what to feed chickens when breeding

[Ducks and Banny hens]

Quote:
Yes I do have a good breeding feed for my birds. Forage. I have never fed 4 of my six chickens (2 were fed while being quarantined) (and all will be fed over winter). My chickens go outside (fenceless) and forage for a couple hours, and then they explore, court, etc. As much as we can regulate feed, the birds no better than we how much of what they need and what to find it in. But, this is only effective in my situation, for all we know your situation requires feed. In case your curious, heres the four things my hens find to eat:

-Forage
Soft greens like dandelion, grass, cattails, ground ivy and clover.

-Roughage
Hard greens and grains. Spruce buds, chaff, straw grass, goldenrod etc.

-Prey
Protein meats like worms, bugs, and sometimes even voles.

-Odds and Ends
Little tidbits my birds find here and there, like finding food in the compost, or 'harvesting' produce etc.

Hope this helps.

 

[Resolution]

I purchased 95 Wellsumer chicks this year from my favorite hatchery. Though they arrived in great condition without a single dead chick- they started eating feathers from day one. My nutritionist told me that this is because the mothers's were on a deficent ration. For my rare breeds and wild birds I try and feed the highest quality nutrition possible for egg laying and to both sexes as this is when new feather cells are in their first phase of development. Moulting doesn't take place until those feather cells are developed enough to push the old feathers out. Optimal nutrition makes for optimal plumage and a shorter moulting period as well. I'd cut out any and all soy in the diet of the breeder and supplement with nuts and fish protein. The idea is to produce the best egg yolks for the embryos to develop on. If the Wellsumers had been on an optimal diet I wouldn't have ended up with a bunch of feather pickers. Even though they're on the best feed on the market and with a whole farm to roam on, they'll still pick up a feather and chase each other around like its candy. Right now whole pumpkins seem to be replacing this urge. Next year I think I'll make sure that there is melon out for the next batch of hatchery chicks from day one.