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Post by sakuraferret on Apr 1, 2011 1:03:16 GMT -5
This is where I will make posts about my research to figure out an appropriate "raw" diet for a chicken.
According to Wikipedia, they believe the original ancestor of the chicken is the Red Jungle Fowl. They mention this about their diet...
"They are omnivorous and feed on insects, seeds and fruits including those that are cultivated such as those of the oil palm."
I have a feeling corn is not appropriate, nor natural for them. Maybe a good treat, but I woulden't feed it to a chicken everyday! Heck I woulden't eat it everyday. lol. Most commercial chicken feeds are heavy on corn, just like every other pet food on the market it seems.
Insects: I know the local pet stores sell crickets and mealie worms, and a local bait shop might sell earthworms to cover insects.
Seeds: seeds are not a problem and can be found in the bird food section, the issue is WHAT seeds and what variety and mixture. I think millet should be minimal though?
Grain: a grain is probably appropriate as a carb for energy, maybe rice if it is cooked/steamed to avoid it expanding in their bodies? Or a whole wheat?
Fruit and Veg: are not a problem, but I can only assume to give a variety and avoid the ones toxic to birds in general. I am not sure which ones are the best but I could base it on human "super foods" that are packed with nutrition such as romaine lettuce
The big issue for me is the portions of each part of the food. I think the grain would be most of the meal, and the other bits could be changed up to add variety? Like rice and some veggies, rice and some fruit and bugs, something like that? Or maybe rice all together is a bad idea, I am not sure. Rice seems common enough in the best commercial pet foods.
Tofu comes to mind as another healthy thing to add actually! And olive oil! hmmm...
Any thoughts?
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Post by sakuraferret on Apr 1, 2011 2:38:08 GMT -5
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Post by sakuraferret on Apr 1, 2011 3:13:25 GMT -5
Lets see...
It looks like a chicken will eat just about anything, which is a big help! One of the websites said chicken food basics are:
Grains Greens Protein
The tricky step is finding the ingredients to build a chicken food as affordably as possible. Also, I need to decide the core staples that make up the bulk of the diet. But at least I have some idea of portions now. Here are some ingredients I am looking into:
Grasses: Alfalfa (alfalfa hay from the rabbit section cut into small pieces) Other hay types if available at pet store, cut into small pieces Sprouts (bird seed allowed to sprout in a sprouter and fed fresh)
Protein: Uncooked Tofu (Super Market) Soy Beans (possibly at super market...will check) Fish meal (NO idea) Worms (bait shop) Crickets and mealie worms (pet shop) Fish meat (just a thought, very cheap here. Maybe salmon) Other beans (just a thought!) Nuts (another thought, need to check if safe)
Grains: Wheat (possibly a wheat flour or wheat seeds if I find them) Oats (plain breakfast oats at super market might work? or oat seeds?) Bird Seeds (a grain? Available pet stores) Barley, bran...the other grains. Plain form of course. If I find them.
Fruit and veggies (anything not dangerous for birds)
Supplements: -Olive Oil (Super Market) -Oyster shell (pet store very cheap) -Grit (pet store very cheap)
Super food ideas: Nori/seaweed (bountiful in Japan, packed with tons of goodness!)
Portions seem to weigh strongly on protein, but I think that is because these recipes are intended for egg hens. I am thinking at the moment 2/5 protein, 2/5 grain, 1/5 everything else. I think the food build should be different for males and females. Females will need more protein and calcium for eggs. Then again, while some utility breeds lay eggs everyday, some decorative breeds like Japanese bantam should only make an egg maybe once a week. I guess the portions can be adjusted for individual birds.
I see corn mentioned in several recipes, but my gut says just skip it.
The other factor I need to consider is what ingredients can I buy in bulk to build a food, and what ingredients will have to remain a small portion of the food or an occasional healthy snack. I am not sure if this can become a raw diet, but it will have raw sprouts in it, raw grass if I can find it, and it will certainly be natural!
The hen will be eating better then us! haha
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Post by katt on Apr 1, 2011 5:10:01 GMT -5
I don't do chickens, sorry. lol But Virginia does so hopefully she will pop in. Looks like oyu have found some good info so far...
