What do you feed your breeding chickens?

[tazcat70]

What do you feed your breeders? Is this the only feed you have tried? Do you get better hatch rates with this?

I am reading Creative Poultry Breeding by Carefoot and I was curious what others are doing? I feed a 20% layer pellet. I have decent hatches.

 

[blackred]

I make sure that my 20% crumble has animal protein in it, soy protein has been proven to inhibit fertility. My feed dropped the animal protein with out me knowing about it a few years ago and it was the worst hatching season ever for me.

I also give a vitamin solution of ADE in their water once or twice a week. I will put alfalfa in their pens for them to eat/scratch thru.
I will mix a wheat germ oil in their feed once a week also and then I give mine a moist dog food treat ( like Gainsburger) once or twice a week.

All of this is a routine that I go thru from February to May which is my hatching season for show birds.

Bob

 

[Mahonri]

Don't laugh. I mix in Turkey/Gamebird finisher. It has high protein and I've been blessed with great fertility.

They also get to share a can of salmon every week.

 

[blackred]

Quote:
Please make sure that the tag on the feed says animal protein up towards the beginning of the ingredients, not animal fat or fish meal. From what I understand no Purina feed has animal protein in it.

I believe that Dumor, made by Purina has animal protein in it, but don't quote me on that.

The reason why feed companies have started taking out the animal protein is because that a miniscule spec ( I don't remember the actual amount) can cause Mad cow disease in ruminants . The feed companies don't want to be liable.
The problem is that they use the same equipment for all feeds, range cubes and layer, and it is impossible to clean the equipment to the point that they can be positive that the animal protein that was mixed into the chicken feed will not contaminate the Cattle feed. We have all seen bags of feed that have other types of feed in them because it was the last batch or something.

The problem I have is that feed companies are trying to blow smoke up everybody's rear end and say that it is healthier or better for our birds to not get animal protein. Anyone who knows anything about poultry knows they they are suppose to eat bugs and other crawling things, it is how nature intended. They were not intended to be vegetarians.

On the idea of feeding Red cell, I use to use it myself but haven't in years because of what Chris has said. The benefits of Red Cell can be achieved by feeding wheat germ oil and it is better for them.

Bob

 

[Buns]

Quote:
The Red Cell that is designed for Horses is very high in Iron (at 300 mg. of chelated iron per ounce) and would not be the best thing to supplement you birds with.

Now there is a Poultry Cell ( Rooster Booster Poultry Cell) that is good for poultry..

Chris

Since I already have the equine version of Red Cell on hand, I decided to look up the concentration found in the Rooster Booster Poultry Cell so that I could compare and figure out how much I need to dilute the equine product I already have. Here is what I read on the Rooster Booster site regarding the ingredients found in Poultry Cell:

Rooster Booster Poultry Cell


Use Rooster Booster Poultry Cell for Your Champion Birds
Poultry Cell is a liquid bio-available iron-rich, vitamin, mineral, essential amino acid supplement. Formulated in a palatable base that your birds will love! Rooster Booster Poultry Cell is the new standard in blood builders. It provides vitamins A, D, E and essential B-vitamins, along with 400 mg. of bio-available iron and other necessary minerals per fluid ounce. For use as an oral vitamin supplement. Directions for use: (1 to 3 cc) per day. Poultry Cell may be mixed in feed or administered orally with a dose syringe.

Interesting.

 

[cashdl]

I feed layer crumbles plus fresh greens and worms from my worm compost. Plus they get out to free range once a week. Fairly Labor intensive. I get great fertility and hatches. I would love to hear what others do.

Lanae

 

[tazcat70]

Thanks Bob! You shared some great information. Thank you.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I feed the silkies 20% crumbles. I found they do best on that. I also supplement with some calicum chips/oyster shells. They also get fresh grass clippings.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Mahonri, I was looking for the "like" button.

I do that too... salmon (not canned, though

) halibut, and leftovers.

 

[colby318]

I feed the gang the leftover canned cat food after the spoiled cats lick the juice off of it. Also, the frozen generic spinach from the grocery. When the blocks start to thaw, they tuck into it. I've tried the gamebird pellets mixed with their crumbles but they pick around it. I use Purina flock raiser which has soy protein. I didn't know soy lowered fertility until I read it on the forum earlier this summer. Sigh.... it seems I pay more not to have feed with ground chicken feathers in it and I have to pay more to supplement it.

Colby