new research debunks trad views on nutrition

[Krugerrand]

Then it seems likely that the source I read was wrong -- which is not uncommon, especially when it comes to folk knowledge rather than firm science.

Sometimes 'science' becomes 'folk knowledge.' I remember reading that opossums eat ticks and including Lyme-disease-carrying deer ticks. Apparently some study led 'scientists' to believe it and it got repeated ad nauseum until it became folk knowledge. It since later has been debunked. But, the point being the folk knowledge came from 'science.'

I'm embarrassed to admit there's a post on this forum somewhere where I repeated that opossum-tick nonsense. Deer ticks are so incredibly small, there is no way a opossum could bite one.

It has been common knowledge for decades that masks do not stop cold/flu virus transmission. Yet, 'scientists' now require I wear one when in a doctors office.

My advice to people: be careful what you worship.

 

[NatJ]

Real foods are composed of lots of nutrients. A reductionist approach (thinking of anything as a sole source of something) misses the wood for the trees. My chickens get calcium from multiple sources, not least grass, which, btw, has enough calcium for a cow

Yes, but:

-- a cow does not need as much calcium each day as a laying hen, when you consider it as calcium per body weight. So having enough calcium for a cow does not tell much about whether grass (or any other food) would have enough calcium for a chicken.

--Knowing what nutrients are found in what food is helpful, to know what to offer. If someone is concerned about their chickens getting enough calcium, they should put out a dish of oyster shell rather than a dish of milk (or put out a dish of each).

Thinking of a particular food as a sole source is not good when formulating a chicken diet. But I find it useful when considering how much of a certain nutrient is in a particular food. If a hen could get enough calcium from several quarts of milk, or however many bushels of grass, then I know there is no way she can get ALL her calcium from any combination of those two sources. That means she needs access to some source of more concentrated calcium as well.

It's not rare for me to see people posting that their chicken cannot have [nutritional deficiency] because they are feeding [food that has very little of that nutrient].

 

[ManueB]

yes, and let them help themselves as they wish. Typically the roos will take a little and laying hens a lot. As for how often, about once a fortnight or when I notice the oyster shell going down faster than usual. Since mine have had it available from hatch since about 3 years ago, I really can't answer your question about how long to take effect. Perhaps you could run a little experiment if you're game to try it?

I'm very willing to give them some,maybe a bit once a week, but I don't think I would see results before a long time. And if we change their feed to whole grains + peas in the meantime I guess it should also impact their digestion.

Yes, but:

-- a cow does not need as much calcium each day as a laying hen, when you consider it as calcium per body weight. So having enough calcium for a cow does not tell much about whether grass (or any other food) would have enough calcium for a chicken.

--Knowing what nutrients are found in what food is helpful, to know what to offer. If someone is concerned about their chickens getting enough calcium, they should put out a dish of oyster shell rather than a dish of milk (or put out a dish of each).

Thinking of a particular food as a sole source is not good when formulating a chicken diet. But I find it useful when considering how much of a certain nutrient is in a particular food. If a hen could get enough calcium from several quarts of milk, or however many bushels of grass, then I know there is no way she can get ALL her calcium from any combination of those two sources. That means she needs acces to some source of more concentrated calcium as well.

It's not rare for me to see people posting that their chicken cannot have [nutritional deficiency] because they are feeding [food that has very little of that nutrient].

I agree that to have a global vision of a diet, you do need to have a good idea of nutrients in separate food types. Most of it is rather simple and common sense of eating a bit of everything in moderation, but at times some specific things require precise information. I would never have imagined that oxalates could block calcium absorption for example, and I used to give huge amounts of chards as treats to my ex-batts who laid every day and already eat a lot of oxalis that is invasive in our place.
It doesn't concern our chickens but I had to be told that drinking tea or wine while eating, partly blocked trivalent iron absorption, while vitamin C increased it. You can't make up that stuff using common sense.

We certainly can not control all that our chicken eats when they free range but I still think it's part of being a chicken keeper to have some notion of nutrients.

