Omega 3 feed and mixed flock

[jonalisa]

Due to a recent diagnosis, I am looking into Purina Omega 3 feed. Eggs rich in Omega 3 are good neuroprotective food for the brain. Unfortunately, it says to only feed it to your layers. I have 8 old, non-layers so I'm not even sure how I could feed them separately. THOUGHTS?

 

[nuthatched]

Feed flock feed and supplement with krill oil?

 

[Peter_Rabbit_Farm]

Try growing your own duckweed and introduce non toxic snails. As you grow feed some duckweed, and the snails will provide some omega 3 and some other benefits. Or if you don’t have time for that, add canned fish cat food or tuna fish to treats. I have a ton of roosters, so I give cat food as treats for omega 3 supplement

Also Purina is heavy in corn and soy, not too many vitamins and minerals, I would go with either nutrena all flock, hearty hen, or feather fixer as a better normal feed for your birds.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Feather Fixer is a higher Protein "Layer" feed - too much calcium for mixed flock.

Amusing Soy was mentioned as if its bad in some fashion, its high in omega threes and is a very important part of many chicken feeds. Flaxseed is good too, but stupid expensive and moderately high in fat. Your better option, if you have the climate, and your birds have space to range, it so plant it. Its obviously not available to your birds year-round as a planting, but ime are very fond of both the blue flax and the toad flax on my acres.

You might also consider buying a bag of seaweed/kelp meal (NOT the stuff from the garden store, but rather this stuff or its equivalent.) which is also high in some Omega 3s and lots of minerals. Unfortunately, also salt.

 

[Peter_Rabbit_Farm]

Feather Fixer is a higher Protein "Layer" feed - too much calcium for mixed flock.

Amusing Soy was mentioned as if its bad in some fashion, its high in omega threes and is a very important part of many chicken feeds. Flaxseed is good too, but stupid expensive and moderately high in fat. Your better option, if you have the climate, and your birds have space to range, it so plant it. Its obviously not available to your birds year-round as a planting, but ime are very fond of both the blue flax and the toad flax on my acres.

You might also consider buying a bag of seaweed/kelp meal (NOT the stuff from the garden store, but rather this stuff or its equivalent.) which is also high in some Omega 3s and lots of minerals. Unfortunately, also salt.

I like you suggestion of adding kelp I never thought of that. I’ll try that with my birds. I personally already add flax seed into my chickens diet, my local feed store sells it cheap at $15 for a 20lb bag.I mix most of my feed, it reduces cost for me to buy lots of different grains and mix them into a feed. I have had good results for my mix with my birds

 

[U_Stormcrow]

If you have a recipe, I'd be happy to run it thru a feed calculator later today and give you the estimated nutritional breakdown of your feed (w/o a vitamin calculation, I've not added that). As an initial impression, I have low confidence in your feed and consider the assertion of "good results" to be unverifiable puffery, but I could be wrong.

and @jonalisa I see you are in NH - not a great climate for the various flax. But you could consider sprouting trays, which have the added benefit of being useful in enclosures in ways which field plantings like mine are not.

You might also develop a relationship with your local grocer or fishmonger in hopes of getting fish scraps.

 

[Peter_Rabbit_Farm]

If you have a recipe, I'd be happy to run it thru a feed calculator later today and give you the estimated nutritional breakdown of your feed (w/o a vitamin calculation, I've not added that). As an initial impression, I have low confidence in your feed and consider the assertion of "good results" to be unverifiable puffery, but I could be wrong.

and @jonalisa I see you are in NH - not a great climate for the various flax. But you could consider sprouting trays, which have the added benefit of being useful in enclosures in ways which field plantings like mine are not.

You might also develop a relationship with your local grocer or fishmonger in hopes of getting fish scraps.

I meant “good results” as strong egg shells, healthy body weight condition, ( not too skinny or fat around the keel) Also the feather condition is great.

I use all flock as a base pellet. The grains I mix in are in this order, oats, barley, split peas, millit, cracked corn, flaxseed, soybean. I ferment this mix.
I also give soaked alfalfa cubes as a temporary fix to replace grass, since I can’t free range due to avian flu

I also give wet fish cat food, or dry grain free dog food as a treat. As well as veggies as well

I know that making a mix can be a bit risky, but straight 50lb bags of chicken feed is too expensive for me since I have over 100 chickens, and feeding Normal chicken feed gets too expensive. I have found my mix to work for my birds at least.

I would like to do the nutrition calculator you were talking about though. I am curious to what the results would be

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I meant “good results” as strong egg shells, healthy body weight condition, ( not too skinny or fat around the keel) Also the feather condition is great.

I use all flock as a base pellet. The grains I mix in are in this order, oats, barley, split peas, millit, cracked corn, flaxseed, soybean. I ferment this mix.
I also give soaked alfalfa cubes as a temporary fix to replace grass, since I can’t free range due to avian flu

I also give wet fish cat food, or dry grain free dog food as a treat. As well as veggies as well

I know that making a mix can be a bit risky, but straight 50lb bags of chicken feed is too expensive for me since I have over 100 chickens, and feeding Normal chicken feed gets too expensive. I have found my mix to work for my birds at least.

I would like to do the nutrition calculator you were talking about though. I am curious to what the results would be

You can IM me - be certain to specify which All Flock you use as the base, so I can incorporate that data as well. Or we can do it publicly. Your call.

My own flock size, at times, approaches yours - I'm busy doing Spring/Summer replacements, so I'm down in number right now, but yes, I buy 500#+ of feed at a time. Its good for a month.

Thankfully, I have a pasture to stretch my feed results, and a local family feed store with better pricing than I can get from the mill.