A Healthy Diet a Happy Pekin

I have been breeding poultry for a number of years now and regulary get asked for tips on feeding and good nutrition for Pekins. If you want top quality Bantams in Perfect health then the following tips may be some use. Remember good feed and hygiene routines are all part of essential Bio-security measures ( fighting virsus and prevention of spreading diseases) a healthy flock is much less likely to get sick than one that is under nourished. 1-5***** recommended rating 1 good 5 you must try.

1. Clean water changed daily. I add mineral supplement and a drop apple cider vinegar***** once a week to the water container. The supplement ensures balanced vitamins and healthy eggs the apple cider vinegar helps keep poultry worms at bay and helps develop a healthy immune system.
2. Basic feed layers mash or pellets. Made available at all times, I use high protein layers pellets in large pest proof feeders and refill these twice a week. See breeders ration*****.
3. Fresh greens Whether you keep your bantams on grass or not the addition of mixed greens will be warmly welcomed. Chopped lettuce*, cabbage*, spinach** and comfrey***** in small quantities can be fed daily. Grated carrot***** is another favourite and a winner for fighting worms i also add a small amount of grated garlic*** to the carrot great for health.
4. Fruit any soft fruit with large stones or pips removed wiil send your bantams into a excited fury. Mine love Strawberries*****, Apple**, Melon* and Bannana****. Great for taming your Pekins they will sit for ages while you give the fruit.
5. Meal Worms***** widely available during the winter monthe freeze dried and loved by poultry and wild birds especially the Robin. These carry a huge energy value and fed as a tit bit or treat once or twice a week will keep your Pekins in perfect health I use these to tame my birds thay love too take them from your fingers and there is never any waste. Good for young growers and adult birds alike.
6. Corn fed throughout the poultry world and widely available. I choose not to feed my Pekins corn upto you but i find it unpallatable and difficult to digest for such small bantams. It can get stuck in the crop and sits heavy for your Pekins. Instead why not try canned sweetcorn soft and fresh and easy to digest your Pekins will love it.
7. Bread often feed as scraps to poultry but not recommended for your Pekins.
8. Household scraps best on the compost heap or in the bin. Other than waste greens and vegetables best avoid giving your Pekins your kitchen scraps. Maybe ok for larger poultry but not recommended for small bantams.
9. Breeder s Ration. Want top quality Adult Pekins and Hatching Eggs then either buy or alternatively make your own breeders ration.  This is basically a high protein balanced feed for breeding poultry. Providing the right balance of essential nutrients and vitamins to not only ensure you have healhty birds but also hatch healhty chicks.

You will need one shallow plastic container, high layers mash or pellets, multi-vitamin tablets, cod liver oil, malt extract and skimmed milk/warm water.

Take a plastic carton sufficent to hold a scoop of high layers mash or pellets. Add your pellets to just under fill the container.

Crush one muti-vitamin (adult vitamins) and add it to the dry pellets stir in well.

Add one small spoon full of cod liver oil and the same quantity of malt extract and stir well.

Pour on enough warm water and skimmed milk to cover the mixture stir well and allow to cool ideally overnight.

In the morning stir the mixture well and give to your breeding stock they will love the texture and a trio will eat the lot. By midday any left overs can be disposed of i fed mine to the free range hens they love it and we get lots of super fresh eggs.

I hope you found my guide useful and will try some of my tips. Please remember to rate my guide.