Can I Feed Nutrena 22% Meatbird as a main diet?

[MysteryChicken]

Some of my birds in my mixed flock coop are having issues with the fines/powder in Purina Flock Raiser crumbles. They'd inhale it, & sound like they're choking. Sometimes the feed is half fines, with not much crumbles.

The Meatbird feed is less powdery, & more of an uneven crumble type.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Can't you just get pellets?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Can't you just get pellets?

I would. The price for pellets increased by a couple dollars, I get 4 bags for the feed bin. Plus other people buy it up quite often, so I have to target refill day accordingly to get the amount of feed we need.

The mixed flock coop has a 60lb feeder, that works best with a crumble feed.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes. There's no real benefit (ok, its measurable, but you'll never notice it), but its not harmful. I feed my babies 24% to 8 weeks. Usually, anything over 20% is too costly to even consider. I take it things are different there?

and that your feeder style won't support the use of a wet mash, which is how I deal with fines in my (local mill) feed.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Yes. There's no real benefit (ok, its measurable, but you'll never notice it), but its not harmful. I feed my babies 24% to 8 weeks. Usually, anything over 20% is too costly to even consider. I take it things are different there?

and that your feeder style won't support the use of a wet mash, which is how I deal with fines in my (local mill) feed.

Not sure what you mean there's no real benefit?

Mines a gravity feeder that uses a spout. It's made for large flocks, & turkeys.

Meat bird feed is cheaper then the 20% pellets for some reason here, & the 17% pellets are more expensive then both.

 

[Brooks_]

Not sure what you mean there's no real benefit?

I read it as the benefit of 22% over 20% is not that large, not none. A scientifically measurable benefit, but not easily observable.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I mean the benefit of using 22% over 20% is smaller than the benefit of using 20% over 16%.

Slighly larger eggs (1%+/-) slightly more frequently (1%+/-), but most of the excess protein will simply be wasted. Slight increase in the firmness of yolk, and the nutritional value of the eggs. The adult birds have lower amino acid content needs than do younger birds.

Sorry for the delay, thought I had hit the "Post" button.

 

[jher77]

Growing bodies need more protein than older chickens that's already grown. If they free range or eat other things, that will bring the protein level down some anyways.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I mean the benefit of using 22% over 20% is smaller than the benefit of using 20% over 16%.

Slighly larger eggs (1%+/-) slightly more frequently (1%+/-), but most of the excess protein will simply be wasted. Slight increase in the firmness of yolk, and the nutritional value of the eggs. The adult birds have lower amino acid content needs than do younger birds.

Sorry for the delay, thought I had hit the "Post" button.

Oh, okay.

My main concern was just the amount of fines/powdered feed in the bags, & the birds choking on it. But the other information is useful too.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Growing bodies need more protein than older chickens that's already grown. If they free range or eat other things, that will bring the protein level down some anyways.

I can't free range, too many predators around, plus a father that has a bad habit of dropping cigarette butts on the ground(Begged him too stop).

But will be working on a predator savvy, survivalist breed for that reason, for Free Ranging.

Most of my birds are high energy, so I believe they'd benefit from some higher protein content.