Question: I will be getting show broilers next month. I would like to know if you have a feed program for market broilers. We show cobb/cobb birds from Tyson Foods. Also, are there any supplements you recommend and what brand of fat should I add.
Answer: Brock,
I have attached a feeding program that is used and seems to have good success! Read through the material and contact me directly if you have any questions.
The Cobb/Cobb bird will be a very fast growing bird that will develop a massive breast muscle if properly managed and fed!
The only supplement that I recommend/endorse is a product called Oasis. This product works in three ways:
The color of Oasis is green: this attracts the birds to the feed and causes them to consume more feed
Oasis contains 25% moisture: this provides additional moisture to the bird as the stand and consume feed
Oasis contains Citric, Propionic and Sorbic Acids: these acids reduce the pH level of the birds gastrointestinal (GI) tract to allow for better nutrient absorption of your feed products.
Contact me if you are interested in getting Oasis.
I do not recommend added fat to your poultry feeds. Added fat to your poultry diets increases the energy level of the feed (energy comes from carbohydrates and fat). Broilers and turkeys eat to meet the energy requirement, therefore if you raise the fat level in the feed and do not balance the other essential nutrients for muscled growth and development, then the birds overall nutrient intake is reduced. The bird will stop eating when the energy level requirement has been met.
The Honor Show Chow Poultry Feeds are balanced nutritionally based on the fat content. This provides you optimal nutrient availability for the birds as they consume the feed product.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at any time!
Take care and good luck in Nacogdoches! This is always a good and competitive broiler show!!
Keith Staggs
Honor Show Chow Ambassador
Market Poultry
Question: I would like to know how to get a bright red comb on chickens. Also, can you give me bath instructions to achieve a show look? Thanks!
Answer: Mary,
It appears that you are approaching show time!!!
The bright red comb can best be achieved by feeding a good nutritionally balanced feed product like the Honor Show Chow Broiler Complete. This product has a high level of Xanthophyll which is a pigmentation (usually yellow) additive (derived from marigold flowers). High levels of Xanthophyll will allow you to gain the distinct coloring of the bird that you are looking to achieve: that being bright yellow shanks & beak and a deep red comb and wattles. The comb and wattle development are also a function of sexual maturity. As these birds age, the cockerels will have developed a very pronounced comb and wattles at about 49 to 53 days of age. By 56 day of age, the cockerels will be “crowing”. These are all signs that the birds are beginning to mature.
You asked the question about washing your birds. If these are broiler chickens and will be judged based on the meat yield and carcass qualities, the judge’s focus should not be on the feathering/plumage. With that said, the best way to keep the birds clean, is to maintain 4 to 6 inches of pine shavings in their poultry house. Turn the shavings once every day to allow fresh shavings to be brought to the surface and the manure to be turned under and allowed to dry. The birds will naturally preen and clean themselves to a desired standard for meat quality birds.
If these birds are competing for looks/appearance (beauty contest), the birds can be managed as described above to minimize the dirt and staining on the plumage. You can also wash the birds with a dampened cloth and with a product called Bluing. I have attached an article from University of Florida that describes the cleaning/bathing process.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PS037
The most important thing to remember when washing your birds is to do everything you can to minimize the risk of breaking a wing bone or bruising the carcass from handling and or the bird trying to escape the bath. Keep in mind that birds were not intended to receive baths like we think of baths.
I hope this information helps and I wish you luck in you upcoming show!
Take care and let us know how you do!
Thanks,
Keith Staggs
Honor Show Chow Ambassador
Junior Market Poultry
Question: We are very interested in the Oasis product. Our kids have had some success using Show Chow’s schedule for broilers placing in our local show and in Houston. We would like to use Oasis this year for our local show. We will be receiving the chicks (100) next month, so please send me the order information so that we can start these birds out right. Thanks!
Answer: James,
Thanks for your inquiry about Oasis. This has been a very successful product for poultry exhibitors and does a great job of attracting the birds to the feed!
Contact me by email or by phone and we can establish the best way to get product to you.
I have attached the feeding recommendation for the product along with the broiler feeding guide.
Thanks,
Keith Staggs
Honor Show Chow Ambassador
Market Poultry
Question: I have turkeys for a county fair show and I received them on May 14th and they have been on the Turkey Starter Honor Show Chow, the maroon bag, since we got them. We show the last week in September. At what age or time would be best to add the Grower/Finisher?
Answer: Stacey,
Thanks for your inquiry regarding the show turkeys!
I have attached a week by week program for feeding market show turkeys. This guide helps you determine which feed products to feed and the time that they should be fed. Please review the attachment and let me know if you have additional questions.
I have also attached a feeding recommendation for a product called Oasis. If you are interested in feeding this as a top dress, contact me and we can discuss.
I hope this information helps and I wish you luck in the Show Ring!
