Poultry Feeds Explained

One of the most confusing things for a first-time flock owner is what to feed their birds! It seems like it would be so easy, just go to the store and buy "chicken feed," but when you get to the feed store, there are dozens of different types! What are all these different types of feed used for? Each of these feeds have a different purpose, and several of them may suit your flock.

Layer Feed

Layer feed is specifically designed for the laying hen, making sure she gets enough protein, calcium, and other minerals to keep her eggshells strong and her body and bones healthy. Layer feed is available in crumbles and pellets. There is a common misconception among holistic and organic bloggers that layer feed has hormones in it to make the hens lay more, but this is untrue. In fact, layer feed will not make hens lay more at all; it only keeps them healthy and keeps eggshells strong! 

Layer feed is best for hens who are more than 16-20 weeks old or laying, whichever comes first. Layer feed will not make them lay, so there's no rush! Do not feed it to young chicks, as their developing kidneys cannot handle the extra vitamins and minerals. Some believe that layer feed may cause kidney disease in roosters, which is a valid concern. However, many people have fed their roosters layer feed with no problems, myself included. Because of this, I believe that a rooster can handle the extra minerals as well as we can handle a multivitamin that gives us a little too much. 

Medicated Chick Starter

Medicated chick starter is for young chickens. This feed has a small amount of the drug amprolium which helps the chicks as they are exposed to coccidia without getting too sick. Coccidia is the single-celled parasite behind coccidiosis, a word which gives chicken keepers quite the headache. When using medicated feed, the chicks are exposed to the coccidia in the dirt, may contract a very mild infection which the amprolium in the feed helps them fight off before it gets too bad. They can still get a severe infection, however, if their waterers, feeders, and environment are not kept reasonably clean. Amprolium has no withdrawal time and there is no evidence that it is harmful to humans, although it cannot be used in an organic setting. 

Medicated chick starter is recommended for a minimum of 8 weeks of age, but you can feed it up to the point that you switch to layer (or other adult feed). It is mainly for chicken chicks. Game bird chicks (like guineas, turkeys, pheasant, quail) will need a higher protein feed than chickens, but you can still find a medicated version of these feeds. It is commonly said that medicated feed is poisonous to ducklings. This is both true and untrue. Previously, medicated feed was made with a different type of drug which waterfowl could easily overdose on. Now, that amprolium is mainly used, medicated feed will not hurt them, but it is not necessary. Waterfowl are extremely resistant to coccidiosis, so they don't need and help preventing it. However, if you are raising them with chicks that eat medicated starter, it will not hurt the ducklings. Just remember to at a niacin supplement for ducks!
*UPDATE* Medicated feed is now controlled by the Veterinary Feed Directive and requires a prescription by a veterinarian in order to obtain. 

Unmedicated Chick Starter

It is as it seems - a basic chick starter with no drugs to control coccidiosis. It is nutritionally complete for the growing chicken! Chicks can develop immunity without the help of drugs, but it is more difficult on the chicken keeper! When feeding unmedicated feed, you must slowly expose them to coccidia by introducing them to dirt when they are around 2 weeks old, and gradually increase their exposure. The organic/med-free keeper must also take extra care to keep waterers, feeders, and bedding very clean, as a dirty environment exposes them to more of the coccidia's oocysts, which causes infection. 

Chicks and ducklings can eat starter up until it's time to switch them to layer feed! If using for ducks, remember to at extra Niacin (B3). Using brewer's yeast (NOT bread yeast!) is a good way to supplement for Niacin.

Game Bird Starter

This feed is for baby "wild" fowl, like turkeys, pheasant, and quail, and is available in medicated and unmedicated versions. Game bird starter is very high in protein. Game birds require more protein than chickens or ducks, so it is important that they have a higher-protein diet. They are generally fed this feed until about 8 weeks of age. 

Game Bird Feed

This is mainly for adult game birds. It provides turkeys, quail, pheasant, and other wild fowl with adequate protein and nutrition in their adult years. It is also often used for chickens and ducks during molting, to help regrow feathers quicker and easier. It can be given to ducks and generally is higher the the niacin they need, but may be too high in protein and cause angel wing in younger ducks. 

