Unusual crop findings??

[Buffalowingz]

Could you post a link or add a picture of your feed please?

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

they probably shouldn't be on a starter because some brands have different recipes for their starters. I don't think that played into the crop findings.
you had me worried when you said you feed them scratch and corn be cause scratch is just a mixture of corn and some other grains, and should only be fed sparingly as a treat
It is in no way a complete feed.

 

[LoveMyChickenBabies]

Do you feed your flock layer pellets of any kind? Do you have oyster shells or grit? That is some of the things that can help even out your chickens diet. I personally use a mixture of whole corn and layer pellets, and rarely give them a scoop of scratch as a treat

 

[Mosey2003]

There's nothing wrong with feeding starter, it's a good protein percentage (which you need if adding corn/scratch). The only consideration is to offer oyster shell in a container once they're 4+ months old, if there are layers.

As to why the cockerels were eating their bedding... Hard to tell. I've never really inspected crop contents that thoroughly, though I do open gizzards. If they have ample room, ample feed and water, insoluble grit available, that's about all you can do for them. If they're running out of feed and truly hungry, that would explain it.

 

[Buffalowingz]

they probably shouldn't be on a starter because some brands have different recipes for their starters. I don't think that played into the crop findings.
you had me worried when you said you feed them scratch and corn be cause scratch is just a mixture of corn and some other grains, and should only be fed sparingly as a treat
It is in no way a complete feed.

Thanks for the advice, new to this

 

[Buffalowingz]

There's nothing wrong with feeding starter, it's a good protein percentage (which you need if adding corn/scratch). The only consideration is to offer oyster shell in a container once they're 4+ months old, if there are layers.

As to why the cockerels were eating their bedding... Hard to tell. I've never really inspected crop contents that thoroughly, though I do open gizzards. If they have ample room, ample feed and water, insoluble grit available, that's about all you can do for them. If they're running out of feed and truly hungry, that would explain it.

I've never had them run out of feed, and I had hen grit down not oyster shell. Thanks for all the advice I will watch my young ones I hatched on Jan 24th they are going outside shortly and out of all of them I will have to slaughter one cockerel as my ratio is now 3 cockerels:4hens. They are dual purpose , that's why I got them slw and fbcm. I think I may use straw only as bedding. Thanks again

 

[Ridgerunner]

I could not find the label or the analysis for that feed but the write-up sounds like it should be good to start chicks that will be either layers or meat birds. The mention that they are balancing the amino acids so they seem to know what they are doing. Your issue is not this specific feed.

I don't know how much corn you are feeding. About 90% minimum of their diet should be the chicken feed so they get a balanced diet unless they forage a lot. Then they will control that split which could account for a slower growth rate. What is your expectation on growth rate? You said it was your first time butchering. Many people are disappointed in the growth rate of dual purpose birds.

Not sure what you are calling their stomach, gizzard maybe? I use pine wood shavings in my coop and they forage on grass and other green stuff. Mine are not in the coop that much. I always open the crop and gizzard when I butcher. I've found some strange things in there, for example a plum pit in the gizzard on more than one occasion. There is a plum tree in their run. I sometimes see bits of grass and such in the crop. There have probably been some times there were wood shavings but never enough to stand out. You said they were packed with corn and shavings. I'm not surprised at the corn, they usually really like it above many other foods. Not sure why both birds would have a lot of shavings inside their digestive track.

I'm not sure what your set-up looks like, how much room they have inside and outside the coop. At that age my guess is that they are sorting out or have sorted out the flock dominance/pecking order and these two may have been staying in the coop to avoid the more dominant one or ones outside. You mentioned they were in the coop a lot. They may have been pecking the shavings out of boredom. But it is really hard to guess these things when you are looking at them, let alone over the internet.

I doubt the wood shavings are your problem but heck, I don't know. There is nothing wrong with trying another bedding in the coop. Good luck!

 

[Buffalowingz]

I could not find the label or the analysis for that feed but the write-up sounds like it should be good to start chicks that will be either layers or meat birds. The mention that they are balancing the amino acids so they seem to know what they are doing. Your issue is not this specific feed.

I don't know how much corn you are feeding. About 90% minimum of their diet should be the chicken feed so they get a balanced diet unless they forage a lot. Then they will control that split which could account for a slower growth rate. What is your expectation on growth rate? You said it was your first time butchering. Many people are disappointed in the growth rate of dual purpose birds.


Not sure what you are calling their stomach, gizzard maybe? I use pine wood shavings in my coop and they forage on grass and other green stuff. Mine are not in the coop that much. I always open the crop and gizzard when I butcher. I've found some strange things in there, for example a plum pit in the gizzard on more than one occasion. There is a plum tree in their run. I sometimes see bits of grass and such in the crop. There have probably been some times there were wood shavings but never enough to stand out. You said they were packed with corn and shavings. I'm not surprised at the corn, they usually really like it above many other foods. Not sure why both birds would have a lot of shavings inside their digestive track.

I'm not sure what your set-up looks like, how much room they have inside and outside the coop. At that age my guess is that they are sorting out or have sorted out the flock dominance/pecking order and these two may have been staying in the coop to avoid the more dominant one or ones outside. You mentioned they were in the coop a lot. They may have been pecking the shavings out of boredom. But it is really hard to guess these things when you are looking at them, let alone over the internet.

I doubt the wood shavings are your problem but heck, I don't know. There is nothing wrong with trying another bedding in the coop. Good luck!

Yes I meant gizzard, and now that you mentioned it you are probably right about the boredom. They stayed inside a lot before I butchered them as it had been snowing a lot and very cold. (They hated walking on snow)I think I'll use what I read on these forums for boredom like hanging cabbage or something for them to peck at besides the ground. They were SLW so I wasnt expecting as much growth as a meat bird but one bird made a dinner for two at least. Thanks for all the advice and I will check the crop and gizzard the next time I butcher.