Some questions about preventing obesity and cleaning feeders

[EggSighted4Life]

Oh okay, i read somewhere that the corn is harder to digest so it helps produce more body heat

Myth perpetuated by people who don't understand how the body works. Or how calories work.

Formulated ration will get you equal if not better results. A bird will eat to meet their ENERGY need... meaning they will consume only a specific number of calories whether that be from fat, carbs, or protein. Provide their calories in an unbalanced feed like corn... and they will be decreasing the vitamin and mineral intake that they would otherwise have gotten. I have extensively researched this and nutrition is key to sooo many things.

Don't personally care for Dumor products... too many reports of birds not thriving. Though some people are happy with it. They sell the FR at TSC (who is the only place that carries Dumor), and it IS indeed a vegetarian formula...
https://www.purinamills.com/news/detail/purina-announces-enhanced-recipe-of-flock-raiser-crumbles

I feed it to all my birds from hatch through processing as it is meant to meet all their needs... except I have to provide oyster shell on the side for layers. It's not too much pricier, if at all than the Dumor. I spent hours in feeds stores reading labels... feeds are guilty of changing their formulation without notice or mention. Good luck finding one you like.

 

[Birdsong 82]

As far as cleaning and watering dish I keep mine in the shade to help keep it clean longer. When it does have algae buildup I found that soaking it in lemon juice as long as it’s not metal helps it come out much easier. Obviously I don’t for the lemon juice in there around chickens. I noticed plastic and metal at least in my opinion don’t create as much algae growth as the rubber ones. I do like the rubber ones in the winter time though. I have no way of providing a heated water dish and I’ve broken countless feeders trying to get ice out of them. And I noticed the black ones I don’t know because if they capture heat but they seem to get algae growth faster

 

[Jemma Rider]

I can't imagine any laying breeds getting obese if they can free range. Also they really enjoy eating meat and I think they're not designed to be vegetarian. I've seen chickens chase down mice and eat them. I wonder if the "meat" products used in commercial feed isn't just something like bone meal for calcium? Compared to the cost of grains pound for pound it doesn't seem really economical to use any meat product in bird food.

oh no i don't want them to be vegetarian, i watched them rip apart a frog the other day, it looked like the most fun they've had in years. They need animal protein from somewhere and they can eat any bugs they find in the yard (they get a lot, i like to leave random boards laying around the yard and after about a week i lift them up to expose the grubs and beatles so the birds can enjoy them). But i don't want to support the animal product industry, i am not okay with the way animals are treated and i don't think it would make sense for me to support other animals suffering to feed my animals. If my birds absolutely NEEDED animal protein in their diet right now i would continue using the same feed i am now but since i know they eat plenty of bugs, frogs, lizards, toads, mice, insects and arachnids while free ranging i don't think it's necessary.
I believe most feeds are vegetarian, the one I'm using now is weird, it was on sale so i guess my mother bought it, i just tossed the rest today and bought some normal stuff as well as a new feeder and a new waterer. I'll figure it out, i would never deny an animal it's healthy diet due to my personal views but since their main source of food is whatever they find free ranging i don't see a point to buying feed with animal products in it.

 

[Jemma Rider]

Myth perpetuated by people who don't understand how the body works. Or how calories work.

Formulated ration will get you equal if not better results. A bird will eat to meet their ENERGY need... meaning they will consume only a specific number of calories whether that be from fat, carbs, or protein. Provide their calories in an unbalanced feed like corn... and they will be decreasing the vitamin and mineral intake that they would otherwise have gotten. I have extensively researched this and nutrition is key to sooo many things.

Don't personally care for Dumor products... too many reports of birds not thriving. Though some people are happy with it. They sell the FR at TSC (who is the only place that carries Dumor), and it IS indeed a vegetarian formula...
https://www.purinamills.com/news/detail/purina-announces-enhanced-recipe-of-flock-raiser-crumbles

I feed it to all my birds from hatch through processing as it is meant to meet all their needs... except I have to provide oyster shell on the side for layers. It's not too much pricier, if at all than the Dumor. I spent hours in feeds stores reading labels... feeds are guilty of changing their formulation without notice or mention. Good luck finding one you like.

Okay, that's good, means i don't need to buy cracked corn again.
i do really want to switch to flock raiser, i am pretty worried that they won't get enough calcium though I'm sure my worries are pointless but still. But that's cool, I've seen the purina flock raiser around so i know i have access to it. The feed stores around me don't carry a lot of things, there's usually four brands of feed to choose from and the good ones are always sold out.
thank you!

 

[Jemma Rider]

As far as cleaning and watering dish I keep mine in the shade to help keep it clean longer. When it does have algae buildup I found that soaking it in lemon juice as long as it’s not metal helps it come out much easier. Obviously I don’t for the lemon juice in there around chickens. I noticed plastic and metal at least in my opinion don’t create as much algae growth as the rubber ones. I do like the rubber ones in the winter time though. I have no way of providing a heated water dish and I’ve broken countless feeders trying to get ice out of them. And I noticed the black ones I don’t know because if they capture heat but they seem to get algae growth faster

I just got a metal waterer today, I'm hoping there's less algae growth in this one since no light can shine into it. I'm not sure if the algae could hurt the birds, that's my main concern since a clean environment can help prevent disease, i don't think it could hurt the birds but it's just something i think about a lot.
thanks very much

 

[ChickenCanoe]

...
alright, i know the one I'm using now has beef in it and whey, i can't remember the brand. I wanted to start feeding something from dumor i liked their chick starter, but as i said i need to do more research before i make any concrete decisions on feed.
Thank you

Please let us know what brand of feed you buy that contains beef. I've seen fishmeal and porcine meal in chicken feed but I've never seen beef in poultry feed. It is banned in many countries.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Please let us know what brand of feed you buy that contains beef. I've seen fishmeal and porcine meal in chicken feed but I've never seen beef in poultry feed. It is banned in many countries.

Are you okay? That's a lot of repeat posts.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Okay, that's good, means i don't need to buy cracked corn again.
i do really want to switch to flock raiser, i am pretty worried that they won't get enough calcium though I'm sure my worries are pointless but still. But that's cool, I've seen the purina flock raiser around so i know i have access to it. The feed stores around me don't carry a lot of things, there's usually four brands of feed to choose from and the good ones are always sold out.
thank you!

My hens have been getting all their calcium needs met by free choice oyster shells. Keep a separate bowl full and they will self regulate their needs.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Are you okay? That's a lot of repeat posts.

I didn't try it. I reported that it wouldn't take my reply. When I closed and reopened the page, 6 identical posts showed up.
Not my fault.

 

[llombardo]

I just got a metal waterer today, I'm hoping there's less algae growth in this one since no light can shine into it. I'm not sure if the algae could hurt the birds, that's my main concern since a clean environment can help prevent disease, i don't think it could hurt the birds but it's just something i think about a lot.
thanks very much

My one waterer has a metal base--more algae in that one then the plastic one. Hope you have better luck because it's driving me nuts.