Grower/Finisher Feed

Although Purina started marketing this for layers, it was originally only for broilers, like the Cornish Cross. It is designed to lower protein to prepare these broiler chickens for butchering, and is usually given to them at 6 weeks old. 

Purina Flock Raiser

Purina's Flock Raiser is meant for the mixed flock of different ages and species. At 20% protein, is is nutritionally similar to most unmedicated chick starters. A mixed flock is difficult to feed, and a general flock raiser is a good solution, although some of them may need a supplement! For ducklings, you may need to add a bit of Niacin. Leave out free choice oyster shell for the layers (don't worry! The others won't eat it unless they need it). This feed is pretty well-rounded and a good choice for those who raise a mixed flock. 

Nutrena Feather Fixer

Feather Feather Fixer is designed for the molting bird to grow in strong, shiny feathers. It can also be used for birds which are exhibiting signs of protein deficiency, such as feather-eating. According to Nutrena, Feather Fixer has extra protein, vitamins, and greens for ideal feather regrowth. Many people have found that their birds grow more healthy-looking feathers and get through molts quicker when using this feed. 

Waterfowl Feed

Waterfowl feed is ideal for ducks, geese, and swans. With most other feed, they must have niacin added or suffer a painful deficiency or risk getting angel wing, a deformity of the wing caused by a too high-calorie, high-protein feed. When using waterfowl feed for adults or young, you don't have to worry about adding supplements because it is complete for them. If you are raising waterfowl separately from other species, and this type of feed is available to you, it is highly recommended to use feed specifically for waterfowl!

We hope that we helped clear up some confusion! What feed do you use for your birds? Leave a Comment! Remember to check out our Facebook Page and our Instagram for regular updates and cute pictures!

Sources:

"NatureWise Feather Fixer Poultry Feed for Molting." NatureWise Feather Fixer Poultry Feed for Molting. Cargill, Incorportated, 2016. Web. 17 July 2016. <http://www.nutrenaworld.com/products/poultry/naturewise-poultry/feather-fixer/>.

Gerhold, Richard W., Jr. "Overview of Coccidiosis in Poultry." : Coccidiosis: Merck Veterinary Manual. Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp, 2009. Web. 17 July 2016. <http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/poultry/coccidiosis/overview_of_coccidiosis_in_poultry.html>.

"Metzer Farms Duck and Goose Blog: Can Medicated Feed Be Used for Waterfowl?" Metzer Farms Duck and Goose Blog: Can Medicated Feed Be Used for Waterfowl? Metzer Farms, 30 Nov. 2011. Web. 17 July 2016. <http://metzerfarms.blogspot.com/2011/11/can-medicated-feed-be-used-for.html>.

Breed Spotlight - Cayuga Duck

Image Source: Wikipedia Commons

The Cayuga duck is an American breed of duck, originating from the state of New York. This breed is characterized by it's black feathers, which are iridescent  in the sun. They are among the oldest American duck breeds, and have been fairly popular since the mid 1800s. 

Traits of the Breed

Image Source: Wikipedia Commons

The Cayuga duck has black feathers, with a beetle green iridescence in the light. They are as close to solid black as it gets - their bill and legs are black, and their eyes should be very dark brown. This medium-sized breed weighs between 7 and 8 pounds, and are a dual purpose breed, once being the most popular duck for meat before the Pekin was imported to the US. One reason this breed is desired among backyard keepers is the eggs that they produce. High-quality ducks produce black eggs, although they slowly fade to light grey as the female's egg cycle progresses. Cayugas are known for being good foragers, but also being quieter than other breeds such as the Pekin, making them a good choice for the urban duck enthusiast. Male Cayugas are frequently mute!

