pellets

[pheasantman]

recently started feeding 18% pellets instead of scratch grains to my silkies. They love the pellets, and are actually eating more volume I believe. question I have is that their poo has changed..much bigger droppings, lots more oder to it is this normal with the switch? caused by the higher protein? your thoughts are appreciated

 

[CliffB]

Scratch grains should only be a treat so if you have just begun feeding silkies laying pellets then their droppings will change drastically. How old are the birds?

 

[pheasantman]

I started feeding them the pellets about a month ago. the youngest four hatched February this year, the others are all spring 2013 birds 19 total I also switched the pheasants and ducks over to to same pellets, and no change in their droppings at all The silkies are more active, I believe, and seem to be doing better.

 

[enola]

Were your chickens laying before changing to the pellets?

 

[pheasantman]

no they weren't laying before, and not really laying now. I say not laying, but I do get maybe one or two eggs a week.

 

[enola]

If all you were feeding them was scratch, they were not getting enough nourishment. The pellets will fix any dietary deficiencies. Do you have calcium available for your hens? Have you wormed them? Now is a great time to sort of 'tune them up' for spring. Then they will be healthy if they decide to go broody and hatch chicks.

 

[pheasantman]

No I haven't. what do you recommend to worm the chickens and pheasants? I have tried to find the Wazine, but no luck here in Colorado. What about a calcium source? They do have oyster shell available

 

[enola]

Wazine is not a good choice. It only gets roundworms. Valbazen or safeguard will kill all of the different worms chickens can get. Oyster shells are calcium.

 

[pheasantman]

Thank you, have a favorite online place to buy Valbazen or safeguard?

 

[enola]

Tractor supply has Safeguard in the goat medicines section. Valbazen can be gotten from Jeffers - 1-800-JEFFERS