Why You’re Feeding Your Chickens To Death And How To Stop It
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ต.ค. 2022
- Hey there! Welcome to The Happy Chicken Coop TH-cam Channel.
Today we will discuss how you could be feeding your chickens to death without even knowing it.
No need to hold your breath because we'll also tell you how to stop it.
Stay tuned!
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I have three chicken Olympic events every few days. There is the dandelion toss, worm chase and finally the cabbage roll.
Now try chicken hunger games😅
@@zmorea we did have them enter the banana attack feast chickens love love love bananas
@@pw4g492 my chickens won't eat bananas. They're very picky. 🤦♀️
😂😂😂😂😂
@@Michigan_Girlmine won't eat the peel
Why does everyone who has chickens act like it's rocket science. I have birds and they do whatever and eat whatever. Not obese never had problems. Raised hundreds in my life with almost zero problems. and zero food problems
I agree ..
I don't seem to have any issues. Raising chickens should be an easy stress free process. It is here.
Far from being rocket science.
I feed them so much and they get the rest pecking, scratching free from the run and coop.
Raising chickens have been something people did for 100's of years. People during the mid 1800's were dirt farmers with little to any education but raised there chickens on scraps and corn.
Do you know if at the end of the day their crop should be full or empty? Some of my hens have a full crop and some hardly much in there. I'm confused. Do they know how much to eat?
@@winniecash1654 Some birds are more food greedy then others but I wouldn't worry about it too much. If a hen gets really hungry she will be the first to the food dish the next day. I like to visit my hens in the evening just before I close up the coop and gently feel their front as I talk to them. If one bird seems to go to bed less full then the others consistently over the week then I'll just give her a little extra food away from everyone else once in a while.
@Mr. Dude Games thank you so much for responding. I do the same at the end of every day. I love to hear them talk back to me. I have two welsummer hens. One is at least 2 pounds heavier than the other. But the smaller one seems happy and isn't bullied. I like your idea about taking them aside and giving them food. I'll do that.
Best comment on here!!!
IKR. It's common sense. 🤦♀️
I killed my favorite chicken by over feeding sunflower seeds last year. Very hard lesson learned. Lots of new chicken owners these days so Thanks for putting this info out there.
Was that with scratch mix cause I feed mine that & it's got dried corn in it
@@aminaschmiat6476 No i fed pellets but I was giving sunflower seeds as treats. I knew the sunflower seeds were fine to offer but I gave too many too often.
Maybe, maybe not. I have a coop that for the last three years I have ONLY fed them sunflower seeds. Nothing else other than sunflower seeds and during laying season they also eat the eggs they lay. It’s a retirement coop and the chickens were three when I retired them from my main coop. They are six years old now, going on seven. They each get 1/2 cup of black oil sunflower seeds per day. One rooster and 4 hens. They are all appropriate weight and they look fantastic. That’s my experience.
How much did you give them? I wanna avoid this too
My chooks forage in their huge run, which has three compost piles where they dig for worms and bugs. Then they have the chook garden, a garden full of greens that has a wire top, so they can poke their heads in and forage but can't dig it all up. I offer a little grain before lockdown. I get hard shells with good-sized eggs. In winter I give them warm porridge with banana in the morning.
Feed your chickens meat. Remember all birds are omnivores and feeding them a vegetarian diet is denying them half of their natural diet. My egg flock is my kitchen scrap compost machine, as well as garden scraps and yard wastes. They never eat anything they aren't supposed to, nor don't like, but will scratch it into a nice harvestable compost. I have super healthy ladies, my 11 hens give at least 9 eggs a day, with several 11 egg days a month.
My meat birds get compost to scratch for bugs, 20% feed, and meat scraps from the kitchen.
Whole corn over winter at 40% ratio in their feed gives solid egg production all winter.
Raw or cooked meat? Not chicken of course. Lol
@@pw4g492 Cooked and of course chicken. I don't impose my morals on chickens. If they don't care, neither do I.
@@pw4g492you should cook any meat you give them so they don't start trying to eat eachother but chicken tastes much different cooked so it's safe to give your chickens cooked chicken
I cook pinto beans which is a protein source. Yea they may not care but I’m the one doing all the work as it is. I suppose I can try and give them some meat once in a while. I mean I have to feed this magpie I rescued meat@@phoxpharms
@@pw4g492 good self evident point. Pinto beans, and all beans, while a good source of protein for chickens, all have to be fully cooked otherwise they are toxic vs feeding them meat which they will consume raw or cooked just fine. Let a mouse make the mistake of getting caught by your chickens, and it will get a brutal death and then swallowed whole. Small rodents, lizards, etc. are all fair game on a chicken's natural diet.
