Catfish Feed for Broilers?

[Lynn-n-JimsVT]

Hello has anyone tried using the TS catfish feed for their broilers? If so what did you think of it? I'm also thinking of fermenting it. Ya I'm out there but I like it out here.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I like it out there too but I'm just curious why you would opt for a feed formulated for the nutritional needs of fish rather than one formulated for the needs of chickens?
First of all, it is too high in protein for even game birds and waaay too high for chickens. I wouldn't feed meat chickens anything above 22% and you're considering going 10 points above that. As the saying goes, 'too much of a good thing is a bad thing'.
I don't know what all the other nutrient levels are but the phosphorus and crude fat seem too high for chickens. It also contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) which chickens don't really need. I wouldn't be surprised if other vitamins and