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2011 11:28:06 GMT -5
Oh, my! If this is the amount of research that you've done in such a short period of time, this is going to be one happy and healthy bird! All I can say is, carry on; you're doing a wonderful job
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Post by miamiferret2 on Apr 1, 2011 11:43:54 GMT -5
we fed my pet rooster white rice (we used to cook it), little pieces of red meat (beef cut into small cubes), slices of bread soaked in milk, cooked red kidney beans (he loved those). he also liked chick peas and pigeon peas. i don't know what the average life span of a chicken/rooster but my rooster lived 7 years. and yes they do eat almost anything. i once fed him pizza crust.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2011 23:05:50 GMT -5
Chickens are omnivores In their native habitat, chickens eat green plants, fruit, insects, etc. Once domesticated and moved into the non-tropical areas, they were kept by suplementing their diet with grains, especially in the winter when there are no insects or green plants. In todays factory farms, they are fed a formulated ration that contains grain, animal by-products, and antibiotics. This has caused a change in both the taste of the chicken meat, and in their eggs. Try this experiment:
Let your chickiens run free. They will dig and scratch, chase Japanese Beetles across the yard, eat worms and grasshoppers, and love all of it. I have even killed a copperhead and had several old hens race over and eat the remains! Then, after they have been on this kind of a 'free range' diet, break one of their eggs and compare it to an egg bought at the store. The free range chicken egg has a dark colored yolk, while the store bought egg yolk looks anemic by comparison, a washed out yellow.
Sure, in the winter we have to feed them supplement. They need grain and oyster shell for calcium, and fine gravel for their craw. They don't have teeth, so the craw is where they gather fine gravel to grind up their food. Feed them any kitchen scraps you have as well; they will love it. And ANY time weather permits, let them run free! Sources: Personal experience askville.amazon.com/natural-diet-chicken/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=3843745This forum might help you www.backyardchickens.com/
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Post by sakuraferret on Apr 2, 2011 0:38:07 GMT -5
Thank you so much everyone I wish so much I could let the little one free range! I would get Thistle outside in the yard as much as possible to chase bugs and eat the natural things, foraging is a good natural thing to encourage! But now I live in Japan, in an apartment. There is a park nearby, and I really want to bring the new hen there as often as possible so she can get some natural time to scratch around. I don't think I need to worry about pesticides because the Japanese are pretty natural about things, ironic enough. I'll try to find out first if I can though. But sense we don't have access to nature in a personal garden for the little one, i'll try to get as much natural living food into her diet as possible to make up for it. I saw a seed sprouter at the 100 yen store (like $1 store). I'll pick up a couple of those and sprout some bird seed regularly for some living grass. If I can find living crickets somewhere i'll pick those up too, should be fun to let the hen chase them around (one at a time of course!). I think our local "everything" store has living meal worms, so i'll try those too. They also have packaged mealworms and black crickets in a pinch. Right now im trying to decide the base/bulk of the diet that we can do affordably in Japan. We'll start out buying the regular chicken food until I can work out a good switch, and take it gradually. But i'll make sure she gets a good nutritional variety added in, and if possible pick out some of the corn chunks. Flippen corn... Oh, and thank you so much for your 2 cents on the white rice, miamiferret2! I might try it out, we eat tons of white rice everyday and have a convenient rice cooker (all Japanese do!) Rice is not nutritional on it's own but it's a great source of carbs and low calorie.
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Post by shilohismygirl on Apr 2, 2011 13:53:45 GMT -5
You're doing some amazing research. That hen of yours will have an excellent mommy. I truly wish all people would do this much research before adopting a pet.
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Post by crazylady on Apr 2, 2011 17:14:05 GMT -5
Hi my chickens like cabbage carrots apples ( brown wholemeal bread as a treat ) dried mealworms and just about anything lol they get all the peelings from veg when I cook pity you don't have garden they love dusting themselves in the soil and there the best weed disposal team I have ever seen lol take care bye for now crazy lady
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2011 17:47:49 GMT -5
Sounds like your chicken is going to be eating like a king/queen
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Post by miamiferret2 on Apr 2, 2011 18:31:24 GMT -5
all the food you listed is great. it is too bad you can't let him loose. they really will eat most anything. they will spend all day scratching at the dirt and they find bugs, grubs, etc. in Key West Florida there are chickens and roosters everywhere. actually key west is well known for their feral chickens and roosters. they were brought in by the early settlers and they reproduced and now they are all over the place. they were once considered a nuisance but now i think they are protected. key west loves its chickens and roosters. LOL. if you are bar hopping during the day down Duvall Street in Key West (people in key west start drinking at 10 a.m. ), you will often see a rooster or a chicken walking on the sidewalk next to you. it is hilarious. they are in front of city hall, in front of the courthouse, in people's front yards, in the alleyways, they cross the street and people always scream at the cars to slow down so that they won't run them over. tourists take pictures of them and people feed them bread, seeds, french fries, etc. in the morning you hear the roosters singing all over Old Town. they are even on the boardwalk watching the sunset with everyone else. lol
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2011 18:37:35 GMT -5
Thank you for making me smile, Miamiferret2! Now I have another reason to go to Key West, besides the cigars: to see why the chicken DID cross the road Okay, I haven't had much sleep; forgiveness is asked of all
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Post by miamiferret2 on Apr 2, 2011 18:45:02 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2011 18:52:07 GMT -5
Very funny Miami! It's been a long time since I've been to the Keys, but I definitely remember the chickens. I had nearly forgetting about them until you posted this
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