My neighbour needs help.

[chickathon]

My neighbour is a nice guy. I recently (last summer) gave him some chicks I hatched from my bator to start him a flock. This fall a couple of his pullets came up with some weird issues. They are lethargic and after a while their toes start to curl up. He culled the two pullets in case what they had was catching. Could this be a malnutrion thing? All he feeds them is chop. I don't know if he supplements their feed with extra goodies or not. Needless to say after finding out all he was feeding them was chop I refused to give/hatch out any more for him. I have metioned the malnutrion angle to him but he refuses to think that is the case. He's an old timer and that is how they used to feed them back then he tells me. I may be new at this chicken thing but I know they used to let them free range too. So, they ended up getting the protien they needed from the bugs they caught. Any help would be appreciated. I feel guilty for even hatching them out for him. Thanks in advance for any answers.

 

[TeamChaos]

Don't feel guilty- there was no way for you to know. I agree with you- the "old timer" feeding schedule only works when you know they have access to the makings for a complete diet on their own. That means they're out picking and scratching in everything (or nearly everything) the farm has to offer. If they are caged, it is on the human to provide. The curling toes *does* sound like a nutritional thing. Any chance he'd take some of the homemade flock booster recipes from you?

 

[chickathon]

Don't feel guilty- there was no way for you to know. I agree with you- the "old timer" feeding schedule only works when you know they have access to the makings for a complete diet on their own. That means they're out picking and scratching in everything (or nearly everything) the farm has to offer. If they are caged, it is on the human to provide. The curling toes *does* sound like a nutritional thing. Any chance he'd take some of the homemade flock booster recipes from you?

I have asked him if he would consider adding greens and maybe some meal worms. And he just kind of goes yeah I guess. I told him I thought she needed some vitamins maybe rooster booster or something like that. He seemed to listen. Cross my fingers!