Hi All! I'm a professional poultry nutritionist

[Nomadicus]

Hello and Welcome to BYC. Glad to have you in this poultry lovers community.

 

[Burnt Brass Homestead]

Hi @HensandChicksNutrition

I personally would be interested in reading any articles you published or will publish.

Welcome!

 

[chrissynemetz]

Hi, and welcome to BYC! We're so glad you decided to join us! Make yourself at home!

 

[triciayoung]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

My fundamental issue with the current nutritional "requirements" for poultry is that most, if not all of it, is based on maximizing production from the bird at a minimal cost without ever taking into consideration the longevity of the bird. And why not? No commercial layer will ever see her first body of new plumage after her first adult molt because she will be killed as soon as she stops laying and starts molting.

I have had high production breeds and will never have them again. They have been genetically engineered to crank out so many eggs a year that it literally kills them. All to maximize profits. I am not interested in that for my flock. I want maximum, quality nutrition to provide maximum life span and quality of life for my flock... eggs be damned.

Wow, this is the best post I have read for a long time. Thank you. I feel the same way. I don't care about the amount of eggs - in fact, if they don't lay at all...I am just fine if it extends their life.

 

[triciayoung]

That's fair! A big part of that is the breed you choose to have (genetics companies who have those commercial breeds have bred them over the decades so they do lay with as few gaps in egg clutch as possible). From the nutrition side, I do my best to support any bird - My work cannot "force" more eggs, nor would I ever want that, but I can do my best to make sure those breeds have plenty of calcium, vitamin D, and essential amino acids to keep them as healthy as I possibly can.

That said, I'd be happy to help anyone who is having problems with their nutrition, regardless of breed! If you don't have proper nutrition from hatch, a chicken's health (especially immune system and GI tract ability to absorb all the good nutrition they're given) can be really hampered and cause minor or major issues later in life. Good longevity and health in my eyes also has nothing to do with number of eggs

I hope that helps explain my goals a little more and I'm not judged for my knowledge in commercial settings!

I really appreciate where you are coming from, and your education, I have a graduate degree also. However, I believe nutrition needs to be tailored to the risk factors of the chicken. Meaning, white egg layers are twice as likely to die of hemorrhagic liver than brown egg layers. And 98% of the cases are hens, not roosters. They need milk thistle, flax seed and other liver supplements...especially in the summer months to minimize their risk of sudden death.

 

[Kiki]

Hi Everyone!

I'm a professional poultry nutritionist based in the US (BS in Animal Science and MS in Animal Science focused on poultry). My Master's thesis focused on pullets, layers, and broilers growth and production. I can get more specific if there's interest!

I wanted to hop on here because while I currently work "in the industry" (for about 6 years), focusing in pullet and layer nutrition on a weekly basis for a range of feed types (non-GMO, conventional, organic, and have experience in non-traditional ingredients), I've recently been considering striking out on my own and providing nutritional services for backyard flocks like yourselves! My goal is, and has always been, for the happiest, healthiest birds as possible, performing to the best of their abilities, while maintaining fantastic health and happiness.

I've worked with a range of breeds, mostly commercial brown layers, but have experience with backyard flocks and mixed backyard flocks and formulating recipes for those who mix their own feed at home. I have assisted in sourcing ingredients (vitamins, minerals, probiotics). I've worked with turkeys and ducks also.

I'm just dipping my toes in the idea of this but have always enjoyed answering questions about bird behavior and production to the best of my abilities for anyone I meet and de-mistifying questions people may have. Would a service like this sound appealing to anyone?

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments! I'm so excited to talk to you all!

Welcome to the BYC family. I hope you stick around for a long while.

 

[Sammster]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

My fundamental issue with the current nutritional "requirements" for poultry is that most, if not all of it, is based on maximizing production from the bird at a minimal cost without ever taking into consideration the longevity of the bird. And why not? No commercial layer will ever see her first body of new plumage after her first adult molt because she will be killed as soon as she stops laying and starts molting.

I have had high production breeds and will never have them again. They have been genetically engineered to crank out so many eggs a year that it literally kills them. All to maximize profits. I am not interested in that for my flock. I want maximum, quality nutrition to provide maximum life span and quality of life for my flock... eggs be damned.

I'm new to chickens, and my girls are high-production hens. I didn't realize when I bought them (at the local TSC, where there were only 2 breeds available), that they would suffer reproductive health issues at such a young age. I completely agree - and will search elsewhere, and make more informed choices, moving forward.

 

[Papaye]

Hi!

Since you are a nutritionist... could I bother you to react to my last thread...?
I'm somewhat desesperate to help my rooster, and so, I need some advices about sodium bicarbonate : https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/blackening-skin-on-brahma-roosters-head.1605957/
(Sorry. I'm really worried... Thank you.)

Also : being somebody who heal her chickens and ducks specifically by using natural products and food (I use a lot of spices and herbs, and it works greatly), I really would like to read whatever thread you write about nutrition for birds!
Could you, for example, write at first about your job, in details?
What do your job entail, exactly? You "just" formulate recipe, or you also test them, or I don't know... I'm curious?
(How did you become a poultry nutritionist? And why did you want to be one?)

 

[Tookie]

Welcome to BYC! Nice to meet you, we're so glad you joined!