History

The history of the Cayuga duck is fairly unclear. The breed originated in the state of New York and is named after Cayuga Lake, of the Finger Lakes region. One theory states that a miller in Duchess County found a pair of black ducks on his property, and bred them to get the Cayuga breed. Experts disagree, and say that there is no evidence to support this claim. A more likely theory is that the breed derives from the English black duck, which were once popular in England. These black ducks were then bred to mallard ducks, leading to the breed as we know it today. Although the origin is still unknown, it is most likely that the Cayuga originated from these domestic black ducks, rather than mutated wild populations. 

Cayuga ducks became less popular when the Pekin was imported from China, as their black feathers made their carcass less desirable on the table than the Pekin's soft white. The Cayuga is making a comeback as backyard enthusiast are often attracted to their beauty and novelty over the utility of other breeds. 

Where to get them

As Cayugas have become common among backyard farmers, they are available at most large hatcheries that sell ducks. For the best, show-quality and darkest eggs, you should buy them from a breeder with stock proven in shows, who will show you his/her birds' eggs before you buy the ducklings. 

Hatcheries:

Meyer Hatchery

Ideal Poultry 

Sources:"The Livestock Conservancy." The Livestock Conservancy. The Livestock Conservancy, n.d. Web. 30 May 2016. <https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/cayuga>.

"Cayuga Duck." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 30 May 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayuga_duck>.

Springtime is Happy Time

We are so happy it's finally spring! The hens are finally all laying, the incubator is fired up, the ducks are splashing! The chickens are happy that their coop finally gets opened for free-ranging, all that green grass and those bugs aren't going to eat themselves! (Note to self, never use that phrase again.)

Enjoying some free ranging!

The spring is when the financial pressure of owning farm animals starts to be alleviated, a little. A combination of finally having some eggs to sell to pay for feed, and having to buy less feed because the chickens are eating mainly bugs and plants. You might even profit enough to buy yourself a milkshake! Probably a small milkshake, but hey! It's a profit! This is positive thinking. Spring gives us positive thinking, and hope of a good year.

Sylvie enjoying the warm weather

One of our hens' first egg of the year!

None of my hens have gone broody yet. I have a game hen that probably will, a young Silkie, and I'm crossing my fingers on the red sexlink that raised chicks for us last year. I can't wait until someone sits! I love watching a mother hen lead her babies around to find food in the lush spring grass, or whoop up on a cat that chases them!

Boots and Rumpy, getting ready to lay in our cabinets-turned-nesting-box-holder. We often use cardboard boxes as nesting boxes to reduce garbage!

Ducks need to have at least enough water to cover their nostrils
when they drink .

The ducks are also enjoying the spring. Although they are not as bothered by winter's bitter weather as chickens, they finally can get into some nice non-frozen water and swim! Gone are the days of buckets that they can barely stick their head in, and the days of swimming have finally come! The ducks seem so disappointed when they are let out and hop into their spring-fed pool, only to find 5 inches of solid ice in place of their water. Even when the spring is dry, it is finally warm enough to hook up the water hose and have more than 9 gallons of water in their pool at a time! I've never seen such happy ducks as the first warm day we had!

Splash!

Chuck, checking out the Camera!

I think the happiest one about the nice weather is Nina, the farm Chihuahua. Nina follows me out when I take care of the chickens. I go out multiple times a day, meaning Nina goes out at well! In the winter, she gets bundled up in sweaters and coats because Chihuahuas get cold very easily, but in the spring, she doesn't have to get cold at all! Nina loves being able to lie out in the sun again, not on slippery ice and snow over her head!

Nina - the happiest member of the family

At the end of the day, the chickens roost as happy birds, the ducks waddle their way back to their pen to be kept safe for the night, and we all sit back and listen to the spring peepers singing in the nearby streams. Ah, spring, we love you so!

Grabbing the last few bites before heading up to the roost for the night.

So you're thinking about getting ducks

Ducks are extremely fun to raise! They waddle, they quack, and they swim! What's more adorable? However, ducks come with their own list of difficulties and potential problems, and aren't for every family. They can be messier, require a lot of water, and may not be able to live in the same coop as your chickens. So, should you get ducks?

