How much protein is too much protein?

[Lucyluvchickens]

OK so just a couple weeks ago, I started to realize that my little two-month-old silky chick was starting to act a little weird. She started to sleep and corners and not interact with the other chicks. I started to get a little worried about her except for then she started acting a little better , But now she's kind of acting weird again. It's been going on and off ever since.. So now she's been a little better but I stopped worrying because she was starting to act fine, so anyway, my favorite little speckled Sussex cockerel II got a few months ago, he's been acting weird. I just started noticing this just yesterday but I thought he was fine but then today I was calling out for him because he wasn't with the others and I started getting worried. I was looking all around for him but then I saw him all by himself, he looked kind of sleepy and then he sat down when I went to go see him. I tried giving him some water he drink a little but then he just fell back asleep I tried to feed him some food and he pecked at it for like .2 seconds but then just fell back asleep again. When he saw his friends he Kinda ran over to see them, but then he fell back asleep. I watched him go Poo and it was literally just water. I'm not sure if he's dehydrated or has diarrhea, but he's having like the same symptoms as my little silky check except for a little worse. I was wondering if it was maybe diarrhea and I'm feeding my chickens to high-protein, except for the rest of the chickens are acting fine. I am feeding H & H feed, I looked up how much protein there was and I believe there's 19%. Of course my mom threw away the bag so I couldn't read any of the labels. I have to leave soon for a class, and I was worried about leaving him right now he's laying on the porch fast asleep and I'm just walking around next to him

. I'm kinda worried about him, he's my favorite chicken

. Please answer if you have any ideas of what could be wrong. Thanks y'all

 

[junebuggena]

Not likely a protein issue. It takes a very high protein diet, fed long term to cause issues. And by high protein, I mean over 25%.
What was the calcium content of the feed? Did they happen to get into anything that might have been toxic? Any treats that might have been possibly been spoiled?

 

[TattooedChicks]

I doubt its a protein thing, as most chick starters are between 18-22%. Any other symptoms, or how the birds look physically if you've noticed any changes? Pooping water sounds like the cockerel isn't eating at all, I had a 3 day old chick do that when it stopped eating. I'm not savvy enough to diagnose anything, so hopefully someone more experienced can give you insight.

 

[Lucyluvchickens]

Thanks you guys, I will look to see if I fed that's anything weird, I don't think I did though... the questions about the calcium and stuff I don't know because I lost the chicken food bag.

 

[junebuggena]

If it was H&H layer feed, than the high calcium content may have been what killed them.

 

[cerodrig]

I doubt its a protein thing, as most chick starters are between 18-22%. Any other symptoms, or how the birds look physically if you've noticed any changes? Pooping water sounds like the cockerel isn't eating at all, I had a 3 day old chick do that when it stopped eating. I'm not savvy enough to diagnose anything, so hopefully someone more experienced can give you insight.

Hi, is 22% protein too much for my layers with 3%calcium .? Thanks

 

[TattooedChicks]

Just comparing the calcium on the various feeds I've bought, there is a range as low as 1.25% up to 4% max. I haven't noticed any issues going that high in my starter crumbles.

 

[cerodrig]

Just comparing the calcium on the various feeds I've bought, there is a range as low as 1.25% up to 4% max. I haven't noticed any issues going that high in my starter crumbles.

how about the 22% protein on my layers feed . You think it's too much? Would it course gout?

 

[junebuggena]

Hi, is 22% protein too much for my layers with 3%calcium .? Thanks

It's fine. Some studies show that it takes a consistent diet of over 30% protein to cause gout.

 

[TattooedChicks]

Doubtful, and not all your birds are only two months old, correct? So even if they aren't laying, layer pellets shouldn't be the end of the world. Doing a bit of research here revealed some people, particularly those who show, sometimes leave their birds on 22% game bird feed from day one until death. So unless you got a bad bag of feed, I don't think it was making your chickens act weird/ill.