Garvo Chicken food?

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Knight Family

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Garvo Chicken food?
« on: November 09, 2010, 08:02 »
Morning all.

I thought I would ask does anyone use Garvo chicken food? The breeder were I purchased my latest batch of chickens recomends it. And uses it for all of his chickens and being honest they do all look very very good. He said that you would use a lot less as the bulk has been removed out of the feed so the chickens dont have to fill up so much which gives problems, and also less poo. Not to sure on that.

Just thought I would ask before I start buying it.

In the Past I've used Fancy feed / Small holder / Farmgate, but my local supplier has told me that Fancy feed and Farmgate are basicly the same just Fancy feed charge a bit more for the name. Where as Small holder has a lot of the dodo taken out but is very good.

Anyway post your findings or comments I have one bad which I'll use in 1 to 2 weeks time so will update you all on my findings.
Graham = 2x Border collie Dogs, 2x Cats, 1x Wife, 2x Kids, 2x Hamsters and now 10x chickens.

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8doubles

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2010, 10:14 »
I would think that a hens digestive system is designed for 'filling up' which is why they have a crop. If they are not going to spend the majority of the day eating they will be very bored hens.:)
 I would also hazard a guess that a more concentrated foodstuff would be for the farmers convenience and profit margin more than hen welfare.

I feed smallholder but will also use farmgate.

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joyfull

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2010, 10:32 »
I know of a few breeders that use it and must admit it does look good stuff. I have tried to find some near me but so far no dealers here stock it. I will be picking some of their stuff up at the National Poultry Show.
Staffies are softer than you think.

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Knight Family

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2010, 11:50 »
Thanks Joyfull, Yer it is very sparse, and in fact according to the breeder who sells it a lot of breeders use it but wont sell it, as they dont want competion against there birds (very sad).


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JonathanH

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2010, 13:59 »
Hello Joyfull, i am from Garvo UK and am sorry to hear you are having problems finding a retailer of our feed. there are ones in Lincolnshire but if not close enough i would be happy to talk to your current merchant about them stocking it.

Also the reason our feeds work so well is they are nutritionally balanced and from high grade feed stuff which are easaly absorted but your chicken hense she needs to eat less to maintain herself. none of our feeds are comercial they are all signed for hobby keepers.

If i can help furture please let me know.

Take care,

Jonathan

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joyfull

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2010, 17:33 »
sorry tom but I do have to disagree with you there  :).

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grumpydad

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2010, 08:56 »
most people who have used garvo and who can get it easily will stay with it, i bought some at last years show, and the hens loved it, but when it ran out, again i dont have a supplier close by, the pigeon supplier stocks it for pigeons, but declined to get any for hens when i asked, so i went back to the pellets and mash that they are used to. its too much hassle changing their food about.

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joyfull

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2010, 09:06 »
ask again when you go to Stoneleigh they may have another supplier nearby. When I asked them last year there was none close to me but now it appears I have two so will be going this weekend to buy a sack ant try my chickens with it.

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Knight Family

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2010, 09:29 »
Well I hope mine will be on it early next week.

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joyfull

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2010, 09:32 »
do the change over gradually, start by mixing it in with your original feed and then gradually increase the amount of garvo.

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Knight Family

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2010, 12:02 »
Thanks Joyful, thats what I normaly do as I have an autofeeder, so when it needs topping up it gets mixed up, but currently the hopper is still to full :(

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mo-jo

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #11 on: November 12, 2010, 12:35 »
Well I hope mine will be on it early next week.

Hi joyful, where abouts are they in Lincolnshire and do you know how much it is?

Thanks Mo-Jo

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joyfull

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #12 on: November 12, 2010, 12:38 »
there is a supplier in Friskney near Boston and another in Swineshead that aren't too far from me plus another in Grimsby (too far). I can't remember how much it is per sack but I know it was cheaper than my Allen and Page organic layers.

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hillfooter

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #13 on: November 12, 2010, 14:23 »
Morning all.

He said that you would use a lot less as the bulk has been removed out of the feed so the chickens dont have to fill up so much which gives problems, and also less poo. Not to sure on that.


Frankly what your breeder said re bulk is just plain rubbish.  Chx need to eat a low energy dense diet as they are grazing and foraging animals, as 8doubles has said.  The bulk is a major factor in controlling energy in take and maintaining a healthy mental state.  If their feed is too energy dense they will have a tendancy to over eat as the bulk is missing and hence become unhealthy.  Chx don't have to look fat to have conditions such as fatty liver syndrome.  If you do feed such food you need to strictly feed a ration and not have it ad lib.  For this reason the oft quoted advice to not over indulging in treats should be discouraged.

Chx also need to forage for their mental health too.  If they get all the nutrition too quickly and easily they will become bored and develop boredom habits like feather pecking and not get the exercise they need foraging.

If you are rearing meat birds well and good but layers should feel very spare and remain active at all times and not fat and lazily inactive.  Young, plump, contented looking heavily feathered birds may look good but they aren't necessarily healthy and won't stay that way as they get older.

So if Garvo is in fact high energy and indeed you need to feed less I question it's use for hobby chickens.

Buy a good staple layers pellet from a reputable feeds company such as BOCM, Spillers, Dobson & Horrall and dare I say Allan & Page (not my favourite company) or other familiar name and you won't go far wrong.  I have used Garvo seed based feed as a treat feed but only small quantities hand fed.
Regards
HF
« Last Edit: November 12, 2010, 14:27 by hillfooter »
Truth through science.

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hillfooter

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Re: Garvo Chicken food?
« Reply #14 on: November 12, 2010, 14:36 »
Morning all.

He said that you would use a lot less as the bulk has been removed out of the feed so the chickens dont have to fill up so much which gives problems, and also less poo. Not to sure on that.


Frankly what your breeder said re bulk is just plain rubbish.  Chx need to eat a low energy dense diet as they are grazing and foraging animals, as 8doubles has said.  The bulk is a major factor in controlling energy in take and maintaining a healthy mental state.  If their feed is too energy dense they will have a tendancy to over eat as the bulk is missing and hence become unhealthy.  Chx don't have to look fat to have conditions such as fatty liver syndrome.  If you do feed such food you need to strictly feed a ration and not have it ad lib.  For this reason the oft quoted advice to not over indulging in treats which are often energy dense.

Chx also need to forage for their mental health too.  If they get all the nutrition too quickly and easily they will become bored and develop boredom habits like feather pecking and not get the exercise they need foraging.

If you are rearing meat or show birds well and good but layers should feel very spare and remain active at all times and not fat and lazily inactive.  Young, plump, contented looking heavily feathered birds may look good but they aren't necessarily healthy and won't stay that way as they get older.

It seems to be particularly targeted at fancy showing birds and if Garvo is in fact high energy and indeed you need to feed less I question it's use for pet hobby chickens.

Buy a good staple layers pellet from a reputable feeds company such as BOCM, Spillers, Dobson & Horrall, Marriages and dare I say Allan & Page (not my favourite company) or other familiar name and you won't go far wrong.  I have used Garvo seed based treat feed but only small quantities hand fed.  I was seduced at the National too.
Regards
HF
« Last Edit: November 14, 2010, 01:14 by hillfooter »



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