Lower Ranked Pullets Getting Thin

[Folly's place]

It's a very nice diet, always fresh and available at my local feed stores. BUT you should look for a good all-flock feed that's fresh and available where you live! Shipping will be a pain, and you will have no control on mill dates for each bag of feed.
Chickens generally hate change, so any new diet needs to be mixed with the old and not suddenly changed.
I haven't fed a layer feed for a very long time here.
Mary

 

[micstrachan]

Thanks for your help. Went in with a flashlight and checked a few girls around the vents and under the wings. Not a bug nor egg was found. I can do a more thorough inspection tomorrrow and will weigh them. I have a baseline from several weeks ago to compare to.

 

[chickens really]

Hello..
Not to start a war...
Organic feed is not good for Chickens. They require higher protein also. 18 to 21% is best.
Provide multiple feed and water stations..Chickens are bullies about feed and territorial ...

 

[Folly's place]

I'm not into warfare either! I don't feed organic, because of the cost of feed/ pound. I do think it's a good idea, in principle, but have no opinion about the quality of products offered on the market, because I'm not shopping for them.
There's no reason a feed can't be of equal quality either way!
On the other hand, if all that's seen by the buyer is the 'organic' label, and not the ingredient assay, there will be issues. A 15% protein feed with an inadequate amino acid balance is NOT the same as 20% protein feed that's correctly balanced!
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

PS: Yesterday a local TSC, where I buy my very fresh Flock Raiser, still had four smaller bags of an organic chick starter, mill date JUNE!!!
Can you imagine feeding that???
Mary

 

[chickens really]

Everyone is confused as to mill dates and expiry dates etc..Unopened bags if kept stored properly last months...I buy and store feed with zero issues...

 

[theoldchick]

I'd suggest adding more feeding stations, but put one at a much higher level than the other. Fecal tests will determine if you have internal parasites, and bloodwork can pinpoint organ damage. And tossing food all over the ground will give lower ranked hens a chance to dart about and snatch up food. Works for me.

 

[micstrachan]

One fecal sample was checked a few weeks ago and came back negative. I am curious about the comment regarding organic feed. How could that be bad for chickens? I’m missing something here.

Anyway, I weighed all the girls this morning, but my set up is not very accurate. I need a kitchen scale. The good news is, Millie was not really much lighter than the others... not even the lightest. My flock is all mixed breeds, so I don’t know how informative that is. Only my Brahma stood out. Interestingly, my Orpington is one of the two lightest, but she’s having a significant juvenile molt. I’ll pull up their last weights later to compare (dog and I are supervising freerange time right now).

 

[theoldchick]

I don't feed organic because of how such feeds are labeled. People see organic and think pesticide free and all kinds of things. What people think is organic and what FDA thinks is organic are two different horses. If you want truly organic you must grow you own food and that way you know exactly what you have. However, providing a proper diet and remaining truly organic is time consuming and at times confusing.

I'm truly surprised the fecal sample was negative. I've never ever read one that was negative unless the sample was old, improperly stored, or not feces at all. (You'd be surprised what people call poop! :0)

 

[bobbi-j]

I don't believe organic feed is any better or worse for your chickens than feed that is not organic. The important thing is to make sure it's a well-balanced feed for protein and nutrients.

I personally do not feed organic because of the cost.