Author Topic: Feeding special grains for growth and conditioning  (Read 3427 times)

Don

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Feeding special grains for growth and conditioning
« on: May 16, 2018, 11:59:08 AM »
Some have had questions about which extra bits people feed during the grow our and pre-show seasons. I am sure that folks have a lot of extra special secrets that they like to use and think it might help their birds progress in a special way. While I've seen cage bird breeders use all type of fruits and nuts, cooked mash and oat/wheat mash.  I personally have not noticed this quite as much in the poultry world. I've seen lots of people offer sunflower and safflower seed as well as oats and rye in poultry feed. Sometimes the birds are reluctant to eat these at first. The shelled seed are usually easier to get them to try at first. Or mix the husked seed with some wet feed or simple oils might do the trick. Another option is to sprout some of these grains until they begin to realize they are good to eat too in their dry state too.
Don Cash
Matthew 4:9

Paul

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Re: Feeding special grains for growth and conditioning
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2018, 11:43:05 AM »
  We tried sunflower, flax and white German millet seed in the past.  I didn't see any difference in the performance of the birds.  We gave it at least a year's trial before quit adding it to their ration.  The major difference is the cost of feed.  If I remember correctly the flax was almost $50/50 lbs., white German millet $20/50 lbs. and sunflower seed $25/40 lbs.

  We also took corn chops out of the birds ration.  Corn can and will cause purple on black birds.  We now feed, whole wheat, whole oats, soybean meal, fish meal, Vita-Ferm-Cattlemans blend, corn oil, commercial layer mesh/crumbles, grower grit and oyster shell.  We try to raise watermelons and tomatoes to give the birds as treats.  This year has been very adverse growing conditions.  Looks like the watermelon isn't going to preform.
Paul Smith