The flesh of avocado is considered not to be toxic, it’s more the skin and pit that’s more of a concern when it comes to toxicity (which chickens won’t try to eat anyways)
Hi, Great advice, Right on...! I'm 73, retired zoo keeper. I have had poultry, on and off , LOL, since the age of 8 yrs old.
One, thing did happen to me, that. I'd like to mention. All my birds were free range, from the smallest of bantams to very large cochins.
I kept feed basically in front of them ( including all the good garden stuff etc.). I started breeding the beautiful BARNEVELDER Breed. Did very well. BUT, as time went on, I parted with them all..... cause, they had a tendency to over eat, GOT really heavy, egg production became low.
Because, my situation , everything free range...
IT was easier to give them away, than pen them up. Guess what I'm saying is : some breeds tend to be lazier, gain weight faster and may be difficult to run , in a mixed flock.....! Great video, Thanks.
I free range, it has its pros and cons, but overweight chickens has never been an issue. Also worth noting, while the deer will readily munch down on rhubarb and nightshades such as potatoes and tomatoes I find chickens tend to avoid the leaves.
The leaves and plant are poisoning to them, not the fruit. My chickens eat the hell out of tomatoes
We are very country. Are chickens get 80% table scrap. 20% feed.
My flock of 5 gets about a cup of black oil seeds to share every single day. They also have constant access (even overnight) to layer feed that contains corn (locally sourced by a farm that probably more than half the backyard chicken owners in two counties get their feed from). They also get tons of treats all summer, and a serving of plain greek yogurt daily for about 3 months out of the year. They are nowhere near obese. They get to free range on our 1/3 acre most mornings and evenings for about an hour, during which time they forage, run, fly, dust bathe in their favorite spots, and even catch (and eat!) the occasional mouse. My point is that they get opportunities for adequate exercise (which they can also get in their run, but obviously not as much space). Chickens who get adequate and appropriate exercise are not going to be obese.
How do you give them the yogurt?
@@vickiefleck4388 I just put it on a paper plate :)
Haha, sounds like prison.
@@theurbanthirdhomestead Lol, I guess it does. They were pretty happy girls, though 😊 They were very loved and well-looked after. We're not all fortunate enough to live on the kind of property where letting them out on their own, unprotected, all day is an option (we have hawks at our house and they tried to hunt our hens even with us outside with them). Over the summer I re-homed all my girls to a wonderful lady with a lush backyard that keeps them much cooler in the heat and also provides cover from predators. It broke my heart to let them go but now they get to free range all day, and their new "mom" is wonderful to them. They are sorely missed around here but I wanted them to have the best life they could have. They're very happy at their new digs.
Thank you so much for the valuable information. I definitely had an "ugh" moment when I heard you mention not to feed them the leaves of a tomato plant. I'm also a continued offender of giving them too many treats daily. My girls have me figured out that if they come running to me, they will be rewarded with treats. I'm so glad I came across your video and I will now do better!
Ikr, I've been giving my girls tomato leaves bc their coop is right beside my tomatoes 🤦
I have the same problem. But what can I say….they’ll die happy
My dad had some chickens that loved old raw milk - where it's just not tasty anymore from souring. Other chickens wouldn't care to drink it at all.
None of my chickens prefer milk. They'll drink it for a minute then walk away.
We eat an all organic natural diet, and all of our leftovers go in the compost where the chickens have full access to. Sometimes they'll eat all our scraps, sometimes they look at it and decide to go scratch for bugs and stuff.
Never had an overweight chicken. We've had barred rocks mostly. I'm raising a bunch of black australorp chicks - 4 weeks old right now. They LOVE scraps. I do make sure to give them plenty of protein.
Mine get high carbohydrate foods sometimes, and sometimes I've even fed them raw rice (no, it doesn't swell up and kill them). They free range all day and I've never had an obese chicken. They get formulated high protein 'Meatbird crumble' (fermented) at night to get them in their coops (though some prefer to sleep rough and miss out) and in the morning they get clabbered raw milk. On occasion they'll get maize, wheat or leftovers as a treat, but not often enough to attract wild birds. Interestingly our chickens do pick at the leaves of black nightshade among other weeds. I've never been able to get ours to eat supermarket produce but they will eat home grown vegetables.
