Nutrition makes a BIG difference!! - PICS ADDED 09/02

[MIKE555444]

My guess is they will never be a healthy as they "could have been" but I think it will help to get them on a healthy diet asap. Heck.... they might just be delayed and still grow into nice hens.

 

[Erica]

Interesting. Though long term health would be interesting to compare as well, especially as ISA browns are so prone to reproductive troubles.

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
I agree. They'll never be the same. They have missed out on essential building blocks for proper development and even if switched now, will greatly improve, but will always be a bit delayed or altered because key time points in development have passed. It's not just protein or fats they need, but minerals and vitamins in the fortified feeds. Great pics showing survive vs thrive.

 

[tuckertori]

Very interesting. A gal at the local grange told me that cracked corn is like feeding them "crack." They love it but there isn't much good in it for them. I notice that my girls at the bits of corn first and then at the other more nutritious parts later. I guess it is like feeding kids gummy bears at the beginning of dinner.

 

[crayon]

Wow- those birds are thin thin thin.... On the suggestion of a friend in town I got a bag of chick start from a local farmer for my second batch of chickens- thank goodness I had a batch before because I knew within weeks they were not growing and were not the size they should be. So I got a new bag of commercial feed and they are now growing very well and very happy!

It is amazing what good feed can do for growth!

It is sad....

 

[Alethea]

This is an important post. I hope it stays around for a while. While I feel sorry for the malnourished pullets, their experience might help others. Thank you.

 

[JodyJo]

wow...I will keep this bumped up....the same thing happens to baby calves, if pulled from their mamas too soon, and fed a grass diet, they are stunted...those chickens will most likely never catch up, it's the base of their development that they missed...amazing....those calves will always be scrawny and not flourish...

great post...thanks for adding this to our thread.

 

[flowerchild59]

Thanks for posting such interesting pictures. It makes you want to rescue them, doesn't it???

 

[krcote]

Quote:
Naw, they will get what they need now that the owner has the proper info. Like previous posters have said, they won't ever be perfect but I am sure they happy and soon to be fat

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am amazed at how many people around don't even buy feed period, just table scraps and let them find it themselves.