Roosters And Calcium- What's the current thinking?

[Chris09]

We have similar changes in protein levels with respect to lifecycle stage but the absolute protein levels vary greatly. I use feeds heavy on animal protein side and cut them with intact grains / scratch to give overall protein levels I use. Are your feeds close to being all grain based?

I am a firm believer that chickens need animal protein in there regular feed and the amount of animal protein should be at least the fifth ingredient on the feed tag.

My feed is a custom mix that contains Purina Game Bird Starter, Purina Game Fish Pellets, a Grain Mix. (the only real reason I use the Purina name brand is that I get a deal on it)
Also now that it is winter I will top there feed with a little Bil-Jack Dog Food (for Puppies).








Bil-Jac

Chicken, Chicken By-Products (organs only, source of arginine), Corn Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal, Oatmeal, Dried Beet Pulp, Brewers Dried Yeast, Flaxseed, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Sodium Propionate and Mixed Tocopherols (preservatives), Salt, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Inositol, BHA (a preservative), Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Rosemary Extract.


Chris

 

[centrarchid]

Chris09,

Why not use a trout chow instead of catfish chow? Former has a lot more protein and easily most of that comes from fishmeal (usually first / most important ingredient). Cost per bag higher but fewer bags required per unit of protein given to birds. Most feeds formulated for gamefish will be similarly suited for supplementation to chicken diet.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Here is a good link on feeding breeding roosters,
http://202.196.80.249/jpkc/myhexiuyuan/gout/008.pdf

Chris

I didn't get a lot out of that article. It did not seem to cover feeding breeding roosters, just hens. Maybe the wrong link?

I'm not a great follower of Countryside, Backyard Poultry, Mary Jane's Farm, any of those magazines. I get some good ideas out of them but don't think they do a real good job in vetting the reality in their articles. It's a lot like this forum. Anyone can contribute and just might say anything.

Part of the reason I'm posting this is that you might want to check that it is the right link. The other is to suggest you google the author, Darold R. J. Stenson in Washington State. You might get a kick out of that. Quite a bit showed up but I did not see anything in the first page that would establish his credentuals concerning poultry.

 

[Chris09]

Chris09,

Why not use a trout chow instead of catfish chow? Former has a lot more protein and easily most of that comes from fishmeal (usually first / most important ingredient). Cost per bag higher but fewer bags required per unit of protein given to birds. Most feeds formulated for gamefish will be similarly suited for supplementation to chicken diet.

Quote: Mostly because the trout feed that I can get around here is a larger pellet and young birds take to the smaller pellet better.
The Catfish Cow I use has both Pork and Fish meal in it (Pork being the first source of animal protein) and I like a little Fish Meal in the mix because it is a little more balance for a poultry diet.


Chris

 

[Chris09]

I didn't get a lot out of that article. It did not seem to cover feeding breeding roosters, just hens. Maybe the wrong link?
I'm not a great follower of Countryside, Backyard Poultry, Mary Jane's Farm, any of those magazines. I get some good ideas out of them but don't think they do a real good job in vetting the reality in their articles. It's a lot like this forum. Anyone can contribute and just might say anything.
Part of the reason I'm posting this is that you might want to check that it is the right link. The other is to suggest you google the author, Darold R. J. Stenson in Washington State. You might get a kick out of that. Quite a bit showed up but I did not see anything in the first page that would establish his credentuals concerning poultry.

Quote: I usually don't read them myself but there are a few articles that I will read (on line) just because either I know the person or they make more seance than others.

Most if not all of the older poultry men and cockers I know never feed a Layer feed to there birds because of the high amounts of calcium in it, they believe like me that a high calcium diet is more for a hen that is laying and rooster, young birds and non-laying hens have no need for the high calcium diet.


Chris

 

[aoxa]

I like this topic.

 

[centrarchid]

Chris09,

If you are only able to acquire Purina Mills products, check out their Aquamax line, specifically diets formulated for carnivorous fishes. Several diets are effectively crumbles and have crude protein content pushing 50% with all coming from fishmeal. Biggest concern is storage which will require a refrigerator.

 

[Chris09]

Chris09,

If you are only able to acquire Purina Mills products, check out their Aquamax line, specifically diets formulated for carnivorous fishes. Several diets are effectively crumbles and have crude protein content pushing 50% with all coming from fishmeal. Biggest concern is storage which will require a refrigerator.

I've used Aquamax, it's not bad but the bag I got was a larger pellet and was about 10.00 dollars more that what I am using now.

Chris

 

[centrarchid]

Follow link and look at formulations with highest protein contents near top.

http://www.fishchow.com/aquamaxfishdiets.htm

Despite a higher per bag price, I think you will find the cost per unit fish protein mixed into you formulation will be be less.

 

[Chris09]

Follow link and look at formulations with highest protein contents near top.

http://www.fishchow.com/aquamaxfishdiets.htm

Despite a higher per bag price, I think you will find the cost per unit fish protein mixed into you formulation will be be less.

I understand that there are more than one type of Aquamax but the place that I get this feed at only get that one type of Aquamax unless I want to order 500 pound of the other stuff in.
The problem I see with using less of a higher protein feed in a mix is that there also not getting as much of the other products that is in the product being used.

Chris