I know keep a rooster with them they’re running all day. Lol
Great info. New to this and thinking I was giving my Plucky Clucker the "good life" almost killed her. Scrambled eggs for breakfast, cucumbers, tomatoes, dinner roll, hamburg for supper, etc. Always had chicken feed, oyster shells, egg shells & meal worms available. Seems her preference provided "shell less eggs." Vet tells me if one breaks inside her, she could die. Interesting the knowledgeable folks find it hard to imagine others need this info, as they've "never had any problems." Good for them, but I"m sure I"m not alone in being new to the "chicken world" & all the info necessary to giving my girl exactly what she needs. Thanks so much for this............Very Helpful
All wild animals, and humans have an automatic shut-off mechanism for food intake. If the chickens are eating a natural (proper) diet, they will stop eating when they are full. If the chickens are not fed enough protein and fat (Not seed oil), they will reduce their intake naturally : Note; I don't know what the correct diet for a chicken is, but if the bird is getting fat, it isn't getting enough of something, just like humans, if fed skim milk and grain, we get FAT, because our body drives us to ingest enough protein and fat to satiety, without those nutrients, pigs, birds, humans will continue to eat, and eat. Many thanks for the video.
Well said. I'm a ketovore follower, agree with you entirely.
@@annandrell7626 So happy that we are starting to spread. what a great thing.
Actually when fed grain, humans develop a resistance to insulin which results in weight gain and a host of health issues including diabetes.
I went to a Carnivore way of eating 2 years ago and you nailed it as far as human appetite is concerned! My husband and I recently went to a dinner party at a friend's house and it was astonishing how much everyone else ate. We just ate a larger sized portion of steak with some butter on it and were quite satisfied. We are lean and they are fat.
Commercial feeds are loaded with seed oils which are known but not admitted to cause people, livestock, and pets to gain weight. Also a synthetic sugar called maltodextrin.
I am still trying to figure out what the best chicken diet is. When I asked a Clemson University Poultry specialist if a grain based diet was biologically appropriate, she told me that grain is needed as today's chickens are bred to produce way more eggs so their diet has had to change. Right now I am giving them some commercial feed mixed with 2 day fermented scratch grains, a small amount of sprouted wheat or sunflower seeds, some mealworms and a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt. Fermenting and sprouting removes the phytic acid that interferes with protein and mineral absorption. They are all healthy and lay well, except for one old Golden Comet that is about done laying.
Here is a link to Anti-Nutrients in poultry feed that you might find interesting. They didn't include oxalates which prevent the absorption of minerals and accumulate in the body. That is why rhubarb is so poisonous. Spinach and chard are also high in oxalates. (I cured my fibromyalgia by cutting out high oxalate veg and nuts.)
poultry.extension.org/articles/feeds-and-feeding-of-poultry/anti-nutritional-factors-in-poultry-feed/
@@lindabirmingham603 many thanks for the response All responses are good but this one in particular is very very good. I’ve been carnivore for six years approximately the past two years. I started the back slide., , places like the hospital (some broken bones ) aren’t the best place to be for nutrition kind of ironic, isn’t it, they pretty near killed me. They fed me proton pump inhibitors in the morning and senna at night. I guess because I couldn’t digest anything the undigested mass has to be pushed out with emetic herbs. as far as chickens diets I think they are carnivores that also eat other things. I found just some course meal. I bought some graham flour on sale it’s
Course grind chickpeas that I bought cheap and didn’t want when I looked up what they were. About a week after being dumped it outside by the compost, hundreds of black fly larvae crawled out of the pile. Chickens would have been delighted (I don’t have chickens yet) The graham flour was $1 for a 5 pound bag , clearance.
I stopped feeding my chickens grain or pellets after over half of my chickens died. It could only be the grain. Now I feed what my grandparents used to always give the chickens as basic food - boiled mashed potatoes with boiled mashed eggs in their shells, mixed with greens and a little coconut oil.
Afternoon snacks like papaya, cucumber, pumpkin, carrot, banana. The chickens have grass on the ground and I put out thick branches that I move every two weeks - there are delicious larvae and earthworms are spurned. frogs are popular. There are termites under old wooden stumps or thick branches - a tasty treat
I have let my chickens have zucchini, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, garden lettuce, left over beef and noodles and other table scraps. I've also fed them back their own eggs(scrambled) with their shells crushed into it. Winter time, whole corn when it's really cold.
How do you give them yogurt?
@@vickiefleck4388 With blueberries of course ! LOL. Just put it in a few empty pie plates +they will peck until it is gone. They also love corn on the cob when you finish with the cob. They will pick every scrittle off- that you thought you gleaned clear. They also so love watermellon with some red left on the rind... I sprinkle soldier fly larva on the rind +they enjoy it doubly well. Feeding them healthy snacks is one of my favorite pastimes. Don't forget to pull a few handfuls of short grass, clover, dandelions+ most wild growing edible weeds we can enjoy. Just do a little research before introducing them to anything + don't overdo with the treats +extra greenery...
