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

[Chris09]

Quote:
Don't get me wrong, I do understand what your getting at but chickens will eat any thing that don't eat them first. Chickens will eat things that my or may not be good for them shoot through a block of Styrofoam/Polystyrene in there pen and see how long it lasts.

I am sure that there are some benefits of feeding Black Beetles but I wouldn't use it as a reliable protein sores, as a treat yes but not a protein sores.

Chris

 

[chickened]

I am glad you figured that one out

some times statements are made to reference something especially to enhance an ordinarily dry book which is what the beetle statement was referring to that I quoted I was simply relaying what I read not endorsing it. Bugs are a staple in certain cultures as a source of nourishment which happens to have protein among other things in them. My chickens will forget about everything around them in pursuit of a bug so they must taste good at least. I guess I should put a disclaimer behind anything that cannot be supported by a study or reference but I am so unmotivated to do that.

By the way my chickens are on their own as far as getting beetles for snacks.

 

[FireTigeris]

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.

I had been feeding gamebird breeder (22-25%) to all my birds (doves/pigeons/chickens) they did very well on it- I only switched back to egg maker because the price difference is 6-8 dollars in 50#s (and I was over budget for other purchases) .

I'm going to see in two weeks if it made any difference....

 

[chickened]

Don't ever leave a hot tub cover with the white styrofoam insulation in your burn pile. My birds ate over half of it with no ill effects until I noticed it in the droppings.
Quote:
Don't get me wrong, I do understand what your getting at but chickens will eat any thing that don't eat them first. Chickens will eat things that my or may not be good for them shoot through a block of Styrofoam/Polystyrene in there pen and see how long it lasts.

I am sure that there are some benefits of feeding Black Beetles but I wouldn't use it as a reliable protein sores, as a treat yes but not a protein sores.

Chris

 

[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.

I had been feeding gamebird breeder (22-25%) to all my birds (doves/pigeons/chickens) they did very well on it- I only switched back to egg maker because the price difference is 6-8 dollars in 50#s (and I was over budget for other purchases) .

I'm going to see in two weeks if it made any difference....

That's what I thought too..but with it only like $2 more..this is what I bought. Our bodies are mainly protein..feathers and eggs..protein...at first I had no clue..but the more I dug, the more it made sense and I haven't come across anyone regretting it.

 

[FireTigeris]

Quote:
I had been feeding gamebird breeder (22-25%) to all my birds (doves/pigeons/chickens) they did very well on it- I only switched back to egg maker because the price difference is 6-8 dollars in 50#s (and I was over budget for other purchases) .

I'm going to see in two weeks if it made any difference....

That's what I thought too..but with it only like $2 more..this is what I bought. Our bodies are mainly protein..feathers and eggs..protein...at first I had no clue..but the more I dug, the more it made sense and I haven't come across anyone regretting it.

If I see a change in production I'll post here and let everyone know- the feed prices here changed a lot and I had emergency animal purchases/vet that blew the animal budget.

I would expect them to refeather slower and possibly produce fewer eggs.

However the % difference in feed may not matter at all... I'll keep ya'll updated.

(using 'eggmaker' (20%) was using 'gamebird breeder' (30%) FL birds for some reason get 18% or 20% at most feed stores, 16% is unavailable- some study that on one can point me to)

I also get scraps from a local restaurant so I may not be able to tell at all...

 

[Speceider]

Chickened wrote"Just out of curiosity how much protein does a chicken need on a daily basis for a non-layer ordinary chicken? My research says 16% which is not hard to come by free ranging. And of course egg laying you would need more protein but the original jungle fowl only laid 50 or less eggs per year, usually much less."

The percentage is kinda meaningless without information on the caloric density of the diet. generally chickens (and most birds) eat to meet energetic demands. The energetic demands can be estimated by an allometric equation based upon body mass, and there is need to account for the additional energy of laying. Then the amount of protein needs to be balanced to the energy level so the hen eats enough to meet their protein needs. As an example, a starter diet at 1250 kcal/lb requires a 20.8% balanced protein ratio. At 1500Kcal/lb, 25% protein is needed because they will eat alot less food.

Generally, most commercial diest are made at about 3500kcal/lb give or take a couple of hundred kcal. That's generally the biggest reason for different protein percentages.

Clint

 

[FireTigeris]

Quote:
do you have info on the difference between the (useable) kcal in gamebird breeder and eggmaker (any brand) am I being dense and it might be on the package somewhere (I transfer food out of its original packaging when I get it home)

 

[Chris09]

Quote:

Just out of curiosity how much protein does a chicken need on a daily basis for a non-layer ordinary chicken? My research says 16%

When you read a feed tag the amount of protein that is listed on the bag is per 100 lbs. So if you are feeding a 16% protein, then for every pound of feed your bird eats it is digesting .16% of protein.

Chris​

 

[GiddyMoon]

Well let's throw another wrench in here...how well is soy protein used in the body? I find it sad that we know chickens are omnivorous yet people call a good hearty mealworm a "treat". I would rather my chickens get their protein from the worms and the soybean is the "treat."