Feeding Gamefowl: Everything You Need to Know

May 28, 2023 by Lauro Braganza

Are you into gamefowl breeding and wondering how to properly feed your birds? Feeding gamefowl is not as simple as feeding common chickens. Gamefowls require a special diet that will keep them healthy, strong, and competitive. From understanding the difference between feeding gamefowl and common chickens to providing step-by-step guides on their proper diet and exercises – this article has got it all covered for you! So sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s dive into the world of feeding gamefowl tips!

Many factors contribute to gamefowl performance, but feeds, which provide the primary source of energy and nutrition, are the most important. If you want your gamefowl to perform at their best, you need to feed them the right foods.

A gamefowl or backyard bird’s nutritional needs change as they grow, just as humans’ nutritional needs do. Using a complete poultry feed, specially formulated for the birds’ life stage, species, or stage of production, will help your flock thrive and perform well if you plan your feed program from the start.

Feeding Gamefowl vs Common Chickens: What’s the Difference

Feeding gamefowl is different from feeding common chickens. Gamefowls have a specific diet that will help them develop their physical attributes, increase their endurance, and boost their immunity.

Unlike common chickens who can thrive on grains alone, gamefowls require more protein in their diet. They need higher amounts of amino acids like methionine and lysine for muscle growth and repair. This means that you need to provide them with feeds specifically formulated for game birds or add supplements to their regular feed.

Gamefowls also need more vitamins and minerals than common chickens. Vitamins A, D3, E, and K3 as well as calcium and phosphorus are essential for the development of strong bones which is crucial in supporting the bird’s weight during fights or competitions.

Another difference between feeding gamefowl vs common chickens is the frequency of feeding. Game fowls should be fed multiple times throughout the day to keep up with their high metabolic rate while common chickens can go longer periods without food.

It’s important to understand the differences between feeding gamefowl vs common chicken since they have unique requirements. Providing your birds with a proper diet can make all the difference in terms of performance and overall health!

What Types of Feeds Do Gamefowls Need?

Gamefowls require a well-balanced diet to ensure optimum health and performance. The type of feed that gamefowls need varies depending on their age, weight, and activity level.

Chicks require a starter feed containing 20-24% protein for the first 6-8 weeks of life. After that, they can be switched to a grower feeds with 15-18% protein until they reach maturity at around six months old. Adult gamefowls should consume a maintenance or conditioning feed with around 12-14% protein.

Gamefowl feeds typically contain grains such as corn, wheat, barley, and oats as well as soybean meal and other protein sources like fishmeal or meat by-products. Amino acids like methionine are also added to ensure adequate levels in the bird’s diet.

Supplementation is also necessary for optimal health. Vitamins A, D3, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12 are all important nutrients needed by gamefowls in varying amounts based on their activity levels.

In addition to commercial feeds and supplements, fresh fruits and vegetables can be used as treats but should not make up more than 10 percent of their diet.

It is essential to provide clean water continuously alongside appropriate feeding practices to ensure your birds stay healthy!

Step By Step Guide on Feeding Gamefowl

Feeding gamefowl can be a tricky process if you don’t have the right knowledge. Here is a step-by-step guide to feeding your gamefowl.

1. Start by providing fresh water for them at all times. Gamefowls require constant access to clean and cool water as they need it to regulate their body temperature. Give your chicken booster feed. This will boost the chicks’ metabolism and digestion to ensure optimum nutrient absorption, ensuring a lively and strong chick.

2. Stag Grower – The Stag Grower promotes muscle growth in the birds and increases their resistance to illness (immunity). Choose high-quality feeds that are formulated specifically for gamefowls. These feeds contain essential nutrients required for good health, growth, and development of your birds’ muscles.

3. Offer small amounts of feed two or three times daily rather than large amounts once or twice per day. This helps keep the bird’s metabolism active and stable throughout the day.

4. Supplement their diet with fresh fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, and spinach from time to time. It provides additional vitamins needed in their diet which could not be found in commercial feeds alone.

Avoid overfeeding your gamefowl as they tend to eat more than necessary when given excess food which leads to obesity-related complications like heart disease or even death from too much fat around internal organs.

Gamefowl Exercises

Gamefowl exercises are an essential part of maintaining the health and fitness of your birds. In addition to a balanced diet, regular exercise helps gamefowls maintain muscle mass and reduces the risk of obesity.

One way to ensure that your gamefowls get enough exercise is by providing them with adequate space to move around freely. Gamefowls love to scratch, peck, and roam about their surroundings. Thus, they’ll require ample space in their coop or pen for these activities.

Another way of exercising your gamefowls is through training drills like running laps or jumping over low hurdles. These exercises help improve agility and coordination while also keeping their cardiovascular system healthy.

Moreover, it’s crucial not to force intense workouts on young birds as this can lead to injury or even death from exhaustion. Instead, start slowly with simpler exercises then gradually increase intensity once they mature.

Incorporating proper exercise routines into your gamefowl’s daily routine will keep them happy and healthy while enhancing their overall performance during competitions.

Do’s and Don’ts of Gamefowl Feeding

Here are some best practices to consider when developing a gamefowl feed program:

What To Do:

1. Make sure feeds are protein-rich

Making your own feed, experts suggest up to 22% crude protein keeps up muscle development and repair. With muscle developed, gamefowl becomes more powerful.

3. Feeding patterns and schedules should remain normal.

Gamefowl have a unique digestive system that can accommodate only small amounts of food at a time in their crops, so you should take this into account when feeding them.

4. Feed them according to their life stage.

As previously mentioned, a chick’s nutritional requirements are vastly different from a grown battlecock, which is why they should feed based on their stage of life. While making homemade feed may be tricky in this case, there are commercially available feeds such as GMP that are tailored to meet the nutritional needs of each life stage.

5. Exercise isn’t something you should take for granted.

Similarly to athletes, gamefowl should also follow a training schedule prior to a fight. Your feeding schedule should also be adjusted accordingly. On the morning of training, give complex carbohydrates for fuel, then give protein and recovery nutrients afterward.

What You Should Not Do:

1. Feeds shouldn’t be given in uniform amounts.

The weight and performance of each bird should be closely monitored during pre-fight conditioning, and you should adjust their feeding accordingly. For example, 40 to 45g with supplements is usually recommended, but you have to know the amount each bird needs personally. Those who lack body may need 50 to 60g worth of feeds, whereas those at an optimal level may have 40 to 30g. You can adjust the amount accordingly for the best results.

2. Don’t forget to give supplements.

Nutritional supplements are popular for their ability to fortify diets with vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial components. They are often used to bolster health, energy levels, immunity, and guard against age-related medical issues. Additionally, these products can boost physical performance and aid in the recovery process of illnesses. Consult with your veterinarian to determine which type of supplement is best suited for your pet’s needs.

Conclusion

Feeding gamefowl is not just about giving them food, it’s also about providing the right nutrients and balance to keep them healthy and strong. As discussed in this article, there are many factors that differentiate feeding common chickens from feeding gamefowl. You need to understand these differences if you want your birds to perform their best.

When it comes to feeding gamefowl, always prioritize quality over quantity. Giving them a balanced diet packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals will help ensure they grow into formidable fowls that can compete at high levels.

Remember that proper nutrition can only go so far without exercise. Gamefowl exercises play a huge role in keeping your birds fit for competition.

In summary, knowing how to feed your gamefowl properly is essential for anyone who wants to get involved in breeding or raising these impressive birds successfully. With the tips provided above on what types of feeds they require and how often you should be feeding them, as well as the importance of exercise – you’re now ready to give your flock everything they need!

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