They need 90% grain for their life stages to grow properly + be healthy.
My garage fridge got unplugged so I had some farm fresh milk that curdled, I gave it to my meat chickens and they went crazy over it ! Fermented dairy is good for them and they live it.
@@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123 Yes, but I'm careful not to give them anything too rancid. Someone said "you can give them moldy stuff because it is just penicillin" but I won't because it may not hurt them but it MIGHT because even with prescribed penicillin, the dose for the individual must be correct, +I wouldn't dream of OD-ing my sweet little feathered tiny friends, no more than I would risk ill health on my own babies. They are almost as innocent + lovable as human children to me, +I feel the utmost compassion + am extreemely protective of kids of all species.
@@carolsanborn5332 When my flock forages around my entire property, they especially enjoy the grass and edible weeds! How is that overdoing the greenery? In the evenings I use grains and treats to "call" them off our back porch and into their coop for their supplemental layer feed dinner. They are so full from foraging, you can see how their crops bulge when they lumber over, if at all. They do get layer feed first before getting let out to forage. However, in the winter I do increase the corn in their scratch grains along with red pepper flakes in their warm yogurt, porridges, or meat broths.
I would like to know how to sprout grains and ferment the feed for better chicken health.
Also, pastured chickens are much healthier for the chicken, and also for humans due to the increase in nutrient density of the eggs and the chicken.
Combine chicken coop and compost bins ,put chickens to work . Pumpkins are free in November and can store deep into winter . Got a pond ? Minnows , crawdads and tad pols are good winter protein. Making cider? Apple pomace feed.
Thanks! I hadn't considered a compost pile near the chickens, though that's exactly where they go when any of my birds get loose.
I remember reading it is the avocado skin that is toxic not the inside.
Found your channel on my feed today. Thank you for your clear, informational video. I'll check your channel out in the future.
Hey man, I just stumbled across your chicken tractor video, and I want to let you know that your approach to making instructional videos regarding this subject is stellar. 10 out of 10, I subscribed, and will be watching these with my wife, too, improve the quality of life of my chickens, and increase our enjoyment. Peace, brother!
I've noticed my hens sometimes get dirty bottoms, particularly if fed apples. Now that I'm skipping the apples, I still see dirty bums from time to time. Can you do a video on keeping your hens clean, please?
Excellent videos and I have enjoyed everyone's comments. We buy organic feed and supplement with black sunflower seeds which seem to help with egg production. Also it is hot in Florida so we also throw frozen wild blueberries as a treat. Meal worms are scattered through the property as a treat so they have to look for them. We go to Walmart and get very specific worms that aren't colored or fed chemicals. But because they love "wormies" and will come running if I give a yell… One time I had leftover plain cooked spaghetti and they actually sucked it down like kids do...I did not know that chickens can suck up spaghetti ha ha
We get lots of eggs, their combs are bright red and they have wacky doodle personalities❣️
My chickens get any and all kitchen scraps daily. They get a homemade high protein layer feed. They're super shiny amd super hefty. Never had an issue with them.
Sound advice. Glad this hit my feed!
great information ..thanks4 the reminder, as I sometimes overfeed my chickens..
I have a ton of Dill and mulberries in on my property they just go nuts for it they love the mulberry leaves( and berries).
Thanks!
Good info.
Greetings from the LooseNatural farm in Andalusia Spain where we currently live through a drought and we are feeding our chickens to death
My hens absolutely destroyed/devoured my tomato plants(leaves and all) and never skipped a beat.
Some hens who are not obese still lay over size eggs I think you should clarify some of your statements. Also different breeds lay different sized eggs so what qualifies as an “over sized egg? I notice that my hens will only eat when they are hungry and will leave excess greens untouched if they are full, it seems some birds know when to stop eating and some don’t.
I have Americaunas and they seem to know when to stop eating.
99
I appreciate is a great video thank you
My birds typically do not over eat they take what they need and they leave the Is rest.🐔
Ours too. Barred rock.
My chicks love oatmeal with bananas or cooked apples
They love raspberries too, as much as sceambled eggs rhose are at the top of the list. Watermelons, cantelopue, pumpkins are great to when in season. Oatneal in winter as well as beans and rice or beans and pasta are filling and help give them warmth
Some of the hen play things are self explanatory. BUT some are not! Pictures go a long way!
I don't know, been feeding my chickens uncooked green beans for 3 years now (when their in season naturally) and haven't had a single problem, they love them, and I haven't had a problem, though I don't feed them bushels at a time either. They won't touch potatoes or their leaves, neither will they eat any part of a tomato plant, but they love tomatoes.
