I feed a 22% protein grower & add a little scratch [wheat & cracked corn] so I'm orobably right around 20% overall also. I've never tried anything higher for chickens but have found they do much better on the program I feed now than they did on 16% protein.
Another advantage is I feed the 222% protein from the day they hatch 'till the day they die. Simplifies things greatly. I don't have to stock 3 feeds as so many do & I don't have to keep track of what pen gets which feed, there's only one feed. If I'm away for the weekend at a show my wife appreciates it. She used to have to take notes about which pen gets what feed, now there's only one feed.
Wish I could say I came up with this idea on my own but I got it from Rick Hare. seems to work well for his Rosecombs.
That makes real good sense, wished I had a local feed that had all the bells and whistles in one sack but unfortunately not. I have to make up my own by mixing at least 3 different types to get a good all around breeder ration.
Going to try another approach here(for the layers only flock) after I get done with the breeding/hatching egg collecting here late spring/early summer. I have found a 26% ration( all vegetarian of course
Jeff