Calculating Protein Percentages of Eggs and Peas

[ChickenCanoe]

So birds eat to fill their crop even if their energy need have been met?

For the time being. It takes time to empty the gizzard, proventriculus and therefor through the esophagus from the crop.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I really can't understand what is going on here!

Neither do I but we still want your input.

 

[Chris2018]

I'm late to this discussion. I can't definitively answer your question and I'm not sure it has been verified by research. What I do know is that when a chicken's crop is empty, they will eat. Whatever is available they will fill their crop to satisfy hunger. After that, if true feedstuffs are available I believe they will eat for energy. They will also selectively eat for amino acid needs. Hence a bird deprived of protein may choose to be a feather eater for the 93% animal protein contained.
Most of us know that birds will choose to consume some oyster shell when the egg enters the uterus (shell gland). That tells me that when chickens have relatively sufficient food, they will choose to eat feedstuffs that satisfy some of their specific nutritional needs.
If anyone has another point of view or any research on the subject I'd be glad to hear it.

Chickens eat to fill there caloric need first, that's why they need a complete feed. Once that caloric need is met they stop eating, it dosent matter if there crop is full or not, they stop eating.
Also feather eating is do to a number of things. Yes lack of proteins or more correctly lack of a amino acid/s is to a point most common but low mineral intack, incorrect caloric intake can also cause a bird to eat feathers just the same as the lack of amino acids from animal proteins.

Also, feathers straight off the bird are not 93% proteins. Feather Meal (FM) is 93% protein.

ETA -

Quote from Dr Marinus van Krimpen of Wageningen University.

"Severe feather pecking has been reported in birds that were fed a too low mineral level in the diet, a too low protein level or a too low amino acid level (methionine, arginine).
There appears to be somewhat more more feather pecking with diets containing only vegetable proteins compared to those fed some protein of animal origin.
Feather pecking is also more associated with diets that were restricted, coarsely ground or fed as pellets."

 

[ChickenCanoe]

So I can be a teacher also in English?
....

Yes you may.

 

[X_and_Z]

There are two types in the yolk,
BBP ( I ) and BBP ( II ).

Yes, but all the biotin in an egg comes from the yolk, so uncooked whites (containing Avadin) alone can throw off biotin levels. Obviously this depends on a number of other factors and requires time.

Chickens eat to fill there caloric need first, that's why they need a complete feed. Once that caloric need is met they stop eating, it dosent matter if there crop is full or not, they stop eating.
Also feather eating is do to a number of things. Yes lack of proteins or more correctly lack of a amino acid/s is to a point most common but incorrect caloric intake can also cause a bird to eat feathers just the same as the lack of amino acids from animal proteins.

Also, feathers straight off the bird are not 93% proteins. Feather Meal (FM) is 93% protein.

This does not explain overweight chickens which is apparently a fairly common issue in backyard flocks. An overweight chicken is obviously eating more than their caloric needs.

 

[Akrnaf2]

Yes you may.

Thank you CC!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Late to the thread... I have been wondering this for a while seeing the protein values in eggs from the sites I've looked at...lol. While I agree that protein content is important; from my experience feeding raw eggs, I feel eggs help cover more than just protein content but essential amino acids from an animal source and in the ratios that are being used from the hen given back to them. The originals did eat feathers and they would peck a bit at the very beginning. However, now there are zero issues with feather eating, aggression towards birds with visible blood and they won't peck or eat a carcass, even with exceeding stocking limits and being under stress with the guineas.

Eggs
One large whole egg contains 6.28 grams of protein, containing all nine essential amino acids: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lycine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. Of the four nonessential amino acids, eggs have alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid. The semi-essential amino acids arginine, cysteine, glycine, proline, serine and tyrosine are also present in eggs. In all, eggs have 18 amino acids. The yolk and white each contain the same 18 amino acids; to avoid the cholesterol in yolks, use only the whites, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database.
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/amino-acids-contained-milk-eggs-3992.html

Peas, like any grain, have average values and weights when it comes to stats. However, feed companies get samples in and test them for protein and use those values to base their mixes on in addition to what's been said previously on this thread.

http://www.rayglen.com/crop-bushel-weights/
For example, wheat's base weight per bushel is 60. The wheat I'm currently using for the chickens is heavy with a 69 lbs/bushel weight and it has a high protein value over 13.5...very nice with low/no mycotoxins.

