What to feed my chickens

[blucoondawg]

I feed 21 percent meat maker, I was using layer until this winter, I switched as the birds were moulting it helped them get back in shape faster, I am going to keep feeding it as well, it costs a little more for the higher protein but they seem to eat far less of it, I'm actually coming out ahead on my feed as compared to 16 percent layer. I throw out a few scoops of cracked corn for them to or an occasional scoop of sunflower seeds

 

[josh85]

OK yet another question how do I get rid of the **** feathers lol that are on there butt

 

[josh85]

Lol it edits cuss words

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

OK yet another question how do I get rid of the **** feathers lol that are on there butt

Trim them or bathe them, or wait until there's so much poop they get pulled out by the weight of them. Then try to figure out why it's happening. Certain foods can cause lose droppings as well as some diseases. And sometimes a hen is just a messy hen. Also watch for hens sleeping in the nestboxes, they poop all night and get it stuck to them.

 

[chicklover 1998]

I feed country lane 16% layer pellets or crumbles 40lb.
country lane scratch 40lb
5 lb. country lane grit
20 lb. feathered friends black oil sunflower seed
5 lb. gamebird showbird feed country lane
manna pro poultry conditioner 5 lb
40 lb. country lane cleaned oats

this next time I have to buy more feed (next weekend) I will replace the oats with either
nutrena feather fixer 40lb 18%

country lane 22% meat bird starter/grower 40 lb.----or
nutrena naturewise meatbird starter/gower 40 lb.

if I use the meat bird I'm going to get the unmedicated one, (I can't remember which brand has the unmedicated one)



Just what I feed mine, everyone has their own choice of what they feed their birds.

 

[josh85]

Trim them or bathe them, or wait until there's so much poop they get pulled out by the weight of them. Then try to figure out why it's happening. Certain foods can cause lose droppings as well as some diseases. And sometimes a hen is just a messy hen. Also watch for hens sleeping in the nestboxes, they poop all night and get it stuck to them.

how would I bath them? Sorry if I sent you this twice still figuring out this site

 

[josh85]

I feed country lane 16% layer pellets or crumbles 40lb.
country lane scratch 40lb
5 lb. country lane grit
20 lb. feathered friends black oil sunflower  seed
5 lb. gamebird showbird feed country lane
manna pro poultry conditioner 5 lb
40 lb. country lane cleaned oats

this next time I have to buy more feed (next weekend) I will replace the oats with either 
nutrena feather fixer 40lb 18%

country lane 22% meat bird starter/grower 40 lb.----or
nutrena naturewise meatbird starter/gower 40 lb. 

if I use the meat bird I'm going to get the unmedicated one, (I can't remember which brand has the unmedicated one)



Just what I feed mine, everyone has their own choice of what they feed their birds.

What's with the unmedicated feed

 

[chicklover 1998]

sink dawn warm water then dry with a hair dryer or just let them stay inside until fully dry

 

[chicklover 1998]

Quote:
It is great for chicks to ward off cocci outbreaks but for adults it isn't a good idea to use because it could cause a cocci outbreak.

 

[Chris09]

We don't need to worry about all those details, that level of understanding of vitamins and minerals is VERY recent in raising of domestic animals, yet we managed to fine for hundreds and thousands of years beforehand. You would have to try and feed your birds a pretty narrow diet to cause major deficiencies.

Keep in mind that most of todays chickens are far form the same birds that were raised 100 years ago let alone thousands of years ago.
Also keep in mind that chickens today lay more eggs today, are healthier, live longer, and over all out perform the birds back then do to genetics and the understanding of nutrition.

You get out of your birds what you put in them, if you feed your birds like they did back then, then your birds are going to perform like birds back then.