 

[Silexian]

I am not surprised by these findings. Back when I using an online fitness program. I would get daily health tips. The main one that stood out to me. Since most programs offer and push their ready made meals. Was “If you have to combine the ingredients and actually cook your food. It is probably good for you”. Whenever I had tried to mix my own chicken feed. My chickens would pick through and just eat what they liked. I use commercial feed as a base. My chickens are let out to forage every day. Plus they get most the kitchen and all of the garden and orchard leftovers. So they have a varied diet.

 

[3KillerBs]

I've just moved my pen to give the birds access to fresh green stuff.

Also I cleaned out the fridge, giving them access to cooked cabbage, carrots, broccoli, green beans, peas, yellow squash, and tomatoes in various mixes, also leftover chicken.

They've also had some raw beets that had gone sprouty, carrot peels, cabbage trimmings, cucumber peels, lettuce cores, and the clear eggs removed from the incubator (the incubator clears and any eggs I deep too dirty to wash conveniently get smashed against a hard surface in the run).

I sprinkled a few handfuls of bedding from the adult's coop into the brooder to work on getting them accustomed to the bacteria they'll meet when they move in.

I believe that commercial all-flock of at least 18% protein is my best insurance of good nutrition, but I also believe in the value of offering green stuff and a good variety of options. I value the chickens' ability to reduce household waste by consuming the trimmings from meal prep and the leftovers that get shoved to the back of the fridge and forgotten (I'm sure I'm not the only cook who grumbles about the way the family refuses to ever look behind something else in the fridge, but just complains that there is "nothing for lunch").

 

[Rurumo]

Sometimes 'science' becomes 'folk knowledge.' I remember reading that opossums eat ticks and including Lyme-disease-carrying deer ticks. Apparently some study led 'scientists' to believe it and it got repeated ad nauseum until it became folk knowledge. It since later has been debunked. But, the point being the folk knowledge came from 'science.'

I'm embarrassed to admit there's a post on this forum somewhere where I repeated that opossum-tick nonsense. Deer ticks are so incredibly small, there is no way a opossum could bite one.

It has been common knowledge for decades that masks do not stop cold/flu virus transmission. Yet, 'scientists' now require I wear one when in a doctors office.

My advice to people: be careful what you worship.

This is not the place for this discussion, but I hate to see conspiracy theories thrown out there as "common knowledge". Masks absolutely reduce viral transmission, especially the correct masks. It's honestly sad that this misinformation is still being spread, when such a VAST amount research has been done on the subject. Surgical masks work better than cloth https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/09/surgical-masks-covid-19.html, and N95 masks (true N95) work best of all https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8768005/. Somehow masks got bundled together with the anti-vax and anti-lockdown movements for ZERO good reasons except that they are symbolic of the Pandemic.

 

[Geena]

I use commercial feed as a base. My chickens are let out to forage every day. Plus they get most the kitchen and all of the garden and orchard leftovers. So they have a varied diet.

This is exactly what I do. I don't agonize over the ratio of pellets to extras or anything of that nature, I figure it all works out in the end. I also don't stick to any particular type of feed either, I switch around from layer to all flock to game bird feed depending on what time of year it is and what their needs are at that time.

 

[3KillerBs]

I also don't stick to any particular type of feed either, I switch around from layer to all flock to game bird feed depending on what time of year it is and what their needs are at that time.

Not to mention the availability problem.

I had to change feeds YET AGAIN today because the one I've been using for the past couple months has vanished from the farm store's inventory. I *think* I've found the right one that replaced it.

 

[Geena]

Not to mention the availability problem.

I had to change feeds YET AGAIN today because the one I've been using for the past couple months has vanished from the farm store's inventory. I *think* I've found the right one that replaced it.

I feel your pain. I'm amazed at how long it's taking them to switch over, rebrand and stabilize their inventory. This has been playing out for around two years at my SS. Eenie meenie miney moe what feed will I be getting this time, LOL.

 

[3KillerBs]

I feel your pain. I'm amazed at how long it's taking them to switch over, rebrand and stabilize their inventory. This has been playing out for around two years at my SS. Eenie meenie miney moe what feed will I be getting this time, LOL.

Fortunately I'm not picky and I don't tolerate picky chickens.