Can chickens eat this?

[RollinWithTheStones]

DH and I are thinking of home brewing. I'll have all that grain left over after making mash, can the chickens eat that?

 

[ProfessorChicken]

DRY brewer's solids (or brewer's grains) can be used as a protein supplement in rations.

DRY (8% moisture or less) is typically about 27% Protein with 2,293 Kcal/Kg Energy.

They need to be dry ... feeding wet is a loosing proposition - 80% moisture yields only 4.9% P


Prof

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

They need to be dry ... feeding wet is a loosing proposition - 80% moisture yields only 4.9% P

The actual amount of protein in a BATCH of grain won't change.

The difference is just in how it's being measured (by WEIGHT)

If you were buying it just to feed, it would be best to buy it dry, but since it's a "by product" for you, it won't matter if you dry it before you feed it, as long as it doesn't get moldy before they can eat it all​

 

[ProfessorChicken]

Quote:
The actual amount of protein in a BATCH of grain won't change.

The difference is just in how it's being measured (by WEIGHT)

If you were buying it just to feed, it would be best to buy it dry, but since it's a "by product" for you, it won't matter if you dry it before you feed it, as long as it doesn't get moldy before they can eat it all

--- 15 ---

Hello Bear Foot Farm et. al. :
You are correct in that the difference in % protein is a result of the portion of protein (or other component) within total weight - which is the meaning of percentage - "part of".

However it does matter a great deal if the feed is dry or wet.

Consider our target for protein in a single component ration is 20%

For simplicity let's also say a bird can only eat 5 oz (142 g +/-) per day of a feed ingredient which at 8% moisture (92% dry) is listed in US-Canadian Tables of Feed Composition as being 20% protein, thus there is 28.4 g of protein, (142 x 0.2 = 28.4) 11.36 g of water (142 x 0.08), and 102.2 g of "other stuff"(carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins).

In contrast if the same feed is listed at 5% protein at 80% moisture (20% dry) then 142 g has 7.1 g protein, (142 x 0.05), 113.6 g water (142 x 0.8) and 21.3 g of "other stuff".

Thus there is a difference of 21.3 g of protein which means the bird would have to eat 4 times (568 g - 20 oz) the feed to meet the target.

Prof.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Thanks guys. I would just be feeding it as a "treat" not as the main type of feed. So does that make much difference?

If so what is the best way to dry it without it getting moldy? Could I put it on a baking sheet and bake it on low?

 

[Zonoma]

My chickens love the leftover mash. I feed it to them warm on a cool day. I don't save it. They eat what they eat (after a morning of feeding on their regular feed) and then I toss what isn't consumed into the compost bin.