Each field and even each load of grain can have a different protein value. Protein values tend to increase when the grain gets stressed; hot weather, lack of rain etc. It can be influenced by the timing of fertilizers etc as well. Processed feed will have the values listed...but if sourcing from a farmer, just know the protein values can differ. They should be able to provide you with it's protein value if they've gotten it tested at a grain company. Here, testing is done free to determine the quality and thus the price point offered by the grain company.

Not every field pea is equal. I requested to grow field peas this year and we've put in 70 acres for the chickens and the sheep. Our very helpful crop specialist called their animal nutritionist to locate appropriate varieties. I wanted a variety with low trypsin-inhibitor values that averages a higher protein value and is resistant to lodging. Low trypsin inhibitor values are important when looking at peas. In general, peas are one of the safer feeds. Grains high in trypsin inhibitors like soybeans is why these feeds can't be fed raw to livestock and must be heat treated for livestock. I can get complex...lol.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/trypsin-inhibitor
http://articles.extension.org/pages/70164/including-field-peas-in-organic-poultry-diets

We've used feed peas in a blend for our breeding ewes and lambs. Peas work very well for finishing hogs and lambs. They give a great flavour to the meat. However, this is the first time we'll be incorporating peas for feed for the chickens. We used peas specifically as a smaller percentage of my feed ration for keeping good weight on the ewes but not high enough to reduce milk production. We consider it a fairly rich animal feed. I'm hoping our peas turn out.

View attachment 1424991 View attachment 1424992

I really like this post. I agree wholeheartedly about the variation in nutrients in field peas. First of all there are many different types of field peas. Trapper peas, Austrian winter peas, Cowpeas, Purple Hull just to name a few. Each has different nutrient levels. The peas (or any other crop for that matter) will vary in nutrient levels based on the field/soil they were grown on.
For that reason, major feed manufacturers and commercial poultry, swine, beef and dairy producers who have their own feed mills, assay all those bulk ingredients when they offload the train. That data is entered in the system and based on the nutritional needs of the animal being fed, the menu of ingredients added is automatically adjusted. All those mills are completely automated. I know, I automated them.

My one departure from what was posted is that the 9 essential amino acid amount cited is for human needs. If I'm not mistaken, there are 13 amino acids that are deemed essential for chickens.

I know you know this but I wanted to add that essential amino acids are those that cannot be assembled in the body from utilization of other essential amino acids.
Some limiting amino acids may vary in the amount needed because depending on the diet, other essential amino acids are utilized to make others and they then become deficient.

 

[Chris2018]

This does not explain overweight chickens which is apparently a fairly common issue in backyard flocks. An overweight chicken is obviously eating more than their caloric needs.

The overweight bird's in the backyard is do to incorrect feeding, a bird feed a low energy feed or has the kcal of a feed lowered by treats will get fat because it's eating to fill that caloric need that isn't being met and in doing so it is over eating things it don't need and thouse are the thing causing a fat bird.

 

[Kiki]

The overweight bird's in the backyard is do to incorrect feeding, a bird feed a low energy feed or has the kcal of a feed lowered by treats will get fat because it's eating to fill that caloric need that isn't being met and in doing so it is over eating things it don't need and thouse are the thing causing a fat bird.

 

[X_and_Z]

The overweight bird's in the backyard is do to incorrect feeding, a bird feed a low energy feed or has the kcal of a feed lowered by treats will get fat because it's eating to fill that caloric need that isn't being met and in doing so it is over eating things it don't need and thouse are the thing causing a fat bird.

You are going to have to explain that. Calories are a measure of energy only. Are you trying to say that they are eating to fulfill a need for a certain amount of calories from a particular nutrient and if they don't get enough calories from that nutrient they will keep eating (overeating) until those needs are met? If so, that is not just eating to fill caloric needs as nutrient intake in addition to total energy play a factor.

As for being overweight - both lack of exercise (lowered caloric needs) and unbalanced/improper intake (due to treats or improper feed) are listed in veterinary sources on causes of obesity in chickens.