It’s not green beans that’s the toxic problem, it’s dry beans like pinto. I give my chickens cooked rice, top ramean w/o packet and cooked pinto beans (not all at once) around 6-7pm Makes for a full tummy and good sound sleep. Treats thruout the day may be watermelon, leaves of beets, cucumbers or whatever I may be canning or processing.
General rule of thumb for feed: 1/3 greens, 1/3 protein, 1/3 grain
Thanks! IDK about the 🥑 avocados!
I didn’t know that sunflower seeds could be bad, I feed that to my girls about twice a week. 😢 gonna stop right meow
Me too 😢
Showing the broilers was misleading these birds are bred to grow fast so they can be processed young. Not appropriate to compare to laying hens.
Cannabis clippings are great for chickens. They love it. It boost their immune system.
I bet they do love cannabis😊🎉
I have never had an issue with sunflower seeds. Corn on the other hand I have. I had one chicken that had an impacted crop from cracked corn that the vet had to flush. As for being overweight, age and health are a factor. I only had one chicken that was overweight and that was because of arthritis and age. Otherwise, what might be confused for weight gain, could actually be belly bloat from cancer. This can be a result of bad feed or contaminated soil. About oyster shells, I think it's just a cheap form of calcium that Purina loves to market. I'm skeptical of it's being safe after having trouble with there feed. Plus, I don't think oyster shells are safe for chickens, even if ground, given that oyster is flaky and sharp. I had a bad fishing accident that required two surgeries to get those tiny, sharp pieces out of my thumb.
Yikes!! I'm a new chicken mom and I just bought 50# of shells
@@despicabledavidshort3806 I've been using the oyster shells on and off for 2 years with my girls. Never had a problem. They only take what they need and their eggs seem to have much stronger shells when I leave the oyster shells out for them.
how much is too much for meal worms or soldier fly larva? (per bird)
Half a cup of feed only 😭 my girls are definitely over fed then 😐
Years ago, before you tube, I had meat birds. They ate my large rhubarb patch to the ground. Nothing left. Did them no harm whatsoever. Go figure!
We have a sort of forrest part of the garden where we let our birds roam and explore, they'll often eat a few leaves of plants deemed "poisonous" like the greater celandine. I think their stomache is stronger than we think, we just have to be careful not over feeding them one specific food, thats what may kill them.
Years ago, mine also ate a small tomato plant down to nothing in two days. Also fine. But sure, now that I know, I would keep them away. It was a self-sewn tomato plant in their area. Tomatoes are like that.
Good tips! And it always makes me giggle when people tell you not to give white flour, pizza, junkfood etc to your dog, cat or chickens.
I agree, but foremost you should never feed yourself what you won't feed your animals haha!
Why, in the world, would I "like" a video, and "subscribe" to the source, if I haven't even seen the video yet? How do I know that I "liked" it?
Why do i keep seeing videos of chicken experts saying to not give chickens avocodos or tamatoes they are fine foods as long as its only the part we eat
Tomatos are great treats just only use the fruit not the plant since the plant is toxic
Avocodos the flesh of the fruit the part we eat is great for them to but not seeds or the skin
Basically if you cant eat it they cant either but when in doubt i check google
From what iv witnessed from my wee flock is they tend to instinctually know what they can and can't eat as far as greens and weeds go .in saying that i compost in chick pen so I haven't hung around to see if they are eating aparently naughty foods like avocados and what not ?
All plants are toxic naturally to protect themselves from being eaten, Botany 101 for us as well this is a very important subject.
I think this video needs a do-over as it didn't age well and sounds like a paid ad near the end. Stay away from pellets or any processed feed. It's not and never was what you think. If you must feed your birds grains and seeds, buy them and mix your own; it's the last thing chickens will eat when given a choice. Search for vids and google how to calculate the protein. 16% is a lie. 20% should be your baseline for layers.
Though I'm growing cover crops and farming black solder fly larva (and maggots) to create a closed loop on property system, I currently feed my birds a 60/20/20 diet of floating cat fish food, black oil sunflower seeds, and whole oats and they lay every day or two depending on breed and cycle. They have a 500+ foot run (predator heavy here), and get plenty of exercise. Their post store-bought diet (50% atm) is collards, vetch, daikon radish greens (and cooked radish), cow pea greens (make the richest yokes you've ever seen and the birds love them), English pea greens, brassicas, mulberry leaves and berries, moringa, bugs, whatever they find deconstructing compost, food scraps (I'm carnivore so only protein and rare) and if they are fast enough or I am fast, baby snakes, geckos, palmetto bugs, etc. Once the food forest is going, I'll be adding banana stalks, Barbados cherries, feijoa fruit, and some others on occasion. One think is still on point for this vid, DO NOT over feed your birds. 1/4 lb per chicken max.
