Can i feed layer pellets to everyone?

[nuthatched]

Where on earth did you read that too high of protein causes egg binding? And what was the reasoning?

 

[Tennessee Great Granny]

I just moved all my cockerals and pullets that are above 18 weeks old on layer pellets. Was that a big mistake? I have two leghorns in there and I read that with to much protein they can get eggbound? The starter I used has 20% protein in it. The layer has 16%.
I wanted only organic feed and couldn't find flock raiser that was. I was wondering if feeding starter would be the same. Now I'm stuck I don't know what to feed them the protein in the starter would be much to much for the leghorns. Even though I give them oyster shells on the side i just don't want them eating all that protein and getting eggbound. On the other hand I keep my birds as pets and want them to live long healthy lives and feeding them layer isn't good for there overall health.

Males shouldn't eat layer pellets. Mixing the layer pellets with regular feed won't be enough calcium for the egg layers and too much calcium for the males. While my females do munch of the roo's food, he doesn't prefer to eat their layer feed. Its like he knows it's not good for him. But fresh veg scraps he's all over it and just loves it. He'll snatch and run away with nice veg to eat in private. I have oyster shell grit for the gals which the roo instinctively avoids and I have granite grit for the roo. The gals will also consumes the granite grit as well as the oyster shell grit. I have never dealt with an egg bound chicken but after dealing with a very early case of vent gleet that responded quickly I think I could manage egg bound... thank heaven! I watched a British guy treat it and examined closely what he used and how he did it. [I think it was youtube, but it was very graphic on how to which is what this retired healthcare practitioner needs to learn] I made some modifications such as bathing the chicken in epsoms salts (the mineral magnesium helps muscles relax) and using a tote as a tub so I could dump outside instead of down my sink. I often give my gals a treat of black soldier fly larva. They are high protein and they never got egg bound. Once one has gotten used to checking a chicken's vent for egg bound or applying medication inside of a vent with a well gloved hand it's easier to do. Plenty of videos on how to help a chicken out. BTW one word of warning when checking a chicken's vent- count on that it stimulates them to produce some of that free fertilizer we were all told we'd get raising chickens. Free??? Nothing is free, not even our eggs, but fresh eggs...so yum. So if your chicken is ever struggling to pop out an egg, stand off to one side and be sure to use KY jelly on that glove.

 

[Tennessee Great Granny]

I just moved all my cockerals and pullets that are above 18 weeks old on layer pellets. Was that a big mistake? I have two leghorns in there and I read that with to much protein they can get eggbound? The starter I used has 20% protein in it. The layer has 16%.
I wanted only organic feed and couldn't find flock raiser that was. I was wondering if feeding starter would be the same. Now I'm stuck I don't know what to feed them the protein in the starter would be much to much for the leghorns. Even though I give them oyster shells on the side i just don't want them eating all that protein and getting eggbound. On the other hand I keep my birds as pets and want them to live long healthy lives and feeding them layer isn't good for there overall health.

I'm not as savvy on higher protein amounts as being causative for an egg bound condition but I know that it can contribute. All chickens will consume insects etc which have tons of proteins. I was more under the impression it was the lack of calcium which is needed for muscle contraction in hens and even humans. Roosters on the other hand don't need as much calcium as hens and it can lead to serious health issues for them by causing problems with their kidneys and it can have a serious impact on their fertility. I provide some all flock pellets, scratch grains and veg for my roo at all times. The gals will munch on his foods too but they really like their layer pellets.He will only eat layer pellets as a last resort. I evident don't always see when the hens polish off his food. I provide granite grit so the roo has what he needs and the gals have calcium grit, but they also will pick at the granite grit too. It's like they know what they need and consume it. I read that too much corn in the diet makes all poultry obese and this is a bigger reason for poultry becoming egg bound than any thing else. I've never had an egg bound chicken myself but I watch for the condition. Today I had a chicken so anxious to get into that favored nesting box that she wound up laying her sticky wet egg in my hand before she could get settled in. I have a couple chickens that start waddling for the nest boxes in a really big hurry, plop their eggs out and run right back out into the run. Some times my gals lay twice a day. And they never stopped laying over the winter. I do have one really big hen. She doesn't lay as often as the others, but she's my baby girl and she can die of old age when it's her time. From studying nutrition I learned that any diet that has excesses cause obesity. If there are more carbs than the body needs the excess becomes fat. The same is true for an excessively high protein diet where any proteins the body doesn't need becomes fat too. And we all know excess fat still goes to more fat. It seems like everything wants to become fat. On our farm when actively laying hens were butchered there was a big thick layer of yellow fat within the body cavity. This is what schmaltz is made out of. That chicken fat after it is rendered is flavorful, great for frying, and making gravies and soups. If that layer of fat gets too thick inside the body cavity it makes the passage of eggs very difficult. But the actual muscular contractions through the egg's passageway needs calcium- and magnesium to work with the calcium as an assist.