What are ways to quickly raise protein levels?

[Barry Natchitoches]

I need to up the amount of protein that my birds are eating. The layer feed, plus the greens we give them, plus occasional raw milk does not seem to be enough.


How would you recommend I increase their protein intake?

 

[Christie Rhae]

Just this past monday I have been making a big effort to up protein. The first thing I did was give them a scoop of cat food, then a can of tuna. Some more things, yogurt, peanut butter, meat scraps, cheese, BOSS... just anything I can think of that they will eat that has protein in it.

 

[oldchickenlady]

Check around for other feed stores in your area that may carry a different brand of feed than what you are currently using. Different brands can have different protein levels. Also you can give them BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds) as a treat. I sometimes give mine cottage cheese. I save their egg shells and grind them into a powder and mix some into the cottage cheese to up their protein and calcium at the same time.

 

[flowerchild59]

I take cracked eggs and save them in the refrig until i have a dozen then boil them, cool them and mash them shell and all then feed it to them as a treat.

 

[hannakat]

Insects/bugs are a great natural source of protein.

 

[schellie69]

I switched feeds to a game bird feed 22% protein and offered free choice ground up egg shells when the girls free range it helped with the protein levels and I noticed that this last years molt went really well they got their feathers in and they looked great.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Why do you feel that your hens are protein deficient?

 

[Arielle]

The only non-medicated chicken food I could get was game feed at 22% protein. I have kept the girls on this and added greens, fruit, yogurt and earthworms.

Adding lots of greens to their diet will drop the overall % protein quickly. IMO egg whites are a huge protein drain on a hen. She needs plenty of protein to put into that egg.

IF you can find fishmeal and alfalfa pellets in addition to the other suggestions already posted. You should be able to get soybean meal if you ask your feed dealer to get it; this is about 50 % protein; alf pellets about 25-30% protein and fish meal is all protein.

 

[Christie Rhae]

Quote:
I am also trying to up protein.. what does this mean about adding greens? Do greens flush out protein somehow? At the same time I am concerned about soft shell layers and have been giving extra spinach and cabbage to up calcium (somebody just wont eat the oyster shell). Am nulling out the extra protein I am giving them by adding greens also?? ack!

 

[CCourson05]

I use a 22% laying pellet.. I don't know if this is uncommon elsewhere or not. Here its about 25 cents more expensive. As for switching to a game bird feed, you need to be absolutely certain they have access to some form of calcium supplement. Most of my birds will eat oyster shells, but the ones that won't will not deny their own egg shells that I have crushed up for them...