Some Negatives to Consider

While ducks can be very joyful, we will first go through the potential problems that may arise while raising them. Those cute little fuzzies grow to adult ducks someday! I am not in any way trying to discourage anyone from getting ducks, but I want to make sure that you are well-informed and prepared to deal with them!

They are very messy

Ducks are extremely messy animals. The same way that chickens scatter their food about, ducks do with water. Their poop is also mostly water, so bedding gets soaked and stinking very quickly! I normally use deep litter for my coop, especially in the winter, but I can't use it in the duck pen due to all of the moisture. I just have to clean it out every few days, or we get flies! My chicken pen, as far as I can tell, does not produce much of a smell, but my duck pen smells worse than a pigsty! They will also destroy your yard when it rains - they can take a puddle the size of a frying pan and somehow use it to turn 100 square feet into a mud pit!

You may not be able to keep them with chickens

You may or may not be able to. I have to keep mine separate for several reasons, one being that my ducks and chickens fight. On occasion, they free range together, but I won't put then in an enclosed space with each other. My ducks have gotten hurt from my roosters due to fighting with them. Most farm ducks are unable to fly, so they have no defense against sharp beaks and spurs! In addition to that, you will likely want a pool for your ducks, which a chicken may drown in if she can't get out. There is also a huge difference in anatomy between ducks and chickens, so if a drake tries to mate a chicken, it may hurt her or even kill her! Some people keep them together and it works just fine, but I prefer to keep mine away from each other.

Duck mating is more violent than chickens

The male-to-female ratio is even more important with ducks than it is chickens. If you accidentally get too many roosters, you may be able to make the lower ratio work. With ducks, it's putting your hens and other drakes in danger. Drakes are extremely aggressive maters, and several drakes may mate a duck to death trying to compete. When ducks mate, the male holds on the the females' head by the feathers, pushing her head under water. This is fine, because one mating only lasts a few seconds and she can lift her head back up. However, if she is mating by three or for drakes in a row, who is taking longer because the other drakes are trying to push him off, she may drown. In the wild where there are as many males as females, it isn't uncommon to see this. Due to their aggressive mating strategy, ducks have some peculiar organs. They are one of the few birds that have an actual penis, and the duck penis is shaped like a corkscrew. To make things more competitive, the female duck has a vagina that corkscrews in the opposite direction and even has multiple channels with dead ends! This, considering many people find the chickens "vent touch" to look violent, may be something to consider before getting ducks. Unless you get an auto-sexing hybrid from Metzer, or you buy adult female ducks, it is likely that you will end up with a drake, even if you don't want one. 

Ducks require a LOT of water

Ducks need access to at least enough water to cover their nostrils, preferably their whole head, so they can run water through their bill to wash food down. They must drink with almost every bite, especially with dry, dusty feed. Most of us let our ducks swim. After all, they are waterfowl! However, if you don't have a pond with plenty of aquatic plants or a stream of moving water, you'll need to empty and refill their water source every single day, sometimes twice a day. It gets very dirty, very fast! If you live in a place that often has droughts or water restrictions, or you are obsessive about your water usage, ducks are probably not for you. 

Some Positives to Consider

Of course, there are plenty of positives to owning ducks! Their eggs, meat (if you want them for that) and hardiness make them an excellent animal for many people to raise!

Duck eggs are huge, and pricey!

Most duck eggs are bigger than chicken eggs, and they sell for more money. Depending on where you live, you could sell your excess eggs for $5-$8 a dozen! If you have the space to let your ducks free range, that could be a lot of money in your pocket! Even if you give them exclusively feed, you can still sell the eggs to contribute to their cost to you! In addition to money, duck eggs are large and rich, and are great for baking! They make for amazing cakes and bread!

