Very interesting! Thanks for sharing! This should be a sticky under raising chicks
Nutrition makes a BIG difference!! - PICS ADDED 09/02
- Thread starter MIKE555444
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flockwatcher
08/26/2011 7:39 amI've read of studies or observations similar to this before, with similar results.
Adding table scraps and free range to the cracked corn is a traditional way of raising chickens around here -- with similar results. The manager of one of our feed stores regards cracked corn as "chicken food," though they carry layer, etc. A lumber / hardware store decided to put in a few feeds a while back -- corn for chickens, and a few others, like rabbit feed. It's "the way Grandma did it," at least in some areas. Now "Grandma" often had a house full of extended family, and no electric refrigerator, so maybe the table scraps (leftovers) were more nutritious then.
The "traditional" way is how Mom fed her flock when I was a kid. They free ranged all day, and were given a little corn to lure them to the roost at dusk.Their forage area was between the house and the stock pond, with tall grasses, lots of bugs and cow patties. Mom gave them egg shell, oyster shells, and left over bread. They looked like the OP's birds, not his friend's.
The flock I keep today gets starter/grower/layer because their forage area is a two acre lawn, and it doesn't have the food on it that Mom's birds found in the cow pasture. I believe feeding the "traditional way" can produce healthy chickens, but not everyone has the right environment for that to happen. My birds would starve if I fed the way Mom did.
08/26/2011 7:39 amI've read of studies or observations similar to this before, with similar results.
Adding table scraps and free range to the cracked corn is a traditional way of raising chickens around here -- with similar results. The manager of one of our feed stores regards cracked corn as "chicken food," though they carry layer, etc. A lumber / hardware store decided to put in a few feeds a while back -- corn for chickens, and a few others, like rabbit feed. It's "the way Grandma did it," at least in some areas. Now "Grandma" often had a house full of extended family, and no electric refrigerator, so maybe the table scraps (leftovers) were more nutritious then.
The "traditional" way is how Mom fed her flock when I was a kid. They free ranged all day, and were given a little corn to lure them to the roost at dusk.Their forage area was between the house and the stock pond, with tall grasses, lots of bugs and cow patties. Mom gave them egg shell, oyster shells, and left over bread. They looked like the OP's birds, not his friend's.
The flock I keep today gets starter/grower/layer because their forage area is a two acre lawn, and it doesn't have the food on it that Mom's birds found in the cow pasture. I believe feeding the "traditional way" can produce healthy chickens, but not everyone has the right environment for that to happen. My birds would starve if I fed the way Mom did.
- Thread starter
- #23
I confirmed today that my friend has changed his feed so we will see how they develop later but I don't expect the adults to show much difference. I am curious as to what their egg production will be like compared to mine.
- Sep 1, 2011
- 7
- 1
- 7
I really appreciate your post because I wasn't aware giving them the feed with corn would make such a difference! I have 6 Rhode Island Red Hens about 7 months old and we are collectin 7 eggs a day now. The hens are pretty tame and very healthy, so I guess we are doing okay with them. One concern we have is how often to feed the hens. They seem to be starving at the beginning and ending of the day even though they are out scratching in the yard all day and we make sure they have plenty of food in their coop at the beginning and end of the day. Is there such a thing as feeding them TOO much? My son is getting frustrated about cleaning the chicken poo - I, however, don't have a problem with it - LOL. We don't want to over feed them. Thanks for any direction you can provide and thanks againi for your post.
how does one get 7 eggs a day out of 6 hens?
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- #26
Quote:
I had suspected that it would make a difference in there health by feeding them just corn BUT i had no idea it would be this significant. I have a feeder in the hen house that always has a constant supply of layer feed available to the hens. I thing withholding food from them may even cause the to "gorge" themselves when it comes "feedtime" which could also cause health issues. I would suggest getting a large enough feeder that they cannot eat all the food in a 24 hour period and keep some in it at all times. You may find out they eat less when it is always there available to them??
I had suspected that it would make a difference in there health by feeding them just corn BUT i had no idea it would be this significant. I have a feeder in the hen house that always has a constant supply of layer feed available to the hens. I thing withholding food from them may even cause the to "gorge" themselves when it comes "feedtime" which could also cause health issues. I would suggest getting a large enough feeder that they cannot eat all the food in a 24 hour period and keep some in it at all times. You may find out they eat less when it is always there available to them??
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- Thread starter
- #27
Quote:
We have bee through this many times LOL 1 egg per hen per day PERIOD. If you have more it was probably a late later the day before.
We have bee through this many times LOL 1 egg per hen per day PERIOD. If you have more it was probably a late later the day before.
I had this same experience sort of. We got our first batch of chicks at Easter from the local feed store. A friend of ours had gotten some the week before. Two weeks ago, my DH brought home all the roosters from our friend's batch as he didn't have the heart to retire them to freezer camp. I couldn't believe how scrawny those birds were! He feeds the same wayl. Cracked corn and lets them free range all day (but he really doesn't have the space for this). He came by our place last weekend and was amazed at how much weight they had put on in a one-week period. I have grower out for my birds continuously.
Yes, proper nutrition makes a world of difference.
Yes, proper nutrition makes a world of difference.
Wow...I would love to see more pics in the light if you could for comparison! That is amazing....sad though
- Thread starter
- #30
I will try to get some updated pics...
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