MJ's little flock

[Shadrach]

I've found it takes a night or two on the roost and then the broodiness passes. Moving from nest to nest has not been a problem so far.

This is what I have found in general. Sticking them on the roost bar at night with the others seems to help with the going unbroody.

 

[RoyalChick]

Thanks Bob.

I found this one which is unmedicated. You might have to scroll down.

This looks better.
I like the protein level and although it also doesn’t give the kind of detailed analysis I am used to, it does have meat and fish so likely the methionine levels are just fine - important for little growing chicks.

 

[MaryJanet]

That one certainly isn't short on protein!
That looks like a good feed. I would try that out for the field chicks if it was available here. It doesn't sate the calcium percentage but I'll assume it will be around 1%.
It's easy to get a bit carried away with what to feed chickens. People tend to project their values and food preferences onto the chicken which while understandable, may not prove to be whats best for the chicken.
What's important is:
Low calcium, 1% or less.
Sensibly high protein, 17% is adequate although I try to boost any protein deficient feed with fish and meat to a guestimated value of 18% or more.
What mum will let them eat. Easily overlooked, but some hens try to prevent their chicks from eating supplied feed as soon as they're out of the nest and foraging.
Particle size for obvious reasons. I've found particle size can still be an issue for grown hens.
Feed dry! Do not feed chicks mash unless you are going to have mash available 24/7. Chicks need the maximum nutrition from their feed and will drink what they feel they need. Most mashes are around 50% water and that is 50% less nutrition per feeding opportunity.
Don't worry! As soon as they leave the nest and run and forage, even in a garden assuming it's not just concrete and show grass, all those carefully calculated feeds become largely meaningless regarding precise nutrition.

Thanks so much Shadrach!

 

[MaryJanet]

This looks better.
I like the protein level and although it also doesn’t give the kind of detailed analysis I am used to, it does have meat and fish so likely the methionine levels are just fine - important for little growing chicks.

Ok, great.

I'll order 20kg of that product.

 

[Perris]

For clarification, excess protein would be in the 30% range for protein delivered via real food, that is, things like grains, fruit, veg, meat, fish. It would be up to 5 times lower for a uniform substance, however presented, whose nutritional value was added as individual synthetic amino acids.

Why does it matter? (This has nothing to do with my personal values, btw; just for the record, I eat KFC when I feel like it, for example.) Because the first big discovery of nutritional geometry was that animals in the wild select a balanced diet from amongst the various seasonal foods available to them. They have a target nutrient intake, and most species prioritize protein, such that once they reach their protein target, they stop eating, even if they are then short on carbs or lipids. The target moves of course, meal by meal, day by day as they live and change. Through their biological appetites they seek a compromise, normally and overwhelmingly, between carbs and protein; lipids are relatively unimportant. They instinctively get as close as they can to their target intake, given seasonal food availability in the wild or by design in the lab. And all species seem to have a real aversion to excess protein. Why? Because it shortens their life. (On the other hand, it facilitates reproduction; hence the compromise for most individuals.) From yeasts to humans, with few exceptions found so far (this is work of the last decade), a low protein, high carb diet leads to longest life and the most healthy mid- to old-age. It does not facilitate reproduction however. (Which explains why there are layer feeds and breeder feeds, btw.) But synthetic animo acids are up to five times more damaging than natural proteins in natural real foods. They don't tell you that on the label. Perhaps they don't know it.

And with that I will bow out and leave you get on with whatever you choose to do.

 

[BDutch]

I love that protein count. 23%, that's excellent. That should work fine.

This feed is very high on protein compared to what they sell in the Netherlands.
I suppose it’s good for small chicks.

Feed dry! Do not feed chicks mash unless you are going to have mash available 24/7. Chicks need the maximum nutrition from their feed and will drink what they feel they need. Most mashes are around 50% water and that is 50% less nutrition per feeding opportunity.

I can’t follow you here. 100 grams of dry feed and drinking 100 ml water has the same nutritional value as a mash made with 100 g feed. Chicks who eat mash drink very little.

 

[LozzyR]

This is what I have found in general. Sticking them on the roost bar at night with the others seems to help with the going unbroody.

Not my Snowy.

 

[MaryJanet]

Not my Snowy.

There's always an outlier.

 

[ManueB]

just for the record, I eat KFC when I feel like it, for example.)

I hope this is a joke. Pineapple pizza seems like a totally harmless sin compared to KFC.

What mum will let them eat. Easily overlooked, but some hens try to prevent their chicks from eating supplied feed as soon as they're out of the nest and foraging

And when that happened here, the useful advice you gave was to try to scatter the crumble on the floor or on a plate, because mum wants the kids to learn to scratch. The feeder itself can be the reason why she won't let them eat.

But it didn't work for Léa 's hatch, so MJ just in case I would make sure to have around for their first days some eggs (should not be difficult) and bread that hasn't got a list of ingredients as long as my post.

 

[MaryJanet]

For clarification, excess protein would be in the 30% range for protein delivered via real food, that is, things like grains, fruit, veg, meat, fish. It would be up to 5 times lower for a uniform substance, however presented, whose nutritional value was added as individual synthetic amino acids.

Why does it matter? (This has nothing to do with my personal values, btw; just for the record, I eat KFC when I feel like it, for example.) Because the first big discovery of nutritional geometry was that animals in the wild select a balanced diet from amongst the various seasonal foods available to them. They have a target nutrient intake, and most species prioritize protein, such that once they reach their protein target, they stop eating, even if they are then short on carbs or lipids. The target moves of course, meal by meal, day by day as they live and change. Through their biological appetites they seek a compromise, normally and overwhelmingly, between carbs and protein; lipids are relatively unimportant. They instinctively get as close as they can to their target intake, given seasonal food availability in the wild or by design in the lab. And all species seem to have a real aversion to excess protein. Why? Because it shortens their life. (On the other hand, it facilitates reproduction; hence the compromise for most individuals.) From yeasts to humans, with few exceptions found so far (this is work of the last decade), a low protein, high carb diet leads to longest life and the most healthy mid- to old-age. It does not facilitate reproduction however. (Which explains why there are layer feeds and breeder feeds, btw.) But synthetic animo acids are up to five times more damaging than natural proteins in natural real foods. They don't tell you that on the label. Perhaps they don't know it.

And with that I will bow out and leave you get on with whatever you choose to do.

Fascinating!

Thanks Perris.