The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[RedRidge]

I have a question.  I'm thinking that rr may chime in on this one but anyone that has experience, please!

When feeding fish meal as part of the protein, you have to keep the levels below a certain percentage or it is "reported" that the eggs can start to taste fishy.  (I say "reported" as many of the people that feed fish meal are also feeding kelp and it seems that the kelp may be more of the culpret...but I totally digress from my question.)

[COLOR=FF0000]So..here's my question:[/COLOR]

[COLOR=FF0000]When feeding fish meal to meat birds, is there any upper limit to the amount?  Does it affect the flavor of the meat at all?[/COLOR]

I haven't heard of an upper limit but can tell you I feed a LOT more fish meal to chicks and cornish crosses. Id have to look up that old ration I used for meat birds to know the exact amount, but for chicks I believe it's 8 lbs per ton

 

[Leahs Mom]

RR - please do look up what percentage you used for the meaties.

Anyone else that raises meat birds - does anyone add ANY KIND of meat protein for them besides fish meal? If so, what and what is your source?

 

[loveourbirds]

for those of you using fish meal, you might want to read this. im not saying feeding it is wrong - its probably better than GMO soy meal or oil.

http://www.ibiblio.org/london/SoilWiki/message-archives/JoeCummins/msg00628.html

i use bowel's rangebird pellets to raise my protein, a hog pellet is similar. i have also used calf manna. the best source i have found is non GMO wheat, but its hard to find. its protein can top 40% if properly grown.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

This hawk thing is so frustrating. Mine are still in jail and whenever I open the gate (when I'm working outside) the mom does NOT want her kids to go out (even though they're 8 weeks old) and the others literally tear out across the open area they have to cross to get to the little woods. Then they only stayed out there about 5 min. before they all came back.

I haven't seen hawks HERE but likely only because I haven't been out at the right time. I do see them EVERYWHERE while driving...been observing like Sally suggested.

If I didn't have the kids w/the mom I think I'd just let the gate be open now. But I feel protective of the kids.

As soon as that gate goes open they all start eating grass! I've been uprooting the green pepper plants since they like the leaves on those and they strip them clean when I put them in jail w/the birds.

mine are still locked up too. There was a hawk circling our yard and house today when we came home from church. I have to wonder if the chickens are hiding less since they are under the net and feel safe. I'm not letting them out for a wile though. Maybe this Saturday when I have time to spend with them out there. But they are hard to get back in so they don't get let out unless I'm outside for the rest of the day light hours.

 

[ChickChickChicky]

Possibly sulfur? But I still don't think I want to be feeding something they wouldn't want to pick up in a natural setting on an every-day basis.

Folks were talking about feeding sulfur to the dogs...I found this little write-up. I don't know anything about this blog...just saw it so I'm not endorsing or anything. Just this person's experience:

http://homesteadletters.com/?p=1431

No, it couldn't be sulfur, as sulfur is a chemical....

 

[Leahs Mom]

On the protein issue - I don't feed soy. That eliminates items like calf manna and many other high protein feeds.

If I could afford animal protein I wouldn't even feed any legume. But...I do use the field peas for lack of a better source.

I'd prefer not to give fish meal either. I tried to find "meat meal" and it's about impossible to get anymore. That is what USED to be used in poultry feeds until they needed somewhere to use all the soy that was being marketed.

I do have one butcher shop in our area that sells "pet food" meats but it has a high percentage of chicken in it. Chicken, bone, chicken skin, beef liver in it mostly. And it was $1/lb which is a better price than the fish meal.

I wish I could find more beef/venison whatever besides the chicken, but I may start using it more. Due to the high percentage of bone in it I was concerned about giving it to the chicks so there's another thing.

I may approach them to see if they'd do something special for me with less bone and more liver, beef scraps, etc.


So, anyhow, what I'm looking for is a good source of ANIMAL protein rather than vegetable protein.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Yes. this situation is very frustrating. It's just not good for them to be stuck in jail.

To get mine back in, I take out a container with sunflower seed (mostly) and they know what I have and come running. I taught them that early so I'd have a good way to move them fast if needed. Usually works well. (Doesn't need to BOSS...use whatever you have!) Mine have learned well..

 

[Chrysolinsbirds]

Just hatched at midnight

At 7am..

About noon

 

[Chrysolinsbirds]

My little chick was going to need more starter so I went to my favorite local feed store where I spotted some day old chicks just the same size as my one survivor of this small hatch.. I hadn't planned on getting any but they were marked as silver laced wyandottes so I couldn't pass them up =) I'd been looking for slw locally since spring. So here are my newest hatchlings surrogate siblings.


Someone please tell me the new cashier pointed out the right ones..

 

[Leahs Mom]

Photos?