Urgent advice on chicken feed

[NatJ]

you might find this useful
https://poultrynutri.com/feed/types-of-grains-used-in-chicken-feed/

That author seems to think soybeans are a kind of "grain." Almost everyone else says that soybeans are beans, not grains.

If you leave out the soybeans, NONE of the grains have enough protein to be a complete diet for chickens. What protein they do have is short of certain amino acids.

So grains can be a good part of a chicken's diet, but cannot make a complete diet by themselves.

Adding soybeans can fix the total protein and the balance of amino acids.

By that point, you are starting to look quite a bit like purchased chicken feed (main ingredients are usually grains and soybeans), but usually at a higher price.

That would be why I suggested looking at chicken feed. If it is not available, or not at a good price, then it makes much more sense to consider buying single ingredients to supplement the chickens' diet. But for chickens that already "look terrible" and are being fed on scraps, I think a complete chicken feed would be a good starting point if it is available (and cheaper than buying human-grade grains and/or dried crickets.)

 

[Sally PB]

The chickens look rather terrible and the owners are struggling to keep them into top condition as she is trying her best to have a small egg business.

I was going to suggest that you offer your landlord this deal: You buy chicken feed for the chickens, and get a reduction in your rent. Then I read that you're in South Africa. I don't know what might be available there, so this might not be a viable solution.

Just from the description "look rather terrible" makes me think the chickens aren't getting enough protein.

 

[Debbie292d]

Layer feed definitely would be the better route to go for you. TSC (a farm store) has Producers Pride $13.79/#40, and Dumor $18.49/#50. Something like this would be giving them way more protein, nutrients/minerals than they're getting.

I bet a week of getting some real layer feed you'd start noticing improvements!

 

[OstrichEmu]

I was going to suggest that you offer your landlord this deal: You buy chicken feed for the chickens, and get a reduction in your rent. Then I read that you're in South Africa. I don't know what might be available there, so this might not be a viable solution.

Just from the description "look rather terrible" makes me think the chickens aren't getting enough protein.

Hi @NatJ and @Sally PB It's possible, I'm happy to feed the birds regardless of cost (I'm just a big softie with animals). Protein could definitely be the issue here and soy beans aren't pricey or difficult to get hold of. I think perhaps the ideal that these chickies are intended to be free range and fully organic is impacting them slightly (they are definitely free range and organic). The scraps aren't old, it's always straight out of the kitchen during meal prep (which is from the organic veggie patch). They definitely aren't neglected but I'm not sure if the owners (let's call them Maggie and Peter and from here on) know exactly what they need. The breed of these chickies is what you'd see in those massive chicken Corp farms for slaughter. Perhaps weak genetics is making them look so horrid? They aren't living in filth and have tons of space AND the grassy pasture next to their coop has been opened up for them. Is there really no one or two treats I can give them to just boost a bit of their diet? They're physically strong birds, they just look a little bad. I will try chat with Maggie tomorrow and just see what's up etc. Maybe there is feed involved that I'm not aware of. I'm also eager to get some of my own chickipoos for eggs. Everyone on the stead tries to live as organic as possible and I plan to open a tiny apothecary which also reminds me: which herbs are safe for chickens? A site link or advice from experience would be so awesome

 

[OstrichEmu]

Layer feed definitely would be the better route to go for you. TSC (a farm store) has Producers Pride $13.79/#40, and Dumor $18.49/#50. Something like this would be giving them way more protein, nutrients/minerals than they're getting.

I bet a week of getting some real layer feed you'd start noticing improvements!

This! There's some additions to the coop that I saw today so Maybe some good feed will definitely be a step in the right direction for everyone. Can the rooster eat layer too?

 

[NatJ]

Layer feed definitely would be the better route to go for you. TSC (a farm store) has Producers Pride $13.79/#40, and Dumor $18.49/#50. Something like this would be giving them way more protein, nutrients/minerals than they're getting.

I bet a week of getting some real layer feed you'd start noticing improvements!

