***help****My A&M's are dying off

[Yvonne37894]

They are 5 months old
I have kept them on high protein feed, either 28% or 30% gamebird grower
They are much larger then their parents
It's hot & humid here
They are in a big shed with a fan on them
I started with 7 hens & a rooster
I'm down to 4 hens
I've read that too much protien will cause the feather to stick up and their feathers are sticking up
I think they are called rat feathers
Could they just be too fat?

 

[TomNY]

The high protein causes the curly feathers. The ration is proably also high in energy which will over heat them in this weather. If they are overly fat [I'd guess yes, caused by the high energy] you may be losing the hens to eggbinding. I used to start mine on 26% turkey starter mash for 3 days, 21% broiler ration until 10 wks. old,then 21% game bird grower for the few I kept for any length of time. good luck, Tom

 

[JJMR794]

They're Overheating. Remove Them From The Shed And Get Them An Airy--- But Covered Pen Outside And Try Adding A Lil Vitamin C To Their Water As This Helps During Times Of Heat Stress.

I'm Guessing From The Statement Very Hot And Humid Here And Live Oak On Your User Id You Mean Live Oak Fla? If So I Understand Exactly What You Mean

For The Record I Am 2-3 Hrs South Of You, Its Even More Hot And Humid Here. I Feed Starter 24/7/365--- Purina Startrena And Do Not Have Any Problems.... In Fact It Gives Me The Best Production Rates And Healthiest Birds Of All Feeds.

 

[citalk2much]

Backing ya JJ always the man with the right answer

 

[TheRanch]

It isn't a small shed........ What Yvonne is calling a shed is a HUGE well ventilated barn lol!!! it's probably 40 x 60 or bigger with huge doors on each end and fans and - well, their chooks want for nothing

!!

 

[DLS]

If its not the feed & not the heat (did you try a fean?), Do you think they might have a disease? or a cold?some people put duravet brand duramycin 10 in the water to cure most bird troubles

 

[Yvonne37894]

Thanks THE RANCH, I should have expained " the shed "better.

It's a 40X40 with 20' openings a both ends and a 2 large fans moving the air.

We have maybe 100 chicken, turkey and the quail in the shed

the quail are the only ones getting the 30% protien and the only ones with a problem

They have no contact with any other birds.

They are not sick, I've put them on a diet of 20% feed for a while

JJMR794 I'm going to put the Vit C in the water, you have always given great advise, Thanks

They remind me of the difference in a home grown meat chicken and the Pilgrams Pride chickens grown here in LIve Oak FL

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
If the turkey, chicken, and quail are all in the barn, they do have contact with other birds. They might not have direct contact, but most illnesses are passed by the air anyway.