Long absence, lots of work here and a few small problems that needed attention, so this blog got neglected, sorry! I did get a great question from a YOUTUBE follower that I though needed to be posted here.

Please post anything you would like information about here so others can benefit from the experience. I will answer as soon as possible!
Here is the question:

My 10 broilers now on their week #3 with crumble starter feeds on a 24/7 basis. My queries are: 1. When do i need to change from starter to grower? Crumble or pellet grower? 2. Is it necessary for a 24/7 food ration? Until what broiler age? Need your recommendations and advice.

You did not say what breed you have and that can make a big .... huge, difference. Assuming they are Cornish crosses or the like, the recommendation is to NOT have feed available all the time. The hatcheries say feed them all they can eat in about 20 minutes, two times a day.

That being said, we always feed our flock free choice and had no problems, even from day one. Since we only grew our broilers/Crosses for our own consumption, we raised them a bit differently than if they were for profit. We kept them for 12-16 or more weeks, right up until the FIRST one died of "flip-over", then we killed the entire batch that day. We would end up with carcasses in the 9-12 pound range that way, ideal for our use.

If you are feeding a commercial feed, I would change to the grower at 4 weeks, layer at 4 months. If you use my mix, feed at 28% protein for four weeks, then drop to the 20%.

Pellets to crumbles is the farmer's choice. However, the finer feed is ground, the easier & faster  it is to metabolize. This fits into the "20 minute twice a day schedule". Since I came up in the commercial end, I feed a crumble mix, particularly because  the grains in my mix are that size. 

The caveat here though is that since I found a great feed mill that supplies an acceptable layer mix with corn, soy, pre-mix & alfalfa in it, I buy the pellets, as that is all they sell and add my extra soy to this to bring up the protein level. The flock gets the other grains from around the bird feeders where they scratch and socialize all day long.

Sorry for the long absence! We are very busy with our construction right now and that has taken all our time! We did rewrite our web site and invite you all to look at it: http://eco-ranch.com

I just received this question from a very nice follower in Uganda who has been discussing poultry with me and I wanted to share my answer. I am positive this is the way to mitigate against most poultry disease! Here is the question & answer:

"Poultry in Uganda is so challenging mostly when it comes to feeding them and even diseases that attracts the birds how do you overcome those challenges on your ranch???"

Eco-Ranch.us

Mar 1st, 8:19am

We don't have issues with disease. I don't hear of others having any either..... I have a theory for that.

Of course most hatcheries and production operations not only vaccinate, but use large amounts of antibiotics and precautions against disease. Chickens will LIVE in tight, cramped quarters on poor quality feed, but they won't THRIVE under these conditions. My theory is that the tight quarters, lack of natural light and normal air flow, weakens the birds.

I mean it weakens all the birds physical systems, but it also weakens their emotional systems as well. This weakness of mind & body allows diseases that may pass unnoticed, to take hold and roar through a flock, killing when it would not have been noticed in a wild flock. However, in Asia, semi-wild birds suffer from disease, most notably HPIA. I attribute that to poor diet that also weakens the birds.

Simply because laying hens will lay on a 16% protein diet, does not mean they are in excellent health. When I was in the commercial egg business, we rotated out hens out at 18 months. These 18 month old birds were listless and had little meat & ZERO fat on their bodies. If not for the antibiotics, they would have been susceptible to rampant disease.

By contrast, my flock, at 20-28% protein, lays eggs (except during the molt) for years, many dying naturally at 5-6 years of age AFTER laying eggs the entire time. When I do slaughter an old hen, she has muscle meat and loads of fat in the abdominal cavity and around the liver. To us, THAT is a healthy bird. Too many flocks are very thin with no fat to protect them if they contact a disease and lose their appetite for a while. This allows the disease to progress into something deadly!

So, my bottom line is this: spend the money on feed, NOT antibiotics, or "cost savings". You will have less disease, better quality meat & eggs, longer, healthier lifespans and much less work! Remember though, that sunshine, fresh air and SPACE TO ROAM is an equally important factor. This is not conducive to the way people have been raising birds these last decades, but I feel it is the correct way!