High energy feed?

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

So the feed i give my birds is a mixture of black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, dumor layer pellets, and catfish pellets. I was wondering if this was high enough energy mix because its Gonna get COLD this week! If not should i boost any of the ingredients or add anything to the mix?

 

[WindingRoad]

So the feed i give my birds is a mixture of black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, dumor layer pellets, and catfish pellets. I was wondering if this was high enough energy mix because its Gonna get COLD this week! If not should i boost any of the ingredients or add anything to the mix?

I've been feeding 22% protein since Sept or so. I got it because I though my BO and ISAB were gonna molt this past fall. Eggs most every day. I have 2 SLW I got around T-day. They are eating it too. They were 16 weeks when I got them. They started laying around Christmas or the first of the year. Nice eggs and hard shells. Mealworms are a treat I feed everyday and high in protein. Make sure their crops are full at bedtime. Digesting food is work and helps keep them warmer. Crops should be empty in the am if not you've got a problem. Good luck.

 

[centrarchid]

I have a bunch of chickens that are penned all the time and others that get come degree of free-range time. At this time all are effectively fed a complete diet. Most days they are fed a restricted ration (they would eat more if offered). When weather gets cold, then I put out enough feed so it always present (free-choice access) and most of those days, except immediately following an abrupt weather change, they do consume more. When weather becomes consistently cold and below about 5 F, then I have a way to get them to consume more than they would by simply having free-choice access. What I do is go out near end of day when birds at finished consuming the complete ration as they are effectively full on that, then I toss some shell corn (not cracked or ground) which has large and easily to see morsels that seem particularly easy to consume. Then by weight, they will consume 10 to 25% more food than they would by consuming the complete feed mixture alone.

Based on read of peoples accounts on this site, most people provide free-choice access year round and almost always with a complete feed. For my approach to work with such a strategy, if following the more common feeding regimen, then you need to make certain the feed stuff you provide later is not part of the regular diet and comes in larger morsels.

 

[chickens really]

I feed my All my Birds a 16% protein feed . Grower finisher and never add extras when it's cold. They do get scratch and fresh veggies a couple times a week.