BDutch's bantam flock & natural breeding projects #5 🪺 🪺 and #6

[MaryJanet]

Came back yesterday. My neighbour was a fantastic chicken-sitter.

The 3 broodies kept the eggs warm and the 3 other hens got a chance to free range every day.
She took Kraai and the fake egg out of the third nestbox to break her broodiness. Today she was ready with her attempt.

My DDs boyfriend bought a large bag with chick feed at the mill. I ordered chick crumble but he bought a bag with pellet feed for broiler chicks. And now I wonder if this is right or wrong?

Is feed for broilers okay for heritage breed chicks too that hopefully will be laying hens someday?
I can’t find good info on this subject. Its organic and not medicated. I can post a pic of the bag tomorrow if you want more info.

@Perris , I’m tagging you because you are an expert on feed. But I appreciate other opinions too.

I wouldn't use broiler pellets for chicks that aren't broilers. But I worry about food, so I would say that.

 

[Iluveggers]

I wouldn't use broiler pellets for chicks that aren't broilers. But I worry about food, so I would say that.

What is the ingredient list & %? My local mill sells chick feed & starter/grower for broilers as the same feed. It’s great stuff, high in everything important.

 

[MaryJanet]

What is the ingredient list & %? My local mill sells chick feed & starter/grower for broilers as the same feed. It’s great stuff, high in everything important.

Did you intend to reply to @BDutch ?

I don't have chicks at this time.

 

[Perris]

Came back yesterday. My neighbour was a fantastic chicken-sitter.

The 3 broodies kept the eggs warm and the 3 other hens got a chance to free range every day.
She took Kraai and the fake egg out of the third nestbox to break her broodiness. Today she was ready with her attempt.

My DDs boyfriend bought a large bag with chick feed at the mill. I ordered chick crumble but he bought a bag with pellet feed for broiler chicks. And now I wonder if this is right or wrong?

Is feed for broilers okay for heritage breed chicks too that hopefully will be laying hens someday?
I can’t find good info on this subject. Its organic and not medicated. I can post a pic of the bag tomorrow if you want more info.

@Perris , I’m tagging you because you are an expert on feed. But I appreciate other opinions too.

In general, a commercial broiler feed is designed to get the chick from hatch to supermarket shelf size in about 6 weeks. So it contains ingredients that promote rapid growth, with complete indifference to any side effects of those ingredients that might emerge later because there won't be time for them to have an impact in 6 weeks. But you surely want your chicks to live longer than that, so that risk might matter to you.

Further, if it's pelleted, I imagine it's the version designed for bigger broiler chicks (they're all chicks really, even if they're 5lb weight they're only babies in age, so there are starter, grower and finisher versions of broiler feed), and newborn chicks might struggle with the size of the pellet.

Personally I would send him back to exchange it for what you wanted.

 

[Iluveggers]

Did you intend to reply to @BDutch ?

I don't have chicks at this time.

Yes, sorry!

 

[BDutch]

What is the ingredient list & %? My local mill sells chick feed & starter/grower for broilers as the same feed. It’s great stuff, high in everything important.

 

[BDutch]

The bag I have is is organic, has 19.2% protein, 4.2% fat and 1% calcium. The ingredients (from most to little): Wheat, soy, corn, small chalk stones and sunflower oil.

Other feed they sell for chicks often has less proteins, the fat % differs a lot. One that clains its good for heritage breeds and laying hybrids has even more fat.

The one from another shop where I used to buy an organic mix for chicks to be laying hens one day, has only 13% protein. But other % are about the same.

I still have a few kilos with very fine mixed grains. I think i give that (30%) mixed with crumbled pellets for broilers. That is probably okay. It saves me about 40 euro’s because the organic chick feed in the alternative shop nearby (Welkoop) is sold for 13 euro's/5 kg. They don’t sell bigger bags. Another address (online Via organic) sells organic chick feed all purposes for 32 euro’s for 12,5 kilo’s.
1. Welkoop:

2. Via organic

 

[Iluveggers]

Gonna tag @U_Stormcrow for an opinion,

 

[U_Stormcrow]

What am I offering an opinion on? That first paragraph sounds very promising. Those are good numbers generally, and the ingredient list sounds like the Right order of a very common group of ingredients for a good feed.

 

[BDutch]

What am I offering an opinion on? That first paragraph sounds very promising. Those are good numbers generally, and the ingredient list sounds like the Right order of a very common group of ingredients for a good feed.

Thank you U_Stormcrow. This convinces me to keep the bag.
If the pellets are too big for the little bantams I can crush them or add water.