Urgent advice on chicken feed

[NatJ]

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

Yes, I would agree.

Animal protein is not usually cheap, and if people want "organic" chickens they may have trouble finding a suitable source (unless they are raising it themselves), but I do agree that animal protein is a very good choice for chickens when that is reasonably possible.

 

[Debbie292d]

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?

I know these aren't your chickens so you're by rights trying the cheapest way to go here. Ours all got layer for years as it was said the extra calcium in layer feed takes longer to hurt a rooster than the rooster will even live.

Last year I switched to 50% layer/50% all flock and set out calcium for the girls to be better for the guys.

At this point, whatever feed you got them is better than what they're getting now. Bless you for helping care for their chickens!

 

[OstrichEmu]

Yes, I would agree.

Animal protein is not usually cheap, and if people want "organic" chickens they may have trouble finding a suitable source (unless they are raising it themselves), but I do agree that animal protein is a very good choice for chickens when that is reasonably possible.

Where I live I can get raw peanuts dirt cheap. Would that be a good little protein boost? Can chickens even eat peanuts? Is cooked rice and couscous OK too as I always have leftovers. Also I've added a picture that's pretty close to what the breed of chickens here are (it's just a photo from the web about breeders in south Africa) they look pretty similar, except for physical condition. They seem to be laying pretty well still though. I will definitely get chicken feed, even if I'm sneaky about it

@Debbie292d I'm just an animal person I will go to impossible lengths to aid an animal. Many people tell me to grow up but I guess that it's just who I am. If I can raise an emu by hand with zero experience, dang nabbit I'll feed this flock!

 

[OstrichEmu]

Where I live I can get raw peanuts dirt cheap. Would that be a good little protein boost? Can chickens even eat peanuts? Is cooked rice and couscous OK too as I always have leftovers. Also I've added a picture that's pretty close to what the breed of chickens here are (it's just a photo from the web about breeders in south Africa) they look pretty similar, except for physical condition. They seem to be laying pretty well still though. I will definitely get chicken feed, even if I'm sneaky about it

@Debbie292d I'm just an animal person I will go to impossible lengths to aid an animal. Many people tell me to grow up but I guess that it's just who I am. If I can raise an emu by hand with zero experience, dang nabbit I'll feed this flock!

Also the rooster looks to be in fabulous condition, maybe 3 hens too. Could he POSSIBLY be overzealous with the others causing feather loss? Some of the girls are BALD BUTTS and no tail feathers

 

[LaurenRitz]

The rooster may be blocking the other hens from the food, saving it for his "favorites."

 

[OstrichEmu]

The rooster may be blocking the other hens from the food, saving it for his "favorites."

I'm not sure about this. From what I've seen, he stands to one side on his own while the ladies eat... But it's possible. There's definitely more than enough for everyone

 

[Debbie292d]

Also the rooster looks to be in fabulous condition, maybe 3 hens too. Could he POSSIBLY be overzealous with the others causing feather loss? Some of the girls are BALD BUTTS and no tail feathers

Bald butts can come from a few reasons. Number 1 is feather picking by other chickens. It's a tell-tale sign they aren't getting enough protein. In the States, it could also be mites or lice. Do you have those there? Lastly, it can be from them molting but that usually starts at the other end first.

 

[NatJ]

Where I live I can get raw peanuts dirt cheap. Would that be a good little protein boost? Can chickens even eat peanuts?

Yes, peanuts should be fine. They are a fairly good source of protein, and I think they have the right amino acids to pair well with grains (@U_Stormcrow am I right that peanuts, being a legume, have amino acids that help balance the ones usually present in grains?)

And as @Perris pointed out, any kind of meat/fish/milk/cheese are good protein sources too (yes including dried crickets, but dried bugs are usually overpriced in the USA, and might be in your area. If actual meat or fish is cheaper, it is certainly fine to use.)

Is cooked rice and couscous OK too as I always have leftovers.

Yes, also fine.

Chickens can eat almost everything that people eat. If you offer them everything, and let them pick through to eat what they want, they almost always make safe choices. So I wouldn't stress too much about which things are "safe" for chickens to eat. Nothing is going to kill them with just a bite or two, and they are usually smart enough to make the right decision by that point. Chickens that are used to having food scraps and foraging for part of their own feed are usually very good at this (because they practice all day long!)

Also I've added a picture that's pretty close to what the breed of chickens here are (it's just a photo from the web about breeders in south Africa) they look pretty similar, except for physical condition. They seem to be laying pretty well still though.

The ones in that photo do look like layer-types, so hopefully the ones in question are suitable too.

I will definitely get chicken feed, even if I'm sneaky about it

If it's OK with the owner, there is no real need to be sneaky

And I would definitely check prices-- you mentioned peanuts being cheap, which is not something I would have thought of (because they aren't really cheap where I live.) Chicken food is cheap where I live, which is why it is my default advice, but it might or might not be cheap where you are. There more expensive the chicken feed is, the more it is worth looking carefully at what else is available.

 

[OstrichEmu]

Bald butts can come from a few reasons. Number 1 is feather picking by other chickens. It's a tell-tale sign they aren't getting enough protein. In the States, it could also be mites or lice. Do you have those there? Lastly, it can be from them molting but that usually starts at the other end first.

It's basically naked butts for the most part. I'm thinking protein is the definite answer then. Some of the tail feathers are just stubs and spikes but not all of them look like that. Would you need to observe them for long periods to stablish whether it's feather oicking or would they do it Ile I'm observing while feeding?

 

[Debbie292d]

It's basically naked butts for the most part. I'm thinking protein is the definite answer then. Some of the tail feathers are just stubs and spikes but not all of them look like that. Would you need to observe them for long periods to stablish whether it's feather oicking or would they do it Ile I'm observing while feeding?

I've never had the issue but I think what I hear is most of it goes on in the coop when they're standing next to each other and bored. I'd think you'd see some of it too though.

Are you able to catch one of them to look at it closer?