How can I improve how I'm feeding my chickens?

[Sussex19]

What about just changing the type of feeder you're using to exclude the wild birds? Those PVC Feeding Ports installed in a bucket would make it very hard for anything else to eat the feed.

Can you provide a photo of them? I'd like to see what they look like.

 

[Sussex19]

I don't know what you can get in your part of New South Wales.
These links might be of interest while you're thinking a bout how to feed your hens.

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...ects-to-lay-carbon-neutral-eggs-for-morrisons

https://betterorigin.co.uk/our-product/

https://betterorigin.co.uk/2021/06/why-insect-feed-is-great-for-poultry/

Interesting stuff, while I don't think I have the time to farm insects, they do find a fair few when they are free ranging.

 

[SourRoses]

Can you provide a photo of them? I'd like to see what they look like.

I don't know if this is the best brand to get, I'm still shopping around myself...

Lil'Clucker Large DIY Chicken Feeder

 

[Sussex19]

@U_Stormcrow here's a photo of the label on the bag, no ingredients because that's on their website.

 

[Sussex19]

I don't know if this is the best brand to get, I'm still shopping around myself...

Lil'Clucker Large DIY Chicken Feeder

Thanks!
Um, how does it work?
Do the chickens just reach in?

 

[SourRoses]

Yes, there are more pictures to see if you click on the thumbnails under the top one. Chickens have long necks and most problem critters don't.

 

[Sussex19]

Yes, there are more pictures to see if you click on the thumbnails under the top one. Chickens have long necks and most problem critters don't.

Ah yes, I see them now.
I'm really not sure if it would work or not.
If it just sat on the ground, I think wild birds would still reach in; but because one can raise it up it might work

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@U_Stormcrow here's a photo of the label on the bag, no ingredients because that's on their website.

Thanks. I hate your feed labels, btw. Not enough info to make a good decision.
The 4% fat is not an issue in the feed, nor is its kcal/kg number concerning. I'd love to see more phosphorus (half again as much, 0.6%) but that has nothing to do with fat levels, either. Honestly, based on the disclosed information, most of their feeds are near identical, apart from increased Ca and P in the "layer" formulations, and the somewhat higher Ca in the "finisher".

Best you can do is cut the scratch and continue to monitor.

and assuming you offer supplimental calcium for your layers, if you can provide it in the form of calcium diphosphate, or dicalcium phosphate instead of calcium carbonate (oyster shell) at similar price, your birds would benefit in bone structure (primarily). If there is more than a 5-10% cost difference, its not an investment I would make in a production flock.

For whatever that's worth.

 

[Sussex19]

Thanks. I hate your feed labels, btw. Not enough info to make a good decision.
The 4% fat is not an issue in the feed, nor is its kcal/kg number concerning. I'd love to see more phosphorus (half again as much, 0.6%) but that has nothing to do with fat levels, either. Honestly, based on the disclosed information, most of their feeds are near identical, apart from increased Ca and P in the "layer" formulations, and the somewhat higher Ca in the "finisher".

Good to know, I've never been very good at looking at this sort of thing, so thanks for that.

and assuming you offer supplimental calcium for your layers, if you can provide it in the form of calcium diphosphate, or dicalcium phosphate instead of calcium carbonate (oyster shell) at similar price, your birds would benefit in bone structure (primarily). If there is more than a 5-10% cost difference, its not an investment I would make in a production flock.

I'll look into this, in the moment they have shell, which look like it was collected from a beach rather then proper oyster shell.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Good to know, I've never been very good at looking at this sort of thing, so thanks for that.

I'll look into this, in the moment they have shell, which look like it was collected from a beach rather then proper oyster shell.

Nothing wrong with beach shell - its how they would get it in nature. I offered the other suggestions as a convenient way to get a bit of extra P into birds needing extra calcium.

Chickens can't used plant-based phosphorus, your feed contains no animal sources which might provide trace amounts, and its Ca : P ratio is 5:2. Apart from egg shell creation, most biological processes exist in a ratio of 2:1, and most of the modern studies sugges tthat differences in digestion and nutrient absorbtion make a 5:3 ratio as fed a better choice for poultry, with 1% Calcium +/- being the baseline target, which then establishes the baseline for Phosphorus.

Of course, if you have a decent amount of P in your soils, and your birds are able to eat a significant amount of bugs, there's good chance (no guarantees of course) they are meeting the need that way.