Pet Chicken Feed Question

[Loving my girls]

Is he REALLY a vet ? In the veterinary sense ?
This guy really has no idea - ahhh ! I know he’s confusing them with Emu’s (easily done)

 

[21hens-incharge]

The back of the bag of feed will have use instructions on it. The scratch will say to feed as a treat only to encourage natural scratching behavior. The layer feed will say to feed as the primary ration since it is formulated for birds that are laying age.

It sounds like that vet didn't even read the back of the bag.

 

[K0k0shka]

Yes, but this surpasses that. This is not even knowing the basics. This is did they even pass the board (or whatever it is for DVM).

Yeah, this one is exceptionally bad not just for a vet, but for anybody with any claims on chickens. Newbies starting out with fad chickens know better than he does!

 

[Brooks_]

Yeah, this one is exceptionally bad not just for a vet, but for anybody with any claims on chickens. Newbies starting out with fad chickens know better than he does!

Yes, even this Dr would know better.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Fun as it may be to pick on this vet, its entirely possible they are a qualified generalist. Their ignorance on the topic of poultry should not be imputed to be ignorance on everything animal, or they would never have obtained their license. Possible they are highly qualified on dogs and cats, and thought to expand their business during the pandemic to all critters great and small.

Yes, we clearly know far more about how to feed a chicken than they do - but we are specialists - those actively keeping poultry with interest in how best to do it. Most of us are specialists within that specialty - you will see me on the coop building forum, the feed forum, and the law forum. I don't spend time on poultry illness or injury, not in predators and pests, not on incubation/raising babies, behaviors, egglaying... Sometimes management and meaties (if it involves feeding them) Nor do I identify breeds.

Its relatively easy to be a highly qualifed specialist, if the field is narrow enough. Lets credit their degree and license as showing some degree of competence in other areas - just not chicken keeping.

Else we run the risk of turning off the OP's boss when they come here to find out what the fuss is about.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yeah, this one is exceptionally bad not just for a vet, but for anybody with any claims on chickens. Newbies starting out with fad chickens know better than he does!

The Facebook Group for Backyard Chicken keepers suggests otherwise...

 

[Folly's place]

Two comments here: @SilverBirds misspoke about protein level in scratch feed, it's low, not high.
And this veterinarian should know when to say "I don't know" rather than making something up! I just hope that this person was misunderstood, but if that was the advice given, awful!
Mary

 

[Brooks_]

Fun as it may be to pick on this vet, its entirely possible they are a qualified generalist. Their ignorance on the topic of poultry should not be imputed tobe ignorance on everything animal, or they would never have obtained their license. Possible they are highly qualified on dogs and cats, and thought to expand their business during the pandemic to all critters great and small

Anyone that took Intro to Poultry 101 would know better. I question if this is truly a DVM.

 

[SilverBirds]

Two comments here: @SilverBirds misspoke about protein level in scratch feed, it's low, not high.
And this veterinarian should know when to say "I don't know" rather than making something up! I just hope that this person was misunderstood, but if that was the advice given, awful!
Mary

Thanks for correcting my error

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Anyone that took Intro to Poultry 101 would know better. I question if this is truly a DVM.

Not actually a course.

OK, I'm sure its a course somewhere. Here in Florida, UF has a decent reputation for turning out Vets. You can get your degree, and a Certificate in Food Animal Medicine, without a dedicated poultry class.

https://education.vetmed.ufl.edu/dvm-curriculum/certificates/food-animal-medicine/

Indead, they only offer two bird courses -
VEM 5311 Avian Health & Disease
VEM 5313 Poultry Diseases
(What can i say, Florida is a cattle state...)

Its different elsewhere. Texas A&M has a poutltry program, Ohio State, Mississipi State, UNC Raleigh, Wisconsin State. But there aren't a lot of colleges with much to offer on keeping chickens, and fewer still where it is part of required curriculum.