newbie with 50 lb bag 15% protien layer pellets.

[nkeaton]

Next go around i will buy higher protien but until then what can I add to help increase it?

 

[Percheron chick]

There is nothing wrong with 15% protein for layers. I feed a 20% protein because I feed a lot of vegetables and garden scraps that are naturally low so they pull the overall percentage down. You can up the protein content by tossing out a handful of cat kibble, soybean chips or meal, sunflower seeds (any seeds really) peanuts, meat, fish, cooked eggs, any legumes. You can also go ahead and pick up a bag of game feed (usually 24-28% protein) and mix the 2 together. That would get you closer to 20% with a 50/50 mixture.

 

[nkeaton]

Thank you!! That was my concern as well (pulling it down) bc they get the pellets, oat and corn scratch along with scraps of fruit and veggies and 15% is cutting it close to begin with. They are 2 yrs old and I recently adopted them. I think they were only getting oats and a scratch mix plus scraps before I got them. I have put them on the layer pellets and calcium and they are putting out more eggs I know we are improving things for them, but I don't have the experience of getting the ratios right yet.

 

[Chris09]

In my opinion 15% protein is really low for a layer feed, thats as low as a grower, conditioner, or maintenance feed.
If your going to feed treats, scratch, scraps etc. they should be on at least a 18% feed or better. Reason being if you add just 10 lbs of corn or scratch to every 90 lbs of feed you are already down to a 14.30% protein feed and that doesn't include the other the other treats and free ranging.

You could get a bag of higher protein game bird feed or even a bag of floating fish pellet and mix it with the feed that your feeding.
Game bird feed can range from as low as 12% protein up to 30% protein and fish pellet can range from low 30's all the way up to 47% protein.
By adding 20 lbs of a 30% game bird or fish pellet to 80 lbs of your 15% layer you should a mix that is 18% protein.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Agreed with all that has been said. 15% is a bit low. Adding anything else like scratch grains will drop protein below a safe threshold.

 

[nkeaton]

The fish pellet thing was a bust . The guy didnt understand calculating the % when you add all factors. So I left with 24% Stater crumbles . If Im doing the math right , I will mix 20 lbs of 15% to 25 lbs of 24% which should put me at or near 20% Right?

 

[Percheron chick]

20%.

 

[nkeaton]

So I got it right? 20% is where I want to be.

20%.  

 

[Chris09]

The fish pellet thing was a bust . The guy didnt understand calculating the % when you add all factors. So I left with 24% Stater crumbles . If Im doing the math right , I will mix 20 lbs of 15% to 25 lbs of 24% which should put me at or near 20% Right?

20% sound about right, if you want a 20% protein feed then your set.
I figured 60 lbs Starter and 40 lbs Layer and got a 20.40% protein.

starter feed 24% protein ÷ 100 = .24
layer feed 15% protein ÷ 100 = .15
.24 x 60 lbs = 14.40
.15 x 40 lbs = 6.0
14.40 + 6.0 = 20.40% protein

 

[Percheron chick]

20% sound about right, if you want a 20% protein feed then your set.
I figured 60 lbs Starter and 40 lbs Layer and got a 20.40% protein.

starter feed 24% protein ÷ 100 = .24
layer feed 15% protein ÷ 100 = .15
.24 x 60 lbs = 14.40
.15 x 40 lbs = 6.0
14.40 + 6.0 = 20.40% protein

Except his formula is for 45# not 50#.