Layer feed or chick starter or all-flock feed would all be good choices. But TSC is not going to be helpful in this case:

we live in South Africa

Hi @NatJ and @Sally PB It's possible, I'm happy to feed the birds regardless of cost (I'm just a big softie with animals). Protein could definitely be the issue here and soy beans aren't pricey or difficult to get hold of. I think perhaps the ideal that these chickies are intended to be free range and fully organic is impacting them slightly (they are definitely free range and organic). The scraps aren't old, it's always straight out of the kitchen during meal prep (which is from the organic veggie patch). They definitely aren't neglected but I'm not sure if the owners (let's call them Maggie and Peter and from here on) know exactly what they need. The breed of these chickies is what you'd see in those massive chicken Corp farms for slaughter. Perhaps weak genetics is making them look so horrid? They aren't living in filth and have tons of space AND the grassy pasture next to their coop has been opened up for them. Is there really no one or two treats I can give them to just boost a bit of their diet? They're physically strong birds, they just look a little bad. I will try chat with Maggie tomorrow and just see what's up etc. Maybe there is feed involved that I'm not aware of. I'm also eager to get some of my own chickipoos for eggs. Everyone on the stead tries to live as organic as possible and I plan to open a tiny apothecary which also reminds me: which herbs are safe for chickens? A site link or advice from experience would be so awesome

Soybeans need to be cooked before you feed them to chickens. "Roasted soybeans" are already cooked. Or you can boil them or cook them in various other ways.

Fully organic does make it harder. Some soybeans and some grains would probably be a good start.

The breed of these chickies is what you'd see in those massive chicken Corp farms for slaughter. Perhaps weak genetics is making them look so horrid?

Are they Cornish Cross? Round, fat white chickens? Cornish Cross meat chickens are not a good choice for layers.

Good layers are usually rather slender, or at least not extremely round.

For examples, google for pictures of "Cornish Cross chickens" (fat, round, good for meat but not good layers) and for "White Leghorn chickens" (slender, excellent layers). Both are white, but they have very different body shapes.

Or you can post a photo, and we can try to tell whether they are a breed of chicken that would be expected to have trouble in this situation.

Is there really no one or two treats I can give them to just boost a bit of their diet?

In the USA, I would literally buy chick starter, put some in a bowl, add water, and put it out for the chickens. They would run up and devour it, and it would be a good addition to the diet of almost any chicken (male or female, young or old, laying or not.)

I do not know what is available to you, so I can't tell for sure what would be a good choice.

 

[Perris]

That author seems to think soybeans are a kind of "grain." Almost everyone else says that soybeans are beans, not grains.

If you leave out the soybeans, NONE of the grains have enough protein to be a complete diet for chickens. What protein they do have is short of certain amino acids.

So grains can be a good part of a chicken's diet, but cannot make a complete diet by themselves.

Adding soybeans can fix the total protein and the balance of amino acids.

By that point, you are starting to look quite a bit like purchased chicken feed (main ingredients are usually grains and soybeans), but usually at a higher price.

That would be why I suggested looking at chicken feed. If it is not available, or not at a good price, then it makes much more sense to consider buying single ingredients to supplement the chickens' diet. But for chickens that already "look terrible" and are being fed on scraps, I think a complete chicken feed would be a good starting point if it is available (and cheaper than buying human-grade grains and/or dried crickets.)

no-one is suggesting that a single grain is a complete feed. What you seemed to be missing in your earlier post is that grains (plural, variety of) are the main constituent in purchased so-called complete chicken feed. I see that now you state it (para 5), so maybe it's just a misunderstanding.

 

[Sally PB]

Maybe some good feed will definitely be a step in the right direction for everyone. Can the rooster eat layer too?

A lot of people here on BYC (myself included) feed an "all flock" or "flock raiser" type of feed. The one I buy is 20% protein, and has not enough calcium for layers so I supplement with oyster shell and crushed egg shells in a separate dish.

This allows me to feed a high protein feed, but not give my rooster too much calcium, which can be detrimental, long term

Layer feed is often 16% protein or even less. This is the least amount of protein that commercial egg producers have found will work for their laying flocks. Protein is the MOST expensive nutrient, and at their scale, fractions of percentages and pennies matter to their bottom line.

 

[NatJ]

no-one is suggesting that a single grain is a complete feed. What you seem to be missing is that grains (plural, variety of) are the main constituent in purchased so-called complete chicken feed.

No, I am not missing that. Yes, I know grains are are the main component of chicken food.

But if the chickens are already eating a balanced diet, adding more grain (low protein) will either leave them overweight (ate grain in addition to their other food) or deficient in protein (ate grain instead of their other food.)

If the chickens are currently deficient in protein, feeding grain (low protein) will not help, and could make the situation worse.

If the chickens are getting plenty of protein and just need more total calories, then yes grain will help. But that situation is relatively rare.

If the chickens are given grain AND a protein source, that can be fine too. But that is not the same as just giving them grain and vegetables (since the vegetables are not a good protein source either.)

And OP does appear to want just one or two things that they can buy and add to the chickens' diet. For just one thing, a complete chicken feed is better than any single grain. For two things, then maybe a grain and a protein would work almost as well, but it will really depend on what else those chickens are eating.

 

[Perris]

well the best single source of protein for chickens is animal proteins: meat, fish, or dairy.