Need input - would this mix + Kalmbach work?

[U_Stormcrow]

@2ndTink and I spoke though about upping things that silkies get because she's seen some wry neck in her chicks and I see some splayed legs in mine. Upping the E for one thing is more for them, but here she's looking for her large fowl breeders.

Silkies as it is are prone to vitamin deficiency issues, yet, I don't want to OD them either, thus why I don't give the rooster booster granules full dose. 1/4 or less dose is plenty though as proven by the fact that I can't give that same mixed feed to chicks or they'll get the runs.

I, too, am happy with the Kalmbach's Flock Maker, but have been doing this poultry additive for a decade now, assuming I'm helping them. I think it's a good idea to recheck what we're feeding our chickens every couple of years.

and this is the sort of informative post I come to BYC for. THANK YOU!

 

[Debbie292d]

and this is the sort of informative post I come to BYC for. THANK YOU!

Thank YOU for that compliment, but more so, thank you for all the help and advice you give to us BYC members!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

almost everything I've learned about feeding chickens I either read on BYC, read because someone on BYC recommended the resource, or looked into because someone on BYC asked a question I couldn't answer, and was curious...

Everyone here could do the same, w/ time and inclination.

 

[Mrs Fryzzle]

My goal is to use readily available Kalmbach feeds as the base of the feed ration but increase the fat, fiber, vitamins and amino acids to better support the needs of a large fowl breeder flock.

The mix I am considering is this:

Mix:
50# Kalmbach 17% nonGMO layer crumbles
15# Kalmbach 20% nonGMO Flock Maker
3# Alfalfa meal
1.25# Fertrell Breeder Supplement
0.02# methionine
0.10# Lysine
1# corn oil
2# scratch grains
2# Sunflower meal
+ vitamin E oil - TBD

Total batch weight = 74.37 pounds

Mix value is in the front, recommended ranges pulled from the Poultry Breeder Nutrition facebook page in parenthesis.
17.8% protein (17% to 18%)
6.1% fat (5% to 7%)
5.3% fiber (5% to 7%)
1.15% Lysine (1% to 1.2%)
0.50% Methionine (0.45% to 0.55%)
75 IU/lb Vitamin E (80 to 120)

Any thoughts or concerns on this mix?

I use Kalmbach bc of the nutrients in it. If it helps- I just mix in a 1/2 bag of good scratch to get alll the grains that could help them stay warm, feathered, and flowing. One 50# bag of flock maintainer and 1/2 of a 50# bag of good scratch (a good mix) ratio. For my chickens and Turkey, and a goose/duck kalmbach with the other 1/2 of the scratch bag.

 

[FrostRanger]

I use Kalmbach bc of the nutrients in it. If it helps- I just mix in a 1/2 bag of good scratch to get alll the grains that could help them stay warm, feathered, and flowing. One 50# bag of flock maintainer and 1/2 of a 50# bag of good scratch (a good mix) ratio. For my chickens and Turkey, and a goose/duck kalmbach with the other 1/2 of the scratch bag.

Mixing in scratch will dilute the amount of nutrients they are getting. Scratch is also no more effective than regular feed at keeping birds warm. I would just stick with regular feed for everyone

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Mixing in scratch will dilute the amount of nutrients they are getting. Scratch is also no more effective than regular feed at keeping birds warm. I would just stick with regular feed for everyone

I'm with @FrostRanger on this. Scratch is energy at the expense of nutrition. With a good feed, there is absolutely no need for it

 

[NatJ]

I use Kalmbach bc of the nutrients in it. If it helps- I just mix in a 1/2 bag of good scratch to get alll the grains that could help them stay warm, feathered, and flowing. One 50# bag of flock maintainer and 1/2 of a 50# bag of good scratch (a good mix) ratio. For my chickens and Turkey, and a goose/duck kalmbach with the other 1/2 of the scratch bag.

The Kalmbach feed already has plenty of grains. You can check the ingredients label to be sure, but the list I found online had corn as the first ingredient (meaning there is more corn than anything else.) The second ingredient I saw was soybean meal, which is a good source of protein. Protein is even better than carbs (found in grains) for keeping birds warm.

So the normal feed will work quite well to keep your birds warm, with no need to add anything else to it. They will probably eat more feed in cold weather than in hot weather, but they do not need you to change anything about the feed.

 

[2ndTink]

I'm assuming there isn't, or at least not inexpensive enough for us to use on a backyard flock. But, are there any blood tests, or egg tests that could be done to check their vitamin levels? Like how we can be tested for D3 and B12 and CO2 and a whole list of things.

It would sure be nice to be able to test our flocks to know if they are getting what they need once a year or so.