Needing a Bit of Weight?

[rodriguezpoultry]

Hello all, I'm having trouble understanding why my birds are not gaining weight. They are Langshans (largefowl) and are in steel cages with a steel flooring. I think this may be the issue, if that's the case, there's nothing I can do at this point.

They are fed a 1/2 mixture of 28% protein gamebird feed for quail/pheasants and a 1/2 mixture of 16% layer pellets. I then put about 20 BOSS seeds on the top.

I'm debating adding some whole oats.

Any ideas?

 

[RIBill]

If they are otherwise healthy, you may be out of luck. Growth rates are mostly genetic. It's possible that they are getting too much protein and not enough carbs. Adding oats would correct that, but it would probably be easier to cut back on the game bird food. Too many carbs will make them grow faster, but it will mostly make them fat. The reference I found online said they were slow to mature.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Oh yes...I'm used to the growth rate. These are grown birds that I'm speaking of.

I prefer to feed 20% layer pellets, but the feed store is never in stock, even when they "supposedly" special order it for me. I'm only feeding the gamebird feed to help with their molt and to replace the lacking protein from the layer pellets.


Yes, Langshans are very slow to mature...

 

[Chris09]

Well your feed is around 22% protein and isn't bad.

I know that they have been wormed and checked for mites. Right?

The one thing I have found out about commercial feeds is that most are meant for backyard chickens and non-exhibition stock.
I found this out some time ago when I couldn't put weight on some Reds and Rocks and it wasn't till I started feeding whole grains mixed into there regular commercial feed. I will say as of now I feed close to 50% whole grains and 50% commercial mix. The birds seem to have lots of weight and plenty of chest on them. [all meat]
The other thing that I have found is that if the commercial feed is all Plant Protein and no Animal Protein my birds tend to loose weight and tend not to do as well as if they had Animal Protein in there diet.

More and more breeders I have been talking to are going to a "home" mix that has X amount of commercial feeds and X amount whole and home ground grains. More or less going back to a Gamefowl mix.
(note Gamefowl not Game Bird)

I hope this may help..

Chris

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Of course Chris!

All birds have been wormed and dusted, so no worries there. I'm thinking the whole grain thing might be what's needed. They are not too keen on the gamebird feed so I may just have to feed the 16% (not happy with that option) or make sure the feed mill orders enough feed for my birds.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
LOL

I just had to tease a little.

From what I have told by some other breeders, is that the commercial feeds just don't have the carbs a lot of the Exhibition stock need to fill out so the breeders are going to a mix that has grain and commercial pellets in it. They try to stay around 18 percent protein until molt then they up the protein to 20 and fat get boosted a little also.

Chris