Some questions about preventing obesity and cleaning feeders

[Jemma Rider]

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.

Sorry, i tossed the remaining feed and the bag out earlier. Also, i am very very sorry, i misread something on the bag i don't think there was beef in the feed, i checked again before i tossed it and I'm pretty sure my eyes switched around some letters, i have trouble reading in sunlight my eyes are very sensitive and I've never looked at the labels while in the shade. I don't remember the brand name, i am very sorry i didn't mean to state any incorrect information as fact or mislead anybody I'm quite embarrassed, i was so sure i had read everything correct i apologize, genuinely
It did have whey so i guess I'm not a complete mess up but still i apologize

 

[Jemma Rider]

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.

I hope it works okay, I'm going to check it tomorrow night, it's in the shade so it won't be too hot and i feel like the lack of light would stop the algae growth or at least slow it down so hopefully it works. If it doesn't i still have a pretty cool new waterer so that's a plus.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Myth perpetuated by people who don't understand how the body works... TSC (who is the only place that carries Dumor), and it IS indeed a vegetarian formula... feed... [mills] are guilty of changing their formulation without notice...

A vegetarian chicken feed is not and can never be a complete chicken ration mostly because of a lack of vitamin A and an incomplete B vitamin complex. I am unawares of any ban on feeding beef by products to poultry and one of the most common beef by products fed to chickens is dairy by products. I realize that there is a band on feeding cows to cows because of the danger of Mad Cow Disease but I would like to see where you can't feed these products to chickens..

 

[EggSighted4Life]

A vegetarian chicken feed is not and can never be a complete chicken ration mostly because of a lack of vitamin A and an incomplete B vitamin complex.

Right... IF it didn't have those added in... but since ALL of our "complete" poultry rations DO have them added, I don't quite understand what your issue is?

 

[MissChick@dee]

I’m pretty simple. I would not feed a growing child a vegetarian diet. They can choose to be vegan or whatever they’d like as adults.
Chickens choose to eat bugs etc. because they are genetically wired from the dawn of time to eat meat.
God did not make vegetarian chickens.
My hens favorite treat is marinated bbq’d chicken breasts!!
Fish are good vegetarian Pets. Oh wait nope wrong again.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Is algae in waterers bad for chickens? I've noticed algae growth in my plastic waterer but have been putting off cleaning cuz I'm a bit of a lazy bastard and convinced myself that it's actually a good source of nutritional value for them.

 

[AA Maple]

I'm not sure if the algae could hurt the birds

Mine seem to prefer a puddle in the dirt driveway to clean water in the waterer. Really considering what chickens put down their gullet every day (that I see) I suspect they're built of pretty tough stuff as far as being able to digest just about anything.

That said, I'll also report that I don't get much algea buildup in my plastic watering stations left in shady places and it comes off easy enough with a dish rag and clean water.

I'll also report I haven't had any issues with the TSC "dumor" brand feed, though I'm getting Nutrena "country feeds" at the local Agway for a little less these days. My broilers were absolute monsters this spring and my laying flock seems happy as can be with that, forage, and whatever kitchen scraps I throw them.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I’m pretty simple. I would not feed a growing child a vegetarian diet.

That really wasn't what was being suggested.

What I DID say was that the formulated chicken feed, even the vegetarian ones do have the correct nutrients added in to make them a COMPLETE ration... even without access to bugs.

No, that doesn't mean I think chickens are vegetarian.. I raise meal worms and red wigglers for mine in addition to other bugs attracting stations throughout my pasture. I even feed them chicken. I avidly suggest people feed ANIMAL protein when it is clear their birds are deficient from being fed nothing but scratch and pasta/bread type table scraps. Some people don't understand that to me a vegetarian diet almost implies the chicken has never seen the ground or the light of day.

For me... I have to go out of my to find a chicken feed with animal byproducts in it and that isn't worth my effort when I know what I have IS nutritionally correct. No fear mongering people into not feeding some of the "vegetarian" formulas available whatever their reasoning is. Of course educating them that chickens are naturally omnivores is awesome! It doesn't mean they are harming their birds.

I realize that there is a band on feeding cows to cows because of the danger of Mad Cow Disease but I would like to see where you can't feed these products to chickens..

Here in Ca, it is illegal to feed any ruminant (yes you are correct that it doesn't apply to chickens as far as I know) any type of animal protein...
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/docs/FeedLaw&Regs.pdf

Is algae in waterers bad for chickens? I've noticed algae growth in my plastic waterer but have been putting off cleaning cuz I'm a bit of a lazy bastard and convinced myself that it's actually a good source of nutritional value for them.

LOL, you are one I have a hard time knowing to take sometimes...

Off beat, inappropriate, or immature comments. Sometimes funny as heck!

I figure I just shouldn't be so uptight.

Anyways, if algae were gonna harm chickens mine would probably all be dead. Some plastics might have microban technology that helps to ward off growth. But your'e not too far off base, I used to feed Spirulina (a type of algae) to my aquarium fish...
https://www.livescience.com/48853-spirulina-supplement-facts.html

Fish are good vegetarian Pets. Oh wait nope wrong again.

Maybe some fish are, IDK. But you make a good point... someone COULD get vegetarian pets if they wanted to!

Rabbits, goats, horse, cow, sheep, maybe tortoise.. There may be others, but since we aren't vegetarian and it hasn't been of special interest to me I am unfamiliar with other options.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Couldn’t agree more!

 

[MissChick@dee]

Sometimes we need to see people doing the best they can with what they’ve got.
Foresight in a teacher is humbling. Insight in a teacher shows a true knowledge. Me? I’m at an age in my life that I realize that if I take myself too seriously I’m just wasting time and missing opportunities. Ya know?