Please help---question about F.Rangers/lame chicks/weight gain

[mommainpa]

They were on the Dumor chick starter from Tractor Supply, which is 20% protein.

When I went to the local feed store, they recommended Kalmbach game bird grower crumbles. I just checked the tag, and it's only 20% protein. It's medicated with Bacitracin, which I didn't realize. I've always fed my hens unmedicated feed. They also gave me Durvet High Performance Poultry Pak, which is a water-soluble vitamin/electrolyte mix, and advised me to use it at 1/4 tsp. to 1 gallon water.

When I saw the 24% protein feed at Tractor Supply, it was marked for turkey, pheasant, etc. Do most people feed a 24% protein feed to their broilers?

The floor of their brooder is covered with small hardwood shavings.

I never had leg problems with my Australorp hens or the Buckeye broilers. Having said that, I had a little more money at the time and I fed them an expensive organic chick starter. I wonder if they had a better nutritious start. I realize the feed at Tractor Supply is cheaper and probably not as nutritious.

Thanks again for the support and information.

 

[ChikeeMomma]

I am feeding my Cornish Xs the feed you were talking about -- Dumor starter - 24% protein for turkeys, pheasant, etc (I guess game bird?). It does not have any medication in it. I wouldn't think that the feed you were giving them would hurt, either.

 

[becky3086]

Quote:
I am feeding it to mine as well.

 

[Didelphus]

I fed my Cornish X's Purina Game Bird which was 30% protein. Sometimes I'd mix it with regular chick starter which was around 19%.
I'm getting my first rangers in two weeks so I don't have an experience with them, yet, but all this is very good to know!
Laura

 

[SteveH]

Found out this morning the chicks supposedly being shipped May 4th at the quickest were put in the mail today

. I figured out that 3 oz of dry catfood added to a pound of the 21% I have brings it up to 24% ....... plus its animal protein instead of bean meal . Threw in a tums to bring the cal/phos ratio back up and its ready for their arrival . Kind of a shame it takes the USPS a full day [ I " HOPE " its not longer ] to send them 115 miles LOL . I'll only custom mix it for the first few days to get them off to good start .

 

[Widget]

My rangers are going on four weeks and have had no issues. They have been on Poulin Chick Starter from day one. It is a 20% protein feed. If anything they are too active. They were able to get out of the brooder by two weeks of age. They haven't had a heat source since week three and are now driving me crazy in the basement brooder. Every morning I find three or four (or more) running around on the prowl for food. I affectionately call them my 'velociraptor' chickens.

. Thank goodness I am planning on setting them up in their tractor this weekend.

 

[Buster52]

I've read a little of the literature on the commercial broilers and it seems this problem is usually the result of the birds growing too fast for the bones to catch up, so I can't imagine giving them something that is actually going to make them grow faster would be of any help. Protein is about muscle development, not bone or cartilage, I don't think. With CX, you actually want to slow down the growth rate to prevent or cure problems like this, not speed it up, as I understand it.

I hope it is an issue of vitamins, or at worst a bad batch genetically. Be a shame to see this line start to develop that flaw, as well.

Be sure to keep us posted on their development.

 

[Chicken411]

I have a small pamphlet on taking care of chicks and in it it says, "Pinewood shavings are recommended. Hardwood litter is not recommended." It doesn't say why, but that may have something to do with it. My CX are on a 20% protein organic feed and vitamins in the water and so far (they are 3 weeks today) I have had no leg problems. Protein is essential to proper bone development as the living part of the bone is mostly protein based. Plant based protein is better than animal based protein for this development. Hope you figure out what the problem is and your chicks are okay. Poor little guys.

 

[mommainpa]

That's interesting about the litter. I wonder what the difference is between hardwood and softwood shavings? Whether it's an issue of softness, or is there a particular tree in the litter that isn't good for them?

Well, I checked on them this morning. Of the four that were walking funny yesterday, one shows noted improvement. He is able to walk, just prefers to be sitting. The other three may be lost causes; their toes are kind of curled in, so I'm assuming there might be some permanent damage done. I'm going to let them be for a day or so. If they don't improve, I'm going to do what's best for them and cull them.

I made a slight change in my coop/brooder setup. I arranged an extra (vitamin-added) waterer closer to the brooding area, and then put the other waterer in the middle. I put the food a good five feet away, so they're going to have to get up and walk if they want to eat. I also raised the second waterer and food trays up on blocks of wood, so they'll have to stand to eat.

I will say this---if this is a vitamin-related thing, then I'm going to be a little frustrated with this experience. When you look at many of the hatchery pamphlets, right next to the Cornish cross pictures, there's often a note or picture about making sure you use supplemental vitamins to counteract leg weakness. Rangers have a good name for being an active, vibrant bird. Nowhere on the J. M. Hatchery site did I read anything about supplementation---or of course I would have done so from the beginning. I will feel horrible if this is something that I could have prevented. I guess this is the rough part of the learning curve.

 

[barrybro]

Don't quote me on this but I remember reading about curled toes being related to a riboflavin defeciency. Give them broiler booster. If I am remembering right they also fed them raw liver.

Barry