Like 12-16 Hr Free Feed Until They Clean Out The Feeders....

 

[AHappychick]

how old was he, they get more fatty with age but it does make them more tender, I pluck mine as well as i notice a real difference in taste as when skinned. and I still wrap them in bacon

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Can't really help you out other than to say I processed some RIR hens last weekend and they had alot of fat on them too and everywhere just like yours.
They are very active too so I was wondering also if I was overfeeding. Mine are only 1 year old.
I bet that they do put on some extra fat for winter. Of course mine are pigs in disguise.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Niki (monarc23) had a post about this a while back, she said that all her hens were very fatty, and the roos too. The roos weren't as bad as the hens were though. They need higher protein, but if they are just in a cage all the time, they have no way to keep the fat down.

So you should probably make them a bigger cage, so they have more room to exercise, that would probably help.

 

[john in wa]

OK so i culled the rest of the roo's. all the other birds had the normal amount of fat. so now i am left thinking maybe this one bird was just a pig or had a really hi metabolism or had some thing wrong with him and that is why the others picked on him. they picked his vent area till it was a bloody mess. this is the first time i have had coturnix pic the vent area of other birds. i have had this before with pheasants but not my quail.

thanks

 

[fitzy]

Quote:
i've seen this in my quail a couple times but:

i keep 'em packed a little tighter than recommended.

they occasionally get their head stuck in the egg slot, so i assume this is just a convenient area for others to peck at.

 

[JJMR794]

" keep 'em packed a little tighter than recommended. "


HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A WOMAN PACK A SUITCASE SO TIGHT 3 PEOPLE HAD TO STAND ON IT SO SHE COULD GET IT CLOSED???---- THATS FITZY'S QUAIL CAGES!!! WALK BY 1 AND ALL YOU CAN SEE IT FEATHERS AND BULGING EYES! LOL

VENT PICKING---- WAS IT AN ALL BACHELOR PEN? THEY ARE GAMEBIRDS BUT USUALLY NOT NEARLY AS BAD AS BOBS, CHUKAR OR YOUR PHEASANTS....

AS FAR AS HIM BEING FATTER THAN ALL THE REST, HE WAS PROBABLY THE PIG IN THE GROUP! LOL