Poultry Diets for Small Flocks
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Poultry Diets for Small Flocks

   

Poultry Diets for Small Flocks 1

B.L. Damron and D.R. Sloan2

The feed formulations in Tables 1a and 1b are designed for the flock owner who may wish to home-mix feeds or have them custom-blended for their birds. They also allow the incorporation of corn from sustainable agriculture or organic programs. These formulations are based on nutrient requirement recommendations and ingredient nutrient analyses of the National Research Council. (National Research Council, 1994. Nutrient Requirements of Poultry 9th Rev. Ed. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 156 pp.) These diets are designed to be fed in mash form, and they meet all the nutritional needs of the various species of birds. It is not necessary to provide any supplements, such as oyster shell or grit. The feed should not be diluted with scratch feed or other grains.

No duck or turkey breeder feeds are shown because their nutritional requirements are very similar to those of the laying chicken. Therefore, it is recommended that the chicken layer formulation be employed for these birds. A continuous supply of feed and fresh, clean water should be available to the birds at all times.

In order to accommodate different mixing capabilities, formulations with and without vegetable oil (such as peanut or corn oil) used as an energy source are included.

The use of the lower energy diets will result in a somewhat longer growing period and reduced feed efficiency. We also recommend that a feed additive to prevent coccidiosis (caused by a protozoan parasite that invades the walls of the intestine) be added to feeds for starting and growing chickens and turkeys. Since quail also have a problem with ulcerative enteritis, an inflammation of the intestine sometimes resulting in high mortality, a feed additive to control this condition is also recommended. A small portion of the corn can be removed to accommodate medication addition. As with any medication, directions concerning approved bird age, dosage concentration, duration of feeding, and withdrawal time should be carefully studied and followed.

Supplemental vitamin and trace mineral activities for the microingredient mix are also recommended in the footnotes of each table.

For further information on poultry, contact your local county extension agent.

Tables

Table 1.

Table 1a. Feed formulas for small poultry flocks.

PulletStarter

(chicken)


Pullet Grower

(chicken)


PulletDeveloper

(chicken)


EggLayer

(chicken)


BroilerStarter

with oil


BroilerStarter

without oil


BroilerGro-Fin

with oil


BroilerGro-Fin

without oil


Age in Weeks
0-6
7-12
13-18
Mature
0-4
0-4
5-8
5-8
INGREDIENTS
PERCENT
Yellow corn
71.61
77.10
79.71
71.40
52.81
58.75
65.83
69.44
Soybean meal (48.5%)
24.55
19.48
16.96
18.33
37.95
36.91
27.58
26.95
Ground limestone
1.24
1.26
1.42
8.00
1.32
1.46
1.33
1.60
Dicalcium P04 (18% P-22% Ca)
1.77
1.33
1.08
1.10
1.75
1.74
1.17
1.16
Microingredients1
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
Salt
0.33
0.33
0.33
0.60
0.46
0.46
0.31
0.31
DL-Methionine
------
------
------
0.07
0.18
0.18
0.05
0.05
Vegetable oil
------
------
------
------
5.03
------
3.23
------
L-Lysine
------
------
------
------
------
------
------
------
CALCULATED ANALYSIS
Protein
18.00
16.00
15.00
15.00
23.00
23.00
19.00
19.00
Calcium
0.94
0.84
0.84
3.35
1.00
1.05
0.85
0.95
Nonphytate phosphorus2
0.44
0.35
0.30
0.30
0.45
0.45
0.33
0.33
Methionine
0.31
0.27
0.26
0.32
0.53
0.53
0.35
0.35
Methionine plus cystine
0.61
0.55
0.52
0.58
0.90
0.90
0.67
0.67
Lysine
0.91
0.78
0.71
0.73
1.26
1.25
0.99
0.98
Tryptophan
0.22
0.19
0.17
0.18
0.31
0.31
0.24
0.24
Metabolizable energy (Kcal/lb)
1362
1389
1401
1291
1454
1306
1454
1356
Sodium
0.15
0.15
0.15
0.25
0.20
0.20
0.14
0.14
Chloride
0.24
0.24
0.24
0.39
0.32
0.32
0.23
0.23
1Suggested vitamin and mineral activities per pound of finished feed: vitamin A, 3,000 IU; vitamin D3, 1,000 ICU; vitamin E, 5 IU; menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite, 1 mg; riboflavin, 2 mg; pantothenic acid, 6 mg; niacin, 27.1 mg; choline chloride, 454 mg; vitamin B12, 1.1 mcg; biotin, 0.05 mg; ethoxyquin, 0.0125%; manganese, 27.3 mg; iron, 22.7 mg; copper, 2.7 mg; cobalt, 0.09 mg; iodine, 0.5 mg; zinc, 27.3 mg.2Nonplant sources of phosphorus.


