11 Year Old proves that higher protein equals larger eggs

[SunnyAlberta]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-12/smart-fox-in-the-hen-house/4308226

Eleven year old Iggy Fox has won Australia's national school science award for a research project with his backyard hens. He proved that a higher protein diet contributes to larger eggs.

 

[Y N dottes]

What can u do to increase their protein intake?

 

[CluckyCharms]

Great video, amazing kid and I'm totally liking his name!


dottes - I don't know much about chickens at all, but I do know that mealworms are high in protein content. =]

 

[SunnyAlberta]

Watch the video and you'll see what Iggy was feeding his chickens. The biggest eggs came from his hens when they were fed kangaroo mince (ground meat) with the runner up being worms. Third highest in protein and egg size was corn and fourth was 16% protein layer feed.

Something to keep in mind is that layer feed is balanced for a hen's lifetime of production. I wonder what might happen, long term, to hens that get extra protein in the form of meat, eggs or insects.

Increasing protein could be pricey, too, unless beans or scraps are used.

 

[Chicks on DL]

I love that video! The blue line was the kangaroo mince and the red line is the soy. Mealworms have 49 grams of protein, and Soybeams of have 29 grams of protein. I have been thinking of raising mealworms for my backyard flock.

 

[SunnyAlberta]

... the red line is the soy.

Thanks for correcting me.

I had trouble reading his charts.

 

[Chicks on DL]

I had to view it in full screen to see myself. No worries. We also feed ours table scraps so they get left over meat after dinner. We use the eggs ourselves so we are not worried about feeding them animal protein.

 

[Spangled]

Something to keep in mind is that layer feed is balanced for a hen's lifetime of production. I wonder what might happen, long term, to hens that get extra protein in the form of meat, eggs or insects.

Increasing protein could be pricey, too, unless beans or scraps are used.

Thanks for posting the link. I'll go back and give you an ovation when I get done here.

You mention that layer feed is balanced for a hen's lifetime of production ... well, I'm not sure exactly what that means. From what I understand, at 16%, that is the minimum protein level that egg farmers can feed their production birds and still make a profit. Commercial feed is pretty much formulated for the lowest amount of protein (and nutrients) that can be included and still get the hens to lay. Standard layer feed is usually not an "optimal" feed for chickens. I can buy 18% standard layer feed if I like at a place here locally and we used to until we switched to our own formula which is also 18% protein.

If the chickens get too much protein, then it is converted to energy. Well, up to a certain point. Obviously they can't eat 50% protein day in and day out for years and not harm their kidneys, etc., and who could afford that much protein for their chickens? Many folks feed game bird feed to their chickens which can be around 24% protein. But sometimes excess protein is just a waste of money and it smells up the coop.

We feed 18% protein layer feed and also have a feeder of grain (oats and wheat currently) out all the time. They are able to adjust their intake of both feeders to get the percentage of protein that suits them best according to the weather, molting needs, energy level, laying needs. So our chickens in winter, when they need a little extra energy to keep them warm, will tend to eat a little more grain than they did in the fall and won't gorge on high protein feed just to get some energy to stay warm. Some people do this 2-feeder method with game bird feed. It can be a cost effective way to feed chickens according to some folks.

For those reading along, pinto/navy beans should be cooked before being given to chickens ... something about hemaglutinins and severe intestinal damage from eating raw pinto/navy beans. Luckily when I tried it back before I knew about the dangers of raw beans for chickens, my chickens wouldn't eat them anyway.

 

[Spangled]

What can u do to increase their protein intake?

Put a bowl or similar on your counter next to the trash bin. Instead of throwing away one scrap of animal protein, put it in the bowl. When you open up the chickens in the morning, take the bowl with you and give it to the hens.

-Pan scrapings unless it's got a ton of oil/fat in it. If so, drain off fat and give scrapings to chickens.
-Milk dregs in glasses (it won't rot overnight)
-Cheese remnants
-Tuna or sardine water/oil from canned fish
-Scrape cottage cheese & yogurt containers
-Bring home doggy bags from the restaurant

Just a little complete protein from animal products can really make a difference in how much protein the chickens can utilize to make more eggs. Just a teaspoon for one little hen is helpful so it's worth it to give the chickens that little piece of cheese you dropped on the floor.

 

[Chicks on DL]

This is EXACTLY what we do. I have a bowl right now ready to give them tomorrow with squash and Brussels sprout leaves. Whatever fish doesn't get eaten tomorrow will be in their bowl Monday morning. Every morning they get my kids leftover milk from their cereal or leftover yogurt. They stand by the back door every morning waiting for their treats.