Protein Content

[enola]

Hens and roosters that are in breeding pens need the higher protein levels. If your want healthy chicks at hatch, the parent chickens need the higher protein levels.

 

[junebuggena]

Why would this make a difference?

Because if your hens are laying eggs for hatching, hens with a higher protein diet tend to produce healthier chicks.
If you just want eggs for eating, you only need to feed something that will meet the minimum requirements for egg production.

 

[Beekissed]

That's pretty much theory and not something one can prove by me...I feed the same feed all the time~16% layer and my flock free range~ and my chicks are all healthy as horses. I've never seen the point in increasing protein at all....if my chicken can't produce a healthy chick on regular amounts of protein found on the land and in a balanced layer ration, I don't want those lines around anyway. Any bird that needs that much extra supplementation to produce a healthy chick is already hosting weak genetics in my book.

 

[rsweet]

I appreciate your ability to free range your chickens.... not sure where you are located but we don't have that luxury (they would be gone post haste) we're just trying to provide our gals with all they need. Thanks

 

[Chris09]

That's pretty much theory and not something one can prove by me...I feed the same feed all the time~16% layer and my flock free range~ and my chicks are all healthy as horses. I've never seen the point in increasing protein at all....if my chicken can't produce a healthy chick on regular amounts of protein found on the land and in a balanced layer ration, I don't want those lines around anyway. Any bird that needs that much extra supplementation to produce a healthy chick is already hosting weak genetics in my book.

So what are you calling, "regular" amounts of proteins? A regular chicken feed can range in protein amounts from 16 to 20% protein and regular poultry feed can range from 18 to 30% protein. So by feeding a chicken or poultry feed within 16 and 30% proteins you are feeding "regular" amounts of proteins.

If were talking about the average backyard laying flock a protein amount of 16 to 20% protein is just fine, now if your raising a show flock and want high amounts of eggs with a good hatch rate etc. then a feed that is from 18 to 22% protein is better..
I myself feed nothing less than a 18% protein (22 to 28% protein for adult birds depending on season) on my farm and it has nothing to do with, "weak genetics". It is because I show my birds and I am a firm believer that you only get out of your birds what you put in them.

 

[Beekissed]

Hey, Chris!

Don't feel like arguing with you today...or any day, for that matter...so I'll give it a pass. I'll just agree to disagree with you on that.

 

[tonyschicks]

Ok so I'm lost now. I have a free range flock and a few breeding pens and I've always fed Purina scratch as their only means of food. Obviously the free range flock I use for egg consumption only and the chickens in the pens for hatching eggs. From reading this thread it seems I'm not using the correct feed. Also, what I'm getting from reading this is that some people use layer feed to help produce higher counts of hatching eggs? I've never feed them layer feed for that, I've always let them lay normal amounts.

 

[junebuggena]

Layer feed does not make they lay. It's just got calcium added for eggshell development. Scratch is not a complete, balanced diet. It's high calorie, but very low protein. It should never be used as a primary food source.

 

[rsweet]

I feel your pain it's a bit of mental gymnastics trying to get it right. But the good news...chickens have been getting along...LONG before all this. Hell my chickens eat better then me.

 

[tonyschicks]

Should I be mixing in something like flock raiser? Or just stop using scratch period?