Show Off Your American Gamefowl and Chat Thread!!!

[centrarchid]

My oats seldom actually sprout but they swell big time. I generally do soaked oats during winter and batches in cellar where temperatures are more stable. Lower temperatures slows development of the sweet alcohol smell. A given batch is then fed out within a couple days. Mixing whole corn in I do too.

 

[narragansett1]

I used to be good at sprouting the oats but not so much any more also have a question on B15 what good will it do for a bird and what is the difference in say B12 just wondering I have a bottle but no sure how to use it for the health of my birds or is it a waste of money....

 

[centrarchid]

Normally I think of B-vitamins as being important for energy metabolism. B15 has not been demonstrated to be an actual vitamin but must be easy to produce and has been sold as a B-vitamer. I would not invest in it..

I would invest my efforts in other vitamins. Generally, a well balanced diet or one based on formulations used these days for production will at least come close to meeting your birds needs. If your birds are stressed then their need can increase of their ability to extract the vitamins from the diet can be compromised. Then you can compensate by providing the additives or switching to ingredients that have more available B-vitamins. Grains not ground would be a start which means avoiding scratch grains and stuff that has been sitting around a long time or exposed to too much heat. Keep feed fresh, cool and dry. In my setting I try to make so birds have near continuous access to fresh greens, especially clovers (legumes) as they are good sources of many vitamins. The pepper example I provided above was largely intended to be a source of A-vitamers although it can be a good source of B-vitamers as well. Coprophagy (poop eating) which does occur in your pens can also provide some B vitamins but not all. I free-range young birds and broody hens to get around these issues when practical. If you are committed to tight confinement then the use of supplements may be worth considering, especially if you have any doubts about the quality of feeds. Also, if your birds are challenged by heavy worm of cocci burdens their ability to extract vitamins from the diet may be compromised. The use of rooster booster type products are particularly effective in that latter situation.

 

[sdm111]

If it were me I wouldn't push her to lay especially in a molt just take good care of her and when she's ready shell start laying for you

 

[narragansett1]

i do feed a nice game cock mix that i buy premixed it seems to be of high quality i also feed a mix of oatmeal boiled eggs with Cinnamon and garlic and i am going to be adding the pepper we talked about i also add some fresh fruit i blend this mix and make it in to balls and freeze i take the frozen balls out as needed and thy relay like them especially on a hot day i also feed tomato's 2x a week thy love that the most i also give electrolytes 2x per week does all this sound like a good diet...

 

[narragansett1]

no i m realy not wanting any of my hens to lay yet but i have a few that are still laying its been raining here for 25 days stright so i have been loosing a few chicks to cocci...

 

[centrarchid]

i do feed a nice game cock mix that i buy premixed it seems to be of high quality i also feed a mix of oatmeal boiled eggs with Cinnamon and garlic and i am going to be adding the pepper we talked about i also add some fresh fruit i blend this mix and make it in to balls and freeze i take the frozen balls out as needed and thy relay like them especially on a hot day i also feed tomato's 2x a week thy love that the most i also give electrolytes 2x per week does all this sound like a good diet... 

With fruits make certain skin included. You may pushing diet a direction that is low in protein. Evidence for that will be feathers not staying in before molt starts next year. The spices will do same thing as electrolytes although latter cheaper.

if breeding for potential broodfowl, then do not over supplement as such might select for birds that cannot go without supplementation.

 

[sdm111]

X2 tuff resistive broodfowl make for the same in their chicks

 

[narragansett1]

yes i do agree with having tuff brood fowl really the electrolytes is all i use on the birds other than i vaccinate for fowl pox if not there is a 90 percent chance thy will get it here in my area i do notice that some breeds seem to be tuffer than others as far as being disease residence..

 

[sdm111]

I let pox run its course on the young ones once a year and they're good for life. Once they get it they're immune and I've never lost one from it. Should be getting it soon