Suggestions ANYONE

the3ofus+oursixchicks

Songster
8 Years
Apr 22, 2011
1,273
12
154
alabama
Just a question.....my chickens wont eat just anything. They seem to be a little sluggish lately. I have 3 sets. One set is 4 hens that range from 3 to 2 years old. The second set is probably 2 months or so. The third set are like a month or so. The middle set is fine wild and crazy. My first set is fine except of Petunia. I recently lost our sweet rooster which was her man. She loved him very much. She is loosing feathers so I am assuming that she is molting a little or could she be depressed? She is a little sluggish. My 3 set I noticed to day one of them is acting a little sluggish. They free range 90% of the time. I feed them scratch. They do like grapes, shredded cheese, dry oats. My rooster had a respritory infection. Then I had one of the middles set pass away also im not sure what was wrong with her. I noticed she had been moving real slow for about 3 weeks maybe. I didn't really know she was sick I guess I thought she was just a little slower than the rest. My question is this. Is there certain foods that I need to be feeding them? I have electrolytes in the water. Could it be the change of the weather that they are a little sluggish. I am really worried since I have had 2 deaths recently.
 
If they are layers, try layer feed. If they are meatbirds, they need meatbird feed or chick developer. In my opinion they need more than just scratch grains to produce efficiently. On the sluggish/not eating note, my flock (65 birds at the moment) went from eating 2 + gallons of feed a day to almost nothing when it got over 100 degrees here. They layed around in the shade with their wings out panting until the afternoon sun went low and it cooled down. They did drink 10 gallons of water a day. How is your weather?
 
Feed them a good quality, balanced poultry ration. The diet you are giving them is inadequate which may be part of your problem. The bird that's losing feathers is molting, not depressed.
 
should I be buying them veggies to eat? could the feed store tell me of a good balance other than just scratch? I just thought since they free range that that was great diet.
 
Free range is good BUT they need a diet of layer feed included (pellets or crumbles). Also, if they are moulting, they need more protein to help with feather replacement. Use scratch sparingly when the temperatures are high. I only give scratch as a treat, not as a food source.
 
maybe I should tell what kind my littlest ones are. they are easter eggers. one of them is acting sluggish still drinks a lot and eats just not as peppy as usual. also, runny poop. he acts like his head is bothering him. by saying that I mean it looks like he kinda wants to hold it down a little and he is letting me hold him to which he usually is hard to catch. he still tried to get away but I can catch him a whole lot easier. I didn't know if them being such a big breed that it could effect their brain growth.
 
Yeah, I agree with all the others.
Discontinue the scratch since it's more of a 'candy' than anything else and it is not a good idea to feed when it's hot.
Save it for the winter to put more weight on them.
The ones that are not laying yet should be fed a chick starter and the ones at laying age should be fed a layer crumble or pellet.
That will take care of their nutritional needs and they'll also eat bugs and grass throughout the day.
You can also toss them some boiled eggs.
If they're not used to boiled eggs, you can coax them into eating it, but once they figure out how good it is, they'll love it.
The added protein from the boiled eggs is good for your molting birds.
And if you've got chick starter, you can give that to your molting birds, too, since it's got a higher protein than layer feed.
If they're still hot, you can freeze some strawberries, melons, etc, to give them to peck at.
Hopefully, they've got plenty of shade to rest in.
Good luck with your birds!
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