Higher protein feed for molt ?

[Robbie]

I'm new to all this, but I feed real raw meat (meat "dust" from the butcher) as a supplement as that's what other Buckeye breeders have done. It's true that you can provide all essential amino acids via an all vegetable diet but meat contains other things, including trace minerals, as well that I believe cannot be adequately added via a synthetic vitamin and mineral supplement.
There have been incidents where the "complete" diet has been deficient, in one case inadequate selenium and vitamin E, that lead to problems with hatch and chicks.( Meat is a poor source of vitamin E but good for selenium.) If I were to add oil to my chicken's feed I would add Red Palm oil, high in vitamin E and Omega 3 fatty acids.
While all my chickens go crazy over the meat, the red sex link cross hens like it the most and will eat more than the Buckeyes.

[Home Grown Poultry]

Thanks for your detailed explanation Troy its greatly appreciated. Thats the stuff you wont find in a book and instead from many years of experience.

thanks man!

[modern17]

Robbie
I have used the meat route many years ago.. I agree it is good .. but the variance in what you are feeding depends alot on what is being cut at the butcher... ... plus hard to find a butcher to provide this as it is basically a grey area... once upon a time I used to buy what they called dog burger... it was basically what you are describing and had either pork or beef as well as several components of trimings ,fat ,blood as well as entrails of the same in it.. everything but the oink or moo as I was told.... it was great for the birds as we bought it in 1 lbs blocks and it was frozen... you would take a block out the night before and thaw it out for morning use.. we would add cod liver oil and oil cake meal.. make a mash and feed it out right... pros they loved it .. they shined due to its components ... cons... I found worming was a necessity or you had issues.... it did not last long before spoiling .. you had to take any unconsumed portions asap especially in the summer months.... The biggest con now it is virtually not available due to some unscrupulous individuals allowing this to be used for human consumption.. as far as I know it is not permitted in most government inspected facilities.. but we all know how that can go.. I have used hamburger for humans but .. this gets pricey with the current cost of beef... I agree that animal protein does a better job but ..you must roll with the punches... times have changed since then..
TL

[Robbie]

Robbie
I have used the meat route many years ago.. I agree it is good .. but the variance in what you are feeding depends alot on what is being cut at the butcher... ... plus hard to find a butcher to provide this as it is basically a grey area... once upon a time I used to buy what they called dog burger... it was basically what you are describing and had either pork or beef as well as several components of trimings ,fat ,blood as well as entrails of the same in it.. everything but the oink or moo as I was told.... it was great for the birds as we bought it in 1 lbs blocks and it was frozen... you would take a block out the night before and thaw it out for morning use.. we would add cod liver oil and oil cake meal.. make a mash and feed it out right... pros they loved it .. they shined due to its components ... cons... I found worming was a necessity or you had issues.... it did not last long before spoiling .. you had to take any unconsumed portions asap especially in the summer months.... The biggest con now it is virtually not available due to some unscrupulous individuals allowing this to be used for human consumption.. as far as I know it is not permitted in most government inspected facilities.. but we all know how that can go.. I have used hamburger for humans but .. this gets pricey with the current cost of beef... I agree that animal protein does a better job but ..you must roll with the punches... times have changed since then..
TL

This is sold as dog food so no worries there! And it's frozen in convenient 250 gram blocks. They don't get much, it's only a small part of their diet.

[Killerbunny]

Interestingly I just changed my feed supplier because it was getting dustier and I found mould in some bags which was the last straw. Since the change I noticed the shell quality of the eggs has gone up, I'm not supplementing as much and the birds actually eat it because it's better feed! I'm using about 2/3 what I used to because there's no waste! Nice to have a lower feed bill. Even the turkey feed is better quality.

[Robbie]

I wish they would put a date of manufacture on the feed bags. Fresh really counts.

[Home Grown Poultry]

the date is on the tag... at least they are on mine...

[Robbie]

Never seen that on any feed I've bought :-(
Whatbrand/type of feed do you have Gawd?

[Killerbunny]

On mine too.

[Home Grown Poultry]

Brigden feed mill... its locally milled and almost dust free! I used to drive an extra 15 mins at the old place to a small feed store that carried it but now I live like 20 mins to the mill and they are such nice people. I can still buy the Purina gambird feeds from them to which is nice.