increase the appetite of birds

[bantyman]

Hey group I know this has more than likely been posted before but I am going to post it once more What can you give to your birds to increase their appetite ? Mine hasn't been eating at all for a few days and their breast has disappeared Their is a breast bone and no breast They are in close quarters with other birds and the others don't have any problems at all Its kinda hard keeping up with them with their feed I have them on vitamins and electrolytes to try and get them to eat something and to hopefully keep them from dying Any help on this will be greatly appreciated I will owe you my first born if they pull out of this Thanx for any help anybody can give

 

[centrarchid]

WHat have you been feeding them when they were still eating?


How does feces look?

Show picture showing how feathers look?


Assume old feed bad. Get a small bag of fresh feed. Wet it into heavy paste to increase palatability. Offer live mealworms as movement and flavor extremely strong stimulants on appetite. Use electrolytes only if feces abundant and watery.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Figure out why they aren't healthy, and their appetites will come back naturally

 

[donrae]

In close quarters with other birds..........that sounds bad right there. Overcrowding leads to all sorts of problems, including more dominant birds just not letting the more submissive birds eat.
Address the space issues, that will lead to improved overall health. Spread out feeders so submissive birds have a better chance of eating.

 

[bantyman]

The feed they were eating is pellets mixed with scratch and cracked corn,as the nights are cooling down then maybe some cat food or high protein dog food mixed in All my birds get the same feed and as I said before none of the others are acting bad Guess I should have made myself a bit more clear about the close quarters They are all in seperate pens but the pens are joned together with dividers seperating them So there is no squabble over food or water The ones in bad shape are the only ones not eating and not doing very well The feces are good with just a touch of runny Not bad at all Hope this helps some Sorry about the mix up

 

[crzychicknlady7]

I wouldn't mix the scratch in with their food. Scratch should be used as a treat rather than a main part of their daily consumption. Kind of like giving candy to a young kid, should be done in moderation. Have you tried crumbles instead of pellets? My chickens don't like pellets. Also, try fresh vegetables or fruit and see if they will eat that. And sometimes I go out and buy my chickens meal worms, they go crazy for them!! Good luck

 

[centrarchid]

I wouldn't mix the scratch in with their food. Scratch should be used as a treat rather than a main part of their daily consumption. Kind of like giving candy to a young kid, should be done in moderation. Have you tried crumbles instead of pellets? My chickens don't like pellets. Also, try fresh vegetables or fruit and see if they will eat that. And sometimes I go out and buy my chickens meal worms, they go crazy for them!! Good luck

Scratch is not candy, it is energy with modest amounts of protein. Always ensure diet provides nutrients such as protein (amino acids), lipids (fatty acids), vitamins and minerals in addition to energy to meet needs for maintenance and growth under conditions that are not thermally challenging. As heat generation needs increase, the scratch is provided in addition, not in exchange for. Watch your birds feed intake and you will be able to figure out balance to ensure nutrient needs met without dilution with empty calories.

 

[crzychicknlady7]

I'm not saying scratch "is" candy. It is just high in fat and low in nutrients. It is much better given in small amounts and not to over do it. It's much more important they get their regular feed and as much fruit and veggie scraps as possible. Too much scratch can also slow down egg production