Ducks are full of character

If you're looking for a pet, ducks are very fun and generally have wonderful personalities. They are extremely vocal and have a wide variety of sounds that they use to communicate with each other. They greet each other with joyful chattering, signal their location to others with loud quacks, and bob their heads to signal the others to follow them. Males have a lovely deep voice in place of a quack, and arch their neck, whistling as a courtship display. When they swim, they splash and dive under water with joy, and often search for food with their tails sticking straight up in the air! I love watching my ducks follow me, one by one, almost always in the same order. If you get ducks, you'll see where the phrase "get your ducks in a row" came from - they walk everywhere in a single-file line! It may be just me, but I find all of these duck behaviors fun to watch! In addition to their comical behaviors, some ducks are very friendly. My drake, Chuck, walks right up to me and lets me pick him up!

They are significantly more weather hardy

Most farm ducks are derived from the common Mallard duck, which exists native all over the world. Because of this, Mallard-derived breeds, such as the Pekin, Rouen, and Khaki Campbell duck, are extremely tolerant of different weather conditions. While chickens need a well-ventilated, dry, draft-free, and sometimes even insulated coop, these ducks simply need a place to get out of direct wind and weather. This past winter, I provided my ducks with a straw-stuffed doghouse to get in when it was going get below zero. Two of them went in the dog house, one slept beside it, and two slept right in the middle of the pen, exposed to the weather. When I went to check on them that morning, they were fine! No frostbite on their feet or bills, and they weren't even shivering! Meanwhile, I had to bring some antibiotic ointment up to the winter-proofed chicken coop to treat two roosters for frostbitten combs, even though it was significantly warmer in the coop than it was outside. Mallard-derived ducks are simply much hardier than the chickens and it is less costly to set up a shelter for them. In the summer, as long as they are provided with a water source, they can handle the heat with ease as well!

Duck feathers are great for crafting

Ducks have a different type of feather than chickens. The feather is more curved and wider, and the quill is thinner and more flexible, making for softer down. If you keep ducks as pets or layers, you can collect plenty of feathers during a molt for crafting. The feathers can be dyed or left natural to make beautiful jewelry, decor, or even used for harmless pranks! If you choose to raise ducks for meat, don't let those feathers go to waste! You can make your own down pillows! As previously stated, duck or goose down is preferred over chicken down for pillows because it has a very soft quill. No one likes to be stabbed in the face by their down pillow while they're sleeping! So, if you're the crafty type, replace your normal fiberfill with the down from your ducks where possible. 

Still want ducks?

I have now provided you with four negative things and four positive things about ducks. My ducks are the joy of my flock, possibly my favorite birds of the ones I have. While they will always have a place in my flock, they may not be for everyone. Do you still think they are for you? Leave a comment! 

Remember to like our Facebook page and follow our Instagram for regular updates of our feathery backyard residents! 

The Spring Chick's First Snow

One of my favorite things is seeing the first-year chickens experience snow for the first time. Some stand there and stare at the sky, some peck at it, some go in the coop and won't come out, some go everywhere but the coop trying to escape!

Here they are hiding under some steps. Marquis, the Salmon Faverolle, is much more equipped to handle cold weather than the bantams. However, he stays with them because he is too timid and docile to be with the big chickens! He got use to the snow pretty quickly compared to the others!








Choco, a Golden sebright, could not understand the snow. She stood in that spot, with that expression, for about 10 minutes while I tried to get her in her coop. She was more confused than any of the other chickens - and it was hilarious!

After she was done staring at the sky, Choco tried to escape by getting on the roof. She was too confused by the snow around her to fly back off by herself, so I had to get a 4 foot stick and poke her until she got off the roof! I knew she could fly well, but not that well! 

All it took to get Sylvie and Mr. Fabulous use to the snow was a few graham crackers! They followed us straight into the coop! Since Silkies do not have any  hard feathers to keep heat in and water out, it is important that that stay dry in the winter. Sebrights are better, but they have very little underfluff to hold warm air against their bodies. It's best that the bantams don't spend to spend too much time in the snow!

Now the ducks loved the snow. I let them out and they immediately started playing in it! They loved sifting through the snow for the little pieces of food left behind by the chickens! Ducks are a lot more cold-hardy than chickens, but they aren't foolproof. I looked outside to see one of my mallard/pekin hens shivering. When I picked her up, she was soaked! She hadn't spread her oils well enough to fully waterproof her feathers! Always check your ducks' feathers in the winter!