I eat the eggs and the birds so it absolutely maters what they eat, and it will never be pellets unless I make them... and I have with a meat grinder. Long term I'd love to get a pelletizer.
Mine have never been a fan of the processed pellets (they only have grower pellets until point of lay). The main feed I give them is mixed seed. Who knows what is in those pellets?
People have been raising chickens for hundreds of years, and do you think the people back then were concerned about tge percentage of protein they should get, and all that other stuff??? I don't think so. SMH
Use your common sense!!
🤦♀️
@@Michigan_Girl Right back at you. Chickens lay fewer eggs when they have a lower protein diet, you know - since eggs are half protein by volume. That is common sense. Where were you when all the chickens stopped laying due to an issue with TSC/Producers Pride feed that had lower protein than advertised?
We have the ability to manage protein so why not do it for the health and efficiency of the birds? Besides, some people can only have a few birds so 5-6 eggs a week per bird matters.
... i feed my chickens food scraps from mine and my neighbors who have 8 people living there, about 80% of thier diet is kitchen scraps. They are about 3 year old and doing fine. Variety is key.
Recently one of my girls actually ran off after letting them free range one day. We found her dead that same night (we mark our chickens with bright pink zip ties loosely around their feet so we know) and I was wondering if you had any ideas on why she suddenly decided to run off? We’ve had these girls for multiple years now and not once has a hen or a chick ever run off, my game birds never leave the pasture either
Feeding the chickens the used eggs shells is a free boost to egg production. Feed them lots of shredded coconut and chia seed with no problems.
My chickens eat as much of whatever they want whenever they want and none are obese, and my oldest bird is 7 years old right now
Sheesh,whose backyard "coop" is that in opening video? Lol. I have 3 hens that keep me stepping. 1/2 a cup of feed per hen. Smh good thing I found this today. I like that wood tool tote feeder @ 4:24
I leave the growing feed out all the time? The chickens are just reaching 16 weeks. I'm introducing laying food now. Is it bad to leave this out as free feeding?
Id go with the feedingvof the old days vs the feed of today.
Oh and I do have a turkey in with them
I was wondering just how much I should feed my one chicken. I will now measure her food. She does get about a 1/4 cup of mealworms once a day and has a very large run. I can't leave her free because she loves to visit my neighbors and they are NOT happy about those visits.
I have 4 layers, 2 ducks and 2 chickens plus 3 3 month old chickens. I have them all together, do I feed everyone grower feed 17 grams protein?
My chickens keep pooping yellow poop there about 2to 3 years old do you know what I should do been dealing with this for awhile one with respiratory problems to I don't give my chickens to much snacks but I do give them left over rice
I have 19 chickens in a run/coop set up. So they need 10 cups per day or 5lbs per day?
Hmm, my feed mix is about 1/3 whole corn. Never heard of it being used only as a treat before
I understand corn raises thei body temperature. It’s better to give them corn in the winter time. In the heat of the day try a different grain mix
@@pw4g492 Interesting, maybe that's why our egg production has gone to crap
I watch tons of videos about chickens and research before I give them anything. I even keep a window fan in the coop so it’s not too hot for them@@AshGreen359
@@pw4g492Maybe this is the cause of Global Warming. Corn on everything Humans eat these day!😅
The best thing you can give a chicken is space. With lots of shrubs. trees, grass. Fresh air water exercise.
We rescued 12 production reds and they bobble around now with our flock in a roomy coop and predator proof yard. I keep hearing some people say kale and broccoli are ok and some say they are not good. My chickens have never liked cabbage or any other hanging vegetable. haha.
Cabbage is ok stay away from feeding them spinach. Can cause eggbound
I hung a head of red cabbage for my chickens in the morning before work and when I got home from work the cabbage was gone but there was a lot of purple poop all over the enclosure. Took awhile to clean up. It went right threw them.
I also hang broccoli and they eat it up. Doesn't go threw them like the cabbage.
@@koeltefontein
eXcess intake of Spinach is bad for Humans, especially in a Green Smoothie every morning! Ref; Elliot Overton Video! Don't eat this Vegetable
@@kevingrantonic8812 I'm not trying to be mean because English probably isn't your first language but threw is the past tense for throw. You mean to say through. Just trying to help.
@@surferduderocks200 my bad. Typed this up without proof reading it. No need to be snotty about it.
