17%? 18% 20%? I'm so confused!!

[Sphinx]

What protein percentage do you prefer to give your laying hens and why?

I went to a feed store today that offered (organic) 17% feed, 18% feed, or 20% feed.

I got the 20% because I have a couple of birds who are molting and figured they'd do well with the extra protein, but I really have no idea what is really "best".

 

[CCourson05]

I feed mine 22%, because if I don't they constantly pluck each other's feathers out...

 

[Illia]

16% is the most commonly offered and used. It is all there is for a "choice" out here.

20% is pretty high, I wouldn't recommend it except for meat birds or roosters or something. Especially for the fact that all it is, is cheap, low quality Soy protein.

 

[scbatz33]

20 % is high for layers. It's more for a grower age bird. I have a 16% layer pellet that is mixed with a 17% "conditioning" ration for my laying birds.

 

[chickened]

Hi, 16 % will do just fine I feed it year round. During the molt you can up it a little but they usually don't need extra as they usually slow down on laying. Think long and hard about organic it is a hot topic sometimes on here but keep in mind natural is not always best or the cheapest. Use the other more traditional protein deficiency indicators like thin /soft shells for determining if they need more protein. Most hens will do fine on 16%.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

16% protein feeds are meant to be sole feeds. Nothing else is fed but that. And they work fine for most birds.

20% feeds are meant to be sole feeds for birds like broilers, game birds, water fowl and so on. But they can also be used for ordinary layers if they're also getting other types of feed that would dilute their total daily protein intake.

With my layers they get a tube feeder of 20% protein ration and another of whole grains, typically corn, wheat, and oats and a bit of alfalfa pellets. They can eat what they want of either and based on the feed consumed they generally self-select a diet that comes in around 16-17% protein.

 

[GiddyMoon]

Quote:
Isn't the majority of the ratio of all the protein in any percent, soy? I know when I spent time the other day looking for ingredient lists on the brands available here, they were all soy protein. I tried to track down a feed that was not and it was over a dollar per lb.

What gets more confusing, I have ran into people here in town, one who raises show birds and runs a feed store..there are many who feed all their chickens gamebird feed which is 30%...when I asked the question about this, there are people here who do so and one girl had a chicken raised with the turkeys who came out to be massive and strong. The gamebird feed is only $2 more per 50lb bag..

I am still researching this, but what happens when we have higher protein meals? We stay full longer and are generally more healthy..from what I have seen, people who do use the higher ration feed are not seeing a loss.

 

[chickened]

16% is also the cheapest and cheap sells, feed producers know this as every time protein is added their cost goes up also. Which makes more money selling a lot of cheap feed or selling less more expensive feed? alot more cheap buyers out there.

 

[schellie69]

I use a 22% protein due to my girls free ranging because their egg production dropped then I did some research on here and found to up their protein, when I did their egg production went back to normal. I also had a mixed flock which helped one feed for all of them.

 

[Sphinx]

Quote:
The organic was only available for the 16%. I have my private theories on organic, which I won't go into here. Suffice it to say, I bought the 20%. I would buy organic if I was selling eggs, and advertising that my chickens were fed organic feed would bump up the price.