Of course, Nina the farm Chihuahua. This isn't her first year of snow, but it may as well be, because she acts just as surprised and disgusted every year! Even though she has a sweater and a coat on, it's just too cold out for her!

I hope you guys enjoyed my flock and the snow! Stay warm, drink some hot cocoa, and make some cookies with your eggs (if you're even getting them right now!). 

AVIAN FLU - US and Canada

Backyard chicken keepers and big farmers alike are in all stages of panic at the moment. With large numbers of birds infected in the midwest, including a farm in Iowa culling a total of 5 million infected chickens! That is at one single farm! In the west, several wild ducks, hawks, and falcons have been found with the disease, and it has reached some backyard flocks as well.
While this has mainly taken place in the United States, There have been a few small outbreaks in southern British Columbia and Ontario in Canada as well.

Government Intervention

Several states have put a hold on all large poultry sales, shows, and similar gatherings until the outbreak is under control. 

30 countries have banned US poultry due to the outbreak, particularly from Iowa, where the largest outbreaks have taken place. Iowa is the top commercial producer of eggs in the United States. Considering nearly half of the laying hens in the state have been culled, economics expect Iowa to take a pretty big economic hit.

Is my flock at risk?!

In the US Midwest, your flock could be at risk for contracting the Avian Flu Virus. Measures in biosecurity must be taken to ensure the health of your flock. Keep your birds pinned up, rather than free ranging, and do not add any new birds to your flock.
There have been smaller cases in the Northwest and Southwestern US states, so care must be taken even if you don't live in the Midwest (where the worst is taking place)! There have also been a few cases in southern Canada. There has yet to be a case found on the Atlantic flyway, though the CDC warns that migrations in the fall months may spread the virus more quickly. In my personal opinion, if you live in the US or southern Canada, even if you do not live in a 'hotspot,' measures need to be taken to avoid infection of your flock. Do not order hatching eggs or live birds from affected states (even from hatcheries - some have found the virus in their breeding flocks). If you get any new birds, quarantine should be even more strict than usual. Also, avoid allowing your flock to come in contact with wild birds - particularly migratory birds. It is suggested that you do not feed wild birds for this reason. If you take simple biosecurity measures, your flock will most likely be safe!
Luckily, it seems to be of no risk to humans. The CDC and USDA confirmed that no cases of HPAI H5 (the three viruses in the US and Canada currently) have infected humans, though they warn that it's not impossible for humans to contract the virus.
However, and outbreak of the H7N9 AI virus in China has resulted with infections among humans. This is different from the viruses we are experiencing in the US and Canada. 

Figures

In the United states alone, nearly 50 million birds have been culled due to Avian Influenza. The majority of these numbers come from large factory farms.
The US egg industry have taken a huge hit from the epidemic, with egg prices nearly doubling over the past few months. Many bakeries have have been completely cut off, and some grocery stores have begun rationing eggs (limiting the amount you can buy per purchase). Bakeries and restaurants are turning to European eggs and plant-based substitutes to use in their goods.

Effect on Backyard Poultry Owners

Before we flip out and give up on poultry, it's best to analyze the situation. Sure, many birds have had to be culled due to outbreaks. However, most of those were in commercial operations and therefore small backyard flocks could be easy to keep secure and disease-free with fewer birds to house and monitor. With the egg rationing, price increase, and public panic over the virus, this situation would be extremely easy to take advantage of and sell excess eggs! 

Whether you plan to take advantage of the situation and jack your own egg prices up, be kind and keep them the same, or quarantine your whole flock and not sell anything, the AI virus will likely have some effect on poultry owners. Keep yourself updated constantly and track individual outbreaks using this map!

Sources and Links:

https://batchgeo.com/map/2015-avian-influenza-outbreaks

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/bird-flu/bird-flu-news.php?country=us
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=avian_influenza.html
http://www.who.int/csr/don/15-june-2015-avian-influenza-china/en/