Had chickens for over 10 years now. They get everything from the garden including tomato and potato leaves when I'm pruning or clearing a bed. They can choose to eat it or not. It hasn't ever hurt them. Also they get avocado shells and remnants. If I throw avocado into our compost pile the dogs will climb in there to lick them clean. They are still alive.
I wonder how many people just believe what they read/hear and never check to see if it's realistic or true.
Someone may have asked this already, but in the feeding chart @ 6.34....why does the feed intake jump from 2-2.9 lbs to double digits at 6-20 wks and then goes down to 1.8-2.4 lbs.?
Growing requires unlimited Calories.
My chickens get tuna and eggs a few times a week. Two options of layer feed and lots of scratch, soldier flies, black seeds and veg. I have to admit, I steal from brunch menus! But the molting on my older girl is freaking me out. She looks like the turkey we will serve in two days.
Seedless Green Grapes??
what about dairy? Mine love cheese and yoghurt, and cream cheese...but no interest in meal worms or chicken treat blocks from the pet store.
I add a vitamin and mineral mix to thier water.
They don't like kale and sometimes spinach. Apples they like intermittently., and some times grapes.
They fully free range on a 1/4 acre back yard. Bugs n worms they find are thier preferred option. Chicken grain they only like 1 brand..
Question: I feed mine 1/2 cup feed per day plus free range & occasionally watermelon &/or chopped lettuce. They also have available an automatic feeder that they self feed 24/7. Should I remove the self feeder?
No if they are uses to it and fine with it you can keep the self feeder every chicken and group of chickens is different and videos like this are good for general advice but if what your doing is working and your birds are healthy you shouldn't need to change anything
They need grit in order to process the food. I feed mine table sc raps but no avacado. I get an egg/day evewn from my Silkies. Just give them room to run around, plenty of ventilation in the coop, and don't make it harder than it needs to be.
Does uncooked beans include uncooked sprouting lentils?
I sprouted a bunch of lentils as a treat for them. They went pretty wild for it and loved it.
Are raisins a healthy snack? Will raisins cause an overweight problem?
Don't make it so complicated. Mixed grain is a modern thing. We only know " 16%/18%/21% protein" from modern chicken farmers who have perfected using grain to grow chickens. For the past thousands of years, chickens were fed scraps.
This. Creating neurotic new chicken owners seems like a weird thing to do. I've never known chickens to eat things not good for them if they have other choices. They just leave whatever it is on the ground. They should get all of the kitchen scraps, including meat... or mouse nests.
Beet greens and chard are also very high in oxalic acid and can be dangerous to chicken and human kidneys.
That would be a reason to grow kale. Not a fan myself.
They love kale I grew way too much kale on year and they ate it up for me and we're not sick at all all winter
I don’t think this channel’s content maker even has chickens. This is just a bunch of generic chicken footage with the narrator sowing out stuff he’s read or heard from other sources. Fake site.
Tell me how you really feel. 🤦♀️🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
It is not hard to figures out. Very early, late in the evening, yard time during the day, bugs. Free are the bugs in your yard or wooded area.
How often would you recommend feeding chickens pork fat, lard as a supplement?
You can feed them it just fine but I would caution and not feed them regularly. I'd try once every two weeks or so. Pay attention to their weight. If it doesn't seem to really drastically affect then you can always feed them more frequently
People used to trap racoons and whatnot, cut it open and leave it in the chickens run. They eat everything and leave clean bones. Feeding mixed grain is a modern thing.
I’ve seen where people plant sweet potatoes in the run do they can eat the vines. I understand potatoes & sweet potatoes are different but wanted to ask your opinion since you did list potato plants as off limits.
Sweet potato vines are edible and very healthy humans as well! I grew japanese sweet potato in a raised garden box. The vines were growing over the sides, along the ground, and through the fence of their run. Not only did my flock eat the leaves, but they were yanking the vines to pull more through the fence!
Avocado peal and seeds are poisonous not the flesh...
I've never known chickens given a choice to eat anything that isn't good for them. They should get all the kitchen waste, especially meat. If you only have a couple of backyard hen given them a nice mix of whatever was for meals if the waste is too much for them to eat in a day. A bit of mixed grains is nice.
They are omnivores. They LOVE meat and you'll know they used to be velocoraptors if you ever see them find a mouse nest. They also will eat vegetables, grass or alfalfa leaves. If you have a large flock, give them some alfalfa to go with the bagged chicken food. Throw them a few handfulls of cat food while you're at it.
This video is going to make people worry when they have no cause at all to worry. Knock it off.
My chicks love raisins!
