Stunted adolescent chicks

[Rosdez31]

Is it just the mix you don't like with s+p? It is the only corn free food available in the area.

 

[paneubert]

Sour or impacted crops are caused from messing with feed. Best fed Dry as it was intended to be fed...

Tell that to all the people who completely ferment their commercially produced dry feed! I don't think people should mess with feed or add tons of weird stuff (number or volume), but a teaspoon of veg oil into a couple pounds of feed isn't really "messing with it" if you ask me. Unless you let it go rancid before it is consumed. But everyone has their own unique risk aversion level.

 

[Rosdez31]

Sour or impacted crops are caused from messing with feed. Best fed Dry as it was intended to be fed...

The s+p website does recommend fermenting or mixing feed with something because of the fines, so do you still think it should be dry or does that mean it's intended to be wet? Ive always had mammals

 

[ChickenCanoe]

This is why it's best to ferment this type of feed. I was getting noticeable waste (mostly in fines) with Scratch & Peck until I started fermenting it, because it helps the fines stick to the grains.

Another thought: my EEs this year are also small. Not bantam small but noticeably smaller than the other birds. Wonder if whatever hatchery my feed store sources from changed up the breed make up that goes into them, because they had a lot more chick colors available this time whereas before almost all of them were the partridge color.

X2
When we had a feed co-op I used to get a coarsely ground 16% organic grower that looked like Scratch & Peck. By fermenting, all the goodies were bound up in the mass. I loved it but wouldn't feed it dry.
Prior to that, I would keep about 5 different kinds of feeds for various ages/sexes. For a long time I just used the fermented feed unless it was below freezing. By mixing with fishmeal, I could get different crude protein percentages.

 

[Rosdez31]

Tell that to all the people who completely ferment their commercially produced dry feed! I don't think people should mess with feed or add tons of weird stuff (number or volume), but a teaspoon of veg oil into a couple pounds of feed isn't really "messing with it" if you ask me. Unless you let it go rancid before it is consumed. But everyone has their own unique risk aversion level.

I could really see this being a problem for some birds and some feeds, I do appreciate the advice but this is the pacific northwest so my chickens have been eating freshly rained on feed for months with no problem.

 

[Rosdez31]

X2
When we had a feed co-op I used to get a coarsely ground 16% organic grower that looked like Scratch & Peck. By fermenting, all the goodies were bound up in the mass. I loved it but wouldn't feed it dry.
Prior to that, I would keep about 5 different kinds of feeds for various ages/sexes. For a long time I just used the fermented feed unless it was below freezing. By mixing with fishmeal, I could get different crude protein percentages.

They loved it fermented! I'll go back to doing that. The enzymes of the fermenting probably helps sour croup as well.

 

[paneubert]

The s+p website does recommend fermenting or mixing feed with something because of the fines.

See....this right here is what makes me sad. Haha. The producer themselves completely admit that their product is flawed in the form that it is delivered to the customer. Totally give them credit for being honest with the consumer and being so transparent. But still sad that it is a problem to begin with. Almost seems like they should ship each bag with some sort of water pack or vitamin liquid for the customer to "wet" the feed with. No way that would ever be profitable for them, but just wishful thinking.

 

[Rosdez31]

It's is more work... but part of the reason for raising your own chicks is less processed food so I don't love the idea of serving them a processed food. Its an imperfect system.

 

[Rosdez31]

X2
When we had a feed co-op I used to get a coarsely ground 16% organic grower that looked like Scratch & Peck. By fermenting, all the goodies were bound up in the mass. I loved it but wouldn't feed it dry.
Prior to that, I would keep about 5 different kinds of feeds for various ages/sexes. For a long time I just used the fermented feed unless it was below freezing. By mixing with fishmeal, I could get different crude protein percentages.

Great idea where does one acquire fish meal?

 

[Rosdez31]

Doesn't really show there size but here are a few of my littles