What type of feed do you provide?

[alibabba]

Fed organic for years. Local stuff reeks of it gets wet. Agway not so bad.
Ran into the Purina rep at TSC, had a good chat. Just bought the Omega 3 pellets.

Eggs will have more omega 3 to balance out the omega 6 in everything... (anything with any type of vegetable or seed oil) bread, crackers, chips, mayo....

And, it's not a chemical additive, from flax seed. Only animal designed to eat seeds.... birds.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

I feed the chicks a medicated chick starter

I've wondered about the medicated feed. What exactly is the medication for? I used regular chick starter/grower. When I went to buy my second bag, the guy at Orscheln's told me not to use the medicated since I had added 2 ducklings to my brood at that time and that it would kill ducks.

 

[3riverschick]

I find out what the foundation of the breed I have is then I feed from there. for instance the Marans is a meat bird that also lays eggs so I would raise them on 22% Cargill meat bird crumbles. the light Sussex is a meat bird first that was bred to also lay eggs so I raise them on a 22% Cargill meat bird crumble. I'm getting white chanteclers . they are also a dual purpose breed , like the other two. but foundationally a meat bird first .so I may use meat bird crumbles. however I have found out from a Canadian Source they do better on something other than 22% feed so I'm going to check into that little further. It is possible here that I may have a breed specific feeding need.
that is the secret of my feeding. Find the Foundation upon which the breed was created and feed accordingly.
I don't really like feed stages with different feeds but I do believe that medicated chick crumbles have a definite place in the raising of chicks. so I do feed them. I'm still researching the best way to( or if ) to further incorporate medicated chick crumbles into my feeding regimen for my birds.
Best,
Karen

 

[Crooked Chicken]

I've wondered about the medicated feed.

I just found the answer to my question here -- a very good read too https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...icated-chick-starter-feeds-for-layers.754189/

 

[black_dove2]

The two hens are still on starter feed. I has been laying about 3 weeks now the other may be laying soon. I'll switch the both to laying feed about 2 months after 2nd hen lays.

Feeder with starter feed. They get a chip and dip platter early afternoon of greens, veggies, fruit and leftovers with starter sprinkled on and in the center cup.

Hot afternoon they rest when the start scratching around after siesta I may toss out a bit of fruit or raw veggies.

They hay have a water dispenser but also have bowls of water around run.

I rake all run to one end daily. They love playing and scratching for bugs or treats throughout the day

 

[FlyWheel]

Sorry to say, yogurty is not how I was told it's supposed to smell. I was told it's supposed to smell more like a sourdough starter if it's done correctly. I realize how yogurt is made (thank you very much for suggesting I have no idea what I'm talking about), as I often make my own. It's actually a very different thing than grain fermentation, or even cheese making. The main difference is yeast and other fungal growth, which is all but absent in yogurt making. The two processes leave behind very different nutrient contents in the finished product.

Actually, I'm the one who doesn't know what I'm talking about (sorry if I implied otherwise) I've never made yogurt. Although when i ws a kid I found a forgotten glass of milk behind the couch which had turned into cottage cheese...

 

[dunnmom]

Actually, I'm the one who doesn't know what I'm talking about (sorry if I implied otherwise) I've never made yogurt. Although when i ws a kid I found a forgotten glass of milk behind the couch which had turned into cottage cheese...

I didn't mean to get snippy either. My daughter is cutting her canine teeth, so I've been a little on edge because she's been crying so much and I can only do so much for her pain. So, sorry I was gruff. Anyway, back to the feed discussion. I felt that by the smell of the pellets I fermented, the bacteria was out of balance and that it wasn't what I was going for, plus the label showed that they added probiotic bacteria. I didn't want it to be too acidic for the girls and give them runny poop, as yogurt sometimes can. I decided instead, to just give it a good soaking, so I'm not inadvertently making yogurt in their pellets. If I am going to ferment feed, I should probably start with just whole grains, as you suggested, because they don't add probiotics to those. I'm positive it's just because of the brand of pellets I use, because not many people report getting that kind of smell when fermenting theirs.

 

[GreatBreeder]

I prefer mash. Pellets and crumbles are just compressed mash. Same nutritional value.

Mash is much easier to digest, and quicker to ferment. You don't need to ferment but it's good too.

Also put a bit of ACV in the water. But you also should give them access to plants and bugs, and give them weeds that you pick.

 

[GreatBreeder]

Also mash is ideal for commercial meat birds because they do not do as well digesting other foods.

 

[GreatBreeder]

For feeding heritage breeds and layers, free feed from the bag, when feeding meat crosses and broilers feed less, and when feeding heritage breeds for meat birds free feed high protein from the bag.