molting/protein?

[Idahomestead]

Unless tofu is organic, it is genetically modified. I've been supplementing with scratch, oats, yogurt, and sunflower seeds.

 

[Maisie1]

I am not advocating a vegetarian diet for chickens. I give my own hens worms and cat food, for Huck's sake! I'm merely stating the that, all told, plant protein is HEALTHIER for humans than meat. It has zero cholesterol and very little fat, especially saturated fat. Even the American Dietetic Association admits that vegetarians are generally healthier than meat eaters and have lower rates of virtually every major disease. That's not my opinion, it's a fact.

 

[chick2flick]

Sorry to say, that's not entirely true. Meat including red meat and animal fats such as milk, butter, cheese, etc have more naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, and omega's than any vegetable can provide and is truly more nutrient dense and healthier. Just do a bit of research here on Weston A Price Foundation's website.
http://www.westonaprice.org/vegetar...1c2Ugb2YgaGlnaCI7aToxMjtzOjc6Im9mIGhpZ2giO30=

As proof, a few years ago I went to the Dr for a checkup. Was told my triglycerides were so high I should check into the hospital and immediately start taking meds. I refused and did some research about diet and lifestyle changes as a more natural tactic. I found that processed foods and grains (rice, pasta, breads-all of which I love) were processed by the liver and stored in the blood as excess fat-triglycerides. So I cut out all processed foods, cut back on fried foods in favor of sauté with water or broth, bake, boil or broil; and when I did fry I used bacon grease, butter or Extra Virgin Olive Oil-EVOO. I increase my fruit and vegetables and cut back on the grains. I still would include the grains, but I'd eat less. Also I increased my exercise.
When I went back to the DR a few months later, my cholesterol was considerably lower. Not perfect or where it should be, but much better than before. When asked how I had done it, I said 'doing opposite of what the so called experts-as in the ADA suggest'

 

[centrarchid]

Varied diet increased odds of balance with respect to actual nutrients. The all one way or another is neither strived for nor realized with my truly free-range birds which go out of their way to get a varied diet. They also are inferior to none with respect to feathering as a function of molt or any other measure that can be used to asses quality of life.

 

[cindyrella]

I use organic peanut butter and they love it like crazy. I just dip a long stick into the jar and they all jump around grabbing at it.

 

[casademicluck]

We were having a really bad molt, our 1st. I spoke to the gentleman where I buy my food and he suggested a feed for wild game birds, he said it is 30% higher in protien. He also said we only need one bag. So I gave it a try and, that was a month ago, my girls are already looking better and the eggs are bigger and the shells are stronger. I hope this helps

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

A person can find a lot of info like this: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...4/23/look-at-the-real-human-costs-of-soy.aspx

 

[Izzymoon]

I wasn't ever suggesting chickens were vegetarians, and when free ranging anything is game, and they've gobbled up frogs and worms and everything in it's path, but I consider those things "organic" as they are coming right from the earth. I just KNOW that most meat bought at the store is been dyed or manipulated in some way most not labeled has been modified via the feed they eat before becoming hamburger. I started this wanting eggs for myself, and in the process found that what I feed them REALLY effects the taste of the eggs greatly, and started them on a diet of vegetables one week and fruits the next week. As a few friends got a dozen or two they began raging how tasty my eggs were compared to others and even the "organic" eggs in the stores were not even a comparison to the taste of mine.

So I really set out to make sure that if I was going to spend the extra to give them fruits and vegetables, then I would go organic and buy from local farms, which happen also to be GMO free. It becomes harder to achieve in the winter months, but a few of the large CSA farms have green houses and grow all winter.

Would my birds have suffered as bad a molt had i fed them some commercial brand food and just scarps? I dunno. Only 3 out of 5 are really losing their feathering. 2 are almost full feathered. I do feel at times I am being extreme, but I do love my girls and they all have laid the best eggs daily and I have truly enjoyed having chickens.

Now that the GMO labeling is being shot down in legislation, I probably won't know for sure what I am getting, but at least I can try to make both my hens and my eggs healthier for everyone

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I keep reading the secret to great tasting eggs is tender fresh grass. Of course store-bought eggs are at a disadvantage in this regard ... there are precious few farms big enough to sell to stores and small enough to offer the birds access to grass, and probably fewer still if the farm has been certified "organic". The certified Organic thing is losing favor with small farmers for various important reasons.

But also a chickens need more than grass and fruits and veggies to be healthy. Fruits and veggies, while high in vitamins, are low in protein. Some chickens can forage all of what they need, but that's the exception rather than the rule, especially with more chickens. Offering a complete feed is a good idea for most flocks, especially certain times of year. Or so state all the "experts" I've read. That said, my goal is to offer the very best forage I can, with pasture, gardens and orchards and deep litter ... and grow what grains I can here on the farm. But that is most certainly a work in progress for me. I'd also prefer to offer a soy-free/GMO-free feed. I'm sure there will be a lot of seasonal considerations.

The best eggs I've ever tasted were from chickens fed Purina chicken feed and Purina Flock Block ... they also got great garden scraps. Easy to do the Purina stuff, hard to guess at the garden stuff. Possibly the garden stuff was "organic." Those eggs were SO good! I hope some day my eggs taste so amazing.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

They are getting protein in their grasses too. (Consider grass fed beef cattle) Now you probably won't speed a hen through molting on grass alone. but it's in there. And among the grass blades as you know is the animal protein (insects, frogs) to compliment the grass. Free ranging is set up for a complete diet for your chicken, in my opinion. As fall wears on to winter, I notice my birds are ranging farther and farther from my yard to find what they need. Sort of amazing if you look at it from afar...but then I get nervous of course and more neighborly if you will and scuttle them back home with enticing offerings. LOL.

Just this fall with molt and daylight hours shortening-egg supply not keeping to my needs I bought some Amish eggs from my grocery store. This guy has his hens raised on hay, outside birds to some degree, but I can tell they are being fed mostly bagged feed. The yolks are much paler than my grass fed free ranging girls. Grass = more betacarotene in the egg and perhaps the more delicious flavor.