Show Off Your American Gamefowl and Chat Thread!!!

[roosterhavoc]

I don't think absolute percentages are necessary for chickens. Not only that I like variety so I change it up every so often.
I feed grown birds a mix of:
Layer pellets
Whole oats
Scratch
Boss
Floating catfish food
Small bite dog food
In winter they get whole corn added.
Young birds about 12 weeks get the same
With starter crumbles mixed in. Weening off the starter every week from there on out.
I don't use game bird starter. I think they waste too much and it stinks to high hell.

 

[centrarchid]

You may claim to have been an expert feeder back when the govmt told everyone eggs are bad for them. That I don't know.
My point was saying too much protein for chicks too young especially penned can cause growth issues.

Darn you backed down. Not game.

Hell yes you can have problems with protein to high or too low. You can also have issues when essential amino acids (what the real protein requirement is dominated by) are not balanced relative to each other with respect to their availability.

 

[centrarchid]

I don't think absolute percentages are necessary for chickens. Not only that I like variety so I change it up every so often.
I feed grown birds a mix of:
Layer pellets
Whole oats
Scratch
Boss
Floating catfish food
Small bite dog food
In winter they get whole corn added.

What is so special about your catfish feed? Why not use salmon feed or starter?

Explain your logic, especially with respect to the whole corn.

 

[roosterhavoc]

...

What is so special about your catfish feed? Why not use salmon feed or starter?

Explain your logic, especially with respect to the whole corn the catfish feed is a replacement for game bird starter at 32% protein that's all. Less waste. Game bird starter is expensive and I feel they waste a lot of it. The whole corn is just extra filler carbs that's all. They burn more calories in winter just staying warm so less risk of penned birds gaining body fat. My phone is all screwy but my reply is up there.

 

[roosterhavoc]

can you explain what you feed and why?

 

[roosterhavoc]

Your messages are showing up out of order for some reason. What do you mean I backed down? Not quite.
You don't need to explain to me the amino acid profiles. It will get boring real quick and I know them anyway.

 

[centrarchid]

Confined adult birds when temperature warm get a diet with about 14% CP. Warm means 50 F and above. Birds when in breeding pen get upwards of 18% which is not sustained. Birds in molt also get about 18%. Fish meal is preferred ingredient to up protein levels although catfish feed has better particle size. Salmon / trouts feeds do not keep well when needed most. Fatty acids are the problems there. When I have a good starter feed with at least some animal based feedstuffs I use that to up protein levels. Base feed ingredients not unlike what you describe although their use varies with availability. Proportions of those are also part of the proprietary voodoo that is often local. As temperatures drop I increase corn / oats in a fashion that does not cause reductions in the core diet (protein and other essential nutrients). Feeding cost nearly double when wind chill a big issue.

Brooder-reared I use a commercial formulation that is about 20% CP. Hen-reared free-range get a diet dominated by arthropods where protein content tends to be way above what any formulation provides.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Confined adult birds when temperature warm get a diet with about 14% CP. Warm means 50 F and above. Birds when in breeding pen get upwards of 18% which is not sustained. Birds in molt also get about 18%. Fish meal is preferred ingredient to up protein levels although catfish feed has better particle size. Salmon / trouts feeds do not keep well when needed most. Fatty acids are the problems there. When I have a good starter feed with at least some animal based feedstuffs I use that to up protein levels. Base feed ingredients not unlike what you describe although their use varies with availability. Proportions of those are also part of the proprietary voodoo that is often local. As temperatures drop I increase corn / oats in a fashion that does not cause reductions in the core diet (protein and other essential nutrients). Feeding cost nearly double when wind chill a big issue.

Brooder-reared I use a commercial formulation that is about 20% CP. Hen-reared free-range get a diet dominated by arthropods where protein content tends to be way above what any formulation provides.

not very different after all. You can feed a much higher protein content than most recommend without ill effects. The positives being better muscle growth and feather quality.

 

[centrarchid]

not very different after all. You can feed a much higher protein content than most recommend without ill effects. The positives being better muscle growth and feather quality.

Recommendations are based on confined production birds where meat or eggs are dominating issue and longevity expected for games and even ornamentals is not a concern. The recommendations are simply the least / optimum required for growth and egg production where birds are not challenged by parasites and temperature extremes nor any real physical activity.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Yeah makes perfect sense. One other thing is like many people I do try to get the birds onto more whole grains quicker. After all that's what the crop is designed for.
Definately true about winter feed doubling. It's almost ridiculous how much I go through. I feel that the less processed the food anythjng eats the more nutrients that are available.