The calcium of my feed is rated 3.7%min. -3.9%max.I get nice thick hard egg shells.
Thin shelled eggs
- Thread starter critterkeeper25
- Start date
Thing is, though, we have to trust the feed company to put in the bag what they say is in it. Mistakes do happen in the mixing of animal feeds, and the periodic batch analyses that are run don't catch them all.
The health of our animals is still up to us. Even though we've selected a feed we think is a good one, we still have to keep an eye on our animals and investigate problems when they arise.
Preaching to the choir, I suspect
399 eggs from 15 chicken in January.The hatchery has them rated at 320 per month.So their health must be somewhat ok.
399 eggs from 15 chicken in January.The hatchery has them rated at 320 per month.So their health must be somewhat ok.
I'll say!
Mine have been doing very well on the previous feed - until the past month or so, when I started a new bag of the same feed. When I contacted the feed manufacturer, I got blown off. Whether or not their feed was at fault (still might have been a seasonal or management issue - i.e. my fault), I won't support a company that doesn't respect its customers. Supposedly a good feed, formulated for laying hens - but mine started having a problem while eating it, so when I got no satisfaction, to quote Mick, I went elsewhere to get what I need
I have been feeding Purina for a very long time with good results, and twice have tried other feeds and have had obvious problems. Cheaper ain't better! Too many goodies will cause imbalances too. I love that you're worried about cold in NC! I'm in Michigan and the birds do fine. I don't have Seramas, silkies, or frizzles though. Mary
Laugh all you want, but cold is cold, no matter where it is on the map. Feed consumption in my little flock more than doubles in the winter months, which tells me that the chickens are feeling the cold. And I often have to break the ice on the water bowl in the chicken coop on a winter's morning or take out a separate bowl of water from the house because the water bowl in the coop has frozen solid. Just because an animal survives the cold doesn't mean the temperature didn't matter. Surviving and thriving are two very different things.
As for cost, I've not been basing my feed choices on price. In fact, the organic feed I've been using is about $10/bag more expensive than the nonorganic option. Organic - or at least nonGMO - is important to me. I'm willing to pay a premium for it - as long as it's well formulated and keeps my chickens healthy and producing well, which is where I came in on this thread. I don't have anything more to add, so I'll sign off now.
If your feeding a layer type feed in a molt the calcium is way to high you them plus the protein amount in some types of layer feeds is a bit low for a molting bird.
I feed a minimum 18 to 20 percent protein feed to my adult birds and when they just start to molt I up there protein to about 22 to 25 percent protein and cut out all treats.
Let me know when you hit 405 to 420.399 eggs from 15 chicken in January.The hatchery has them rated at 320 per month.So their health must be somewhat ok.
That about what I'm getting out of a line of hens that I have.
(my breeding and my feed "mix")
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I know this is an old debate and I agree with most of what was said here.
There are occasional production runs that may be missing a nutrient. Keep in mind that, depending on the brand and recipe, the top 2-6 ingredients are grains, legumes and possibly alfalfa. Everything else is small particle as in calcium carbonate or powders. As they're added in the mixers, it's possible for an occasional interruption of an ingredient flow. These are dusty, dirty environments and the mills run pretty well 6+ days a week, 24 hours a day. Most mfgs. are dilligent analyzing runs.
The fact that people have been feeding their entire flock layer for years with no damage is merely anecdotal. True some lines may be more resistant to urolithiasis but it doesn't mean that no damage is being done. People have birds die suddenly all the time with few or no symptoms.
How many of them have a full necropsy performed with radiographs and blood tests? Very few.
Sometimes there are symptoms. Joints may be enlarged, the bird may have a shuffling gait. The bird may be unable to perch and so remains on the floor of the cage. If other internal organs are involved, there may be a decrease in appetite. The bird may show a change in temperament and combs and wattles will pale. However the birds usually die within hours of the onset of symptoms.
Sudden death from urolithiasis and gout have long been a problem in the egg industry. If with their control over onset of lay and nutrition they still have problems how is it that it isn't an issue in small flocks where there is little control over light and with various age birds.
http://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=36
In the egg industry, feeding during molt isn't an issue because their birds don't live that long.
In broiler breeders, roosters die at 4 times the rate of hens. Urolithiasis is usually the cause of death. What's the difference between roosters and hens in a breeder population? Roosters aren't building egg shells.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/2337/urolithiasis-in-male-broiler-breeders
There are occasional production runs that may be missing a nutrient. Keep in mind that, depending on the brand and recipe, the top 2-6 ingredients are grains, legumes and possibly alfalfa. Everything else is small particle as in calcium carbonate or powders. As they're added in the mixers, it's possible for an occasional interruption of an ingredient flow. These are dusty, dirty environments and the mills run pretty well 6+ days a week, 24 hours a day. Most mfgs. are dilligent analyzing runs.
The fact that people have been feeding their entire flock layer for years with no damage is merely anecdotal. True some lines may be more resistant to urolithiasis but it doesn't mean that no damage is being done. People have birds die suddenly all the time with few or no symptoms.
How many of them have a full necropsy performed with radiographs and blood tests? Very few.
Sometimes there are symptoms. Joints may be enlarged, the bird may have a shuffling gait. The bird may be unable to perch and so remains on the floor of the cage. If other internal organs are involved, there may be a decrease in appetite. The bird may show a change in temperament and combs and wattles will pale. However the birds usually die within hours of the onset of symptoms.
Sudden death from urolithiasis and gout have long been a problem in the egg industry. If with their control over onset of lay and nutrition they still have problems how is it that it isn't an issue in small flocks where there is little control over light and with various age birds.
http://www.hyline.com/aspx/redbook/redbook.aspx?s=5&p=36
In the egg industry, feeding during molt isn't an issue because their birds don't live that long.
In broiler breeders, roosters die at 4 times the rate of hens. Urolithiasis is usually the cause of death. What's the difference between roosters and hens in a breeder population? Roosters aren't building egg shells.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/2337/urolithiasis-in-male-broiler-breeders
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