CHICKENS | May I ask what you feed your chickens? Hilco Ketelaar, A-rated chicken and bantam chicken
My experiences with Garvo poultry feed
“Every disadvantage has its advantage.” These iconic words by Johan Cruyff also applied to me. During the era of restrictions on chicken exhibits, home inspections were permitted. As an inspector, I’ve conducted several home inspections. You visit breeders at home and can chat about peripheral matters. One such inspection took place on a Saturday in Friesland. After a warm welcome with coffee and cake, we got to work. The Dutch bantams were neatly arranged in exhibition cages in the barn. What immediately struck me was the vitality and shine of the birds. It prompted me to ask: “May I ask what food you feed the birds?” “Of course, we’ve been feeding Garvo for years. We’re very happy with it; the birds thrive on it. I wouldn’t want anything else.” During the inspection, the birds felt great, each with beautiful, broad, shiny feathers. If the type and everything else is also correct, a home inspection is a real treat.
I repeatedly asked others about the type of feed during my home inspections, and they always received different feed. The vitality and shine of the birds couldn’t match those fed Garvo.
I’ve been breeding Dutch bantams and large Welsummers for years. I didn’t feed Garvo, but feed from the local miller. For chick rearing, I did buy a few bags of brand-name feed. The results have been somewhat mixed in recent years.
During the Welsummer Club symposium in the fall of 2024, Henkjan Garretsen spoke about chicken care and, of course, Garvo feed. From that moment on, I switched to Garvo chicken feed. This was a conscious choice and was reinforced by Garvo’s main sponsorship of the Dierenparade Noordshow.
I must say: I’m very pleased with it. The young birds born this year are growing well. Their vitality and sheen on their broad feathers are striking. The Welsummers have a beautiful yellow leg color. I feed 702 pure chick pellets, 714 pure pullet pellets, and 723 pure cockerel pellets. The latter two have extra carotene, which gives them a beautiful yellow leg color. I feed the older birds 717 breeder pellets. This is because during our holidays, the neighbors take care of the chickens while I always feed them. This reduces waste and prevents selective feeding. The neighbor doesn’t like empty feeders. Next year, I want to use 5033 Alfamix chickens for the newborn chicks for the first 2 to 3 weeks.
Hilco Ketelaar,
Chairman of the Welsummer Club and A-judge for chickens and bantams