Keith Staggs
Honor Show Chow Ambassador
Market Poultry
Question: Someone told my daughter she should add some pig feed to the trukey starter and broiler complete used to feed our broilers. Do you know why this would matter? Also, can you send me information about ordering the Oasis and how to use it. Thanks!
Answer: Larry,
It was good to visit with you by phone yesterday! I hope that I answered all of your questions regarding feeding broilers and roasters for show. We also discussed my objection to feeding pig feed to chickens and how it nutritionally does not provide the birds that balance that they need for proper and excessive breast meat development.
I have attached the feeding programs that we discussed and the feeding recommendation for the Oasis. I will be in touch with you on July 21st for a delivery of two boxes.
If you have any additional questions, give me a call or contact me by email.
Take care and see you soon!
Keith Staggs
Honor Show Chow Ambassador
Market Poultry
Question: Could you please send me your recommendation for feeding broilers? Also, what do you prefer for water additive such as vitamins and electrolytes? This may seem like a silly question but do they like to listen to music? Thanks for the help!!
Answer: Mary,
Thanks for your inquiry on feeding broilers!! I have attached a week by week program for feeding your birds for show. Read through the information and let me know if you have any questions.
You mentioned the additives in the water. I do not recommend the vitamin & electrolyte pack unless your birds are dehydrated when you get them at a day or two of age. The way you determine if they are dehydrated is to look at their shanks (scaly part of the leg/feet). If the shanks are pale yellow and you can see blood veins, the birds are dehydrated and need the v&e pack. Add π tsp to one gallon of water for 24-48 hours and then put the birds on water (without any additives in the water). If the shanks are bright yellow, the birds need water only. Note the 80 degree water rule in the attached packet of information.
There is a feed additive that I recommend, called Oasis. This product 1) provides added moisture for conformation of the birds, 2) attracts the birds to the feed because of its color: teal green, and 3) lowers the pH of the GI Tract of the bird which allows for better nutrient absorption of your feed products. I have also attached information for this product. If you are interested in trying this, contact me directly for pricing and shipping information.
Now to the question about music. The birds do not have a preference for music or not. Nor do they have a preference for types of music (Classical, R&B, Rock & Roll, Country, etc.). They will not eat more or less or different with or without music. They will not learn to dance, therefore you can not enter them into Animal Planets Amazing Animal Competition. HA! HA! The simple answer is that music does not make a difference to your birds. Many folks place alarm clocks in the house thinking that the music alarms the birds and stimulates them to get up and eat. After a few alarms, the birds will get used to the alarm and not even get up when it goes off.
Nothing replaces you physically going into house and stimulating the birds to get up and eat.
Question: We are interested in the product called Oasis. Can you tell me how to implement it into our feeding program? Also when you advise the turkey/chicken starter program how do you convert from the turkey to chicken feed? Is it a good idea to feed the Oasis all the way through? Where can we purchase the Oasis and what is the price? Do chickens see color? If so, is it a good idea to use colored drinking pans? Thanks for all the answers!!! Mary
Answer: Mary,
Thanks for your inquiry regarding the Oasis and Show Chow feeding program for your broiler project.
I have attached the feeding/management program for a market broiler project. We transition the birds over a period of 3-4 weeks from Show Chow Turkey Starter to 100% Show Chow Broiler Complete. The means by which we do this is as follows: We measure using 1 lb. coffee cans.
When the recommendation is 75% Turkey Starter and 25% Broiler Complete - We scoop three scoops of Turkey Starter to every one scoop of Broiler Complete.
When the recommendation is 50% Turkey Starter and 50% Broiler Complete - We scoop one scoop of Turkey Starter to one scoop of Broiler Complete and so on.
The birds do see color! There are two colors that attract birds - Red & Green
Red makes birds aggressive - this is why many feeders and waterers are red
Green makes birds want to eat - Purina Mills discovered this back in the 1950’s
Oasis is a product that has three modes of action:
The product is Green (Teal) in color - Therefore it attracts the birds to the feed and stimulates them to eat more!
Oasis contains 25% moisture - This helps provide added moisture and conformation to the birds as they grow and develop
Oasis contains Sorbic, Propionic and Citric Acid - These acids work in the digestive tract to reduce the pH level and allow for better nutrient utilization of the nutritional products that you are feeding (Show Chow Products).
Oasis is fed by top dressing (sprinkling) the product on top of all the feeder space (covering 50% of the surface area) once per day for four (4) consecutive days each week. This is done beginning the day that you get the birds until you take them to show.
Usually one (no more than two bags will be consumed by a flock of broilers (during the 6-7 weeks that you have them).
The product comes to you in a box that contains two 22-Lb. moisture sealed bags.
Contact me directly for product pricing and shipping fees.
You can respond to this e-mail and provide me your contact phone numbers or feel free to contact me at the number listed below (Cell phone is the best).
Thanks for your interest in the Oasis product and usage of our Honor Show Chow Products!
Take care and I look forward to visiting with you soon!
Keith Staggs
Honor Show Chow Ambassador
Market Poultry