Table 2.

Table 1b. Feed formulas for small poultry flocks. -- continued

TurkeyStarter

with oil


TurkeyStarter

without oil


TurkeyGrower

with oil


TurkeyGrower

without oil


TurkeyFinisher

with oil


TurkeyFinisher

without oil


QuailStarter


QuailGro-Fin


QuailBreeder


DuckStarter


DuckGrower


Age in Weeks
0-7
0-7
8-14
8-14
15-market
15-market
0-6
7-market
Mature
0-3
4-8
INGREDIENTS
PERCENT
Yellow corn
48.09
46.91
64.43
64.66
78.69
80.17
52.42
64.69
59.95
62.28
77.52
Soybean meal (48.5%)
46.94
48.24
31.85
31.81
17.14
16.88
44.17
29.24
30.73
34.38
19.38
Ground limestone
1.10
1.36
0.97
1.10
0.79
1.06
0.70
1.15
6.24
0.97
1.18
Dicalcium P04 (18% P-22% Ca)
2.48
2.47
1.50
1.50
1.08
1.06
1.68
0.98
2.25
1.48
1.05
Microingredients1
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.50
Salt
0.36
0.36
0.33
0.33
0.33
0.33
0.33
0.33
0.33
0.33
0.33
DL-Methionine
0.18
0.16
0.05
0.05
------
------
0.20
0.11
----
0.06
0.04
Vegetable oil
0.30
------
0.32
0.05
1.47
------
----
----
----
----
----
L-Lysine
0.05
------
0.05
------
------
------
----
----
----
----
----
CALCULATED ANALYSIS
Protein
27.00
27.48
21.00
21.00
15.00
15.00
26.00
20.00
20.00
22.0
16.00
Calcium
1.10
1.20
0.80
0.85
0.60
0.70
0.77
0.75
2.96
0.80
0.75
Nonphytate phosphorus2
0.60
0.60
0.40
0.40
0.30
0.30
0.45
0.30
0.53
0.40
0.30
Methionine
0.58
0.57
0.38
0.38
0.26
0.26
0.59
0.42
0.31
0.40
0.30
Methionine plus cystine
1.00
1.00
0.76
0.73
0.52
0.52
1.00
0.75
0.64
0.76
0.58
Lysine
1.55
1.55
1.15
1.15
0.71
0.71
1.44
1.04
1.06
1.18
0.77
Tryptophan
0.37
0.39
0.27
0.27
0.17
0.17
0.36
0.26
0.26
0.29
0.19
Metabolizable energy (Kcal/lb)
1270
1251
1350
1338
1454
1407
1292
1357
1285
1330
1395
Sodium
0.16
0.16
0.15
0.15
0.15
0.15
0.15
0.15
0.15
0.15
0.15
Chloride
0.26
0.26
0.25
0.24
0.24
0.24
0.24
0.24
0.24
0.24
0.24
1Suggested vitamin and mineral activities per pound of finished feed: vitamin A, 3,000 IU: vitamin D3, 1,000 ICU: vitamin E, 5 IU; menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite, 1 mg; riboflavin, 2 mg; pantothenic acid, 6 mg; niacin, 27.1 mg; choline chloride, 454 mg; vitamin B12, 1.1 mcg; biotin, 0.05 mg; ethoxyquin, 0.0125%; manganese, 27.3 mg; iron, 22.7 mg; copper, 2.7 mg; cobalt, 0.09 mg; iodine, 0.5 mg; zinc, 27.3 mg.2Nonplant sources of phosphorus.



Footnotes

1. This document is SSPSE6, one of a series of the Animal Science Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date April 1, 1995. Reviewed June 1, 2003. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. B.L. Damron, professor; D.R. Sloan, associate professor, Department of Dairy and Poultry Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.


The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.



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