Chicken bald back

[Leicester_H]

Hi

 

I posted this message on the ex-bats forum - but "Ooops, word censored!"ody replied !

Perhaps someone here can please ?

 

My 6 'new' ex-bats have eaten their way through a 20kg sack of ex-bat crumb and are now half way through a 20kg sack of ex-bat pellets.(5 weeks in).

They seem to eat anything they can get their beaks on !

 

They are lively but do get tired quickly (they flop down after they have 'helped' me clean out their eglus) - so not recovered from their year in a cage.

 

I have read that the ex-bat formulation does lead to 'less-desirable' droppings - this seems to be true !

 

How long should I keep them on ex-bat pellets rather than (good quality) layers pellets.

 

Thanks in advance, H

[jimnpaula]

I think our ex bats only got one or two bags of the stuff before we switched them over to something else, and I feel they did alright. Our ex 'free rangers' still have tatty feathers after a year and they've only been fed on Garvo - perhaps they'll moult them this year instead.

 

P

[counturchickens]

We got ex bat feed with our first girls, since then we just get normal stuff, supplemented with mixed corn in the evening and/or mealworms. We had a girl last year who was almost completely bald and it only took her a few weeks to feather up. I'm sure they'll be fine if you want to change!

[Lavenders_Blue]

I'd put them onto regular feed now, and give Lifeguard tonic if you still feel they could benefit from a supplement.

[Leicester_H]

Thanks all.

That's what I thought - but its always best to get the collective Omlet wisdom !

 

H

[Patricia W]

I have to confess that I have continued to use it for all mine, including the " normal" ones, for over 2 years. I like the fact it has all the extra nutiients not only for ex-bats but ordinary older chickens like mine. They all seem to thrive on it so I don't begrudge the extra expense.