Those precious chickens need to free range... the fresh air would be healthier and a plus for them and their eggs.
My chickens have a beautiful huge outdoor play area to enjoy all day. I had to place bamboo fence around the play yard to discourage bald eagles, hawks, owls and the neighbor's barn cats from preying on my flock.
So should they NOT eat black oiled sunflower seeds? I've known many give them to their chickens, never had issues...so advise please
BOS are good, but offset them with something lean. They are 14% protein so keep them at about 20% total diet and come up with two other ingredients to balance out the fat and protein. You want about 20% of protein and 30-35% fat if your birds are active if you can manage. It depending on weather as well. Increase the fat% during the winter if you have one.
@@choosewisely067 their food is high protein,over 20% I get it at our local mill, was just concerned about them eating the sunflower seeds whole and it hurting them...they won't get them often, just as a treat a couple handfuls a week...but does it harm their insides since they eat them whole?
@@Damselfly54315 Not at all. They eat grit/small pebbles, oyster shell if you feed it to them and this goes into their gizzard, which is a very strong muscle, that mashes and grinds up food with the help of the small stones. Make sure they have access to dirt or provide them grit and or shell and they will do just fine.
@@choosewisely067 they will have access to all that but oyster shell only at laying age so it doesn't hurt their kidneys, baby grit they get now even though they are on chick crumble...and have larger grit for when they are bigger...plus they eat some stuff from dust bath...ive not given them anything TREAT wise yet, except for water mixed with the chick crumble and some herbs thrown in that, some oregano, parsley and sage...I'm very particular I guess...but they only have me not a mother hen...so I take their well being VERY SERIOUS! ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY ARE DUAL PURPOSE BIRDS, we will be eating some of them once we find best rooster in flock for breeding the first clutch...only need one rooster, (two if they get along)...
@@Damselfly54315 Brilliant! I did the same thing. Got 10 Buff Orpington chicks in Dec. and some hatching eggs. I'll have 3 hen bloodlines and 2 roo lines for now; 9 birds total when I'm done and I'll hatch out 8 for meat every 4 months (I think - still deciding). One of the lines is a barnyard mix though; Easter Eggers and a Sapphire Gem - most likely keep them for laying or sell the chicks off if I breed that line. I had 4 gems but they were harvested - they are brutally mean birds and tortured my Easter Eggers relentlessly. The last one is a keeper as her attitude is great and she's broody. She's raising 5 Buff Orpington chicks from those hatching eggs.
Aside from the chicken tasting like none other, the sustainability is priceless and the labor is worth every moment.
I suspect this guy doesn’t actually own any chickens and is just “Reading” to us haha
When there's extra eggs I can't eat I scramble them and giv them to my chickens but I also crush up the egg shells either in a mocahete or blender and add it to the egg before I cook it so they get the calcium.
@nathanhale: I make popovers....😂❤
My chickens won’t eat split peas
2 holly trees and 1 huge rhubarb growing next to chicken fence.... They don't touch em.... chickens seem to know what not to eat!
Lately I'm getting fairy evgs why?
I have feed my chickens ramien and cheese and frozen corn is that a death sentence
Chickens, like humans, will eat themselves to death on carbohydrates. If you wonder how much carb is plenty, just consider that a proper human diet should consist of no more than about 3% to 4% total carbs (that includes both simple and complex carbs). My chickens have always eaten whatever they foraged from the ground (bugs, forage grasses, dirt, etc) and quality table scraps. I always have an abundance of fermented grains (corn, oats, barley, rye) on hand from another item i produce that they get as a treat, VERY SPARINGLY. DONT over complicate chicken feeding. Just like with any other production animal, dont over populate the amount of ranging area you have.
How old should your chickens be before you start fermenting their feed?
You can start week one.
I started the first week and they loved it. No harm, just natural probiotics.
@ML do you have to add anything or just water? I've always been curious if it naturally has the good bacteria or if you have to add it
@@chancefluke7833 Just non-chlorinated water! If you only have tap water (not filtered or well water) let it sit out for 24 hours on your counter so the chlorine evaporates! Make sure your feed has a big enough container for room to expand and is complete submerged with the water, loose topped lid (I use a cloth and rubber band), and it'll be ready in 3 days! It will ferment off of the natural occurring yeasts and bacteria 😊
@justamags do you find that an over night soak is sufficient? Or do you have to let it go a full three days?
No corn or soy
i lost chickens by feeding them avocado - i got the best eggs imaginnable by feeding them sardines (1 sardine per bird per day)
Hey thank you very much that’s why all my chick are fat lol 😅 I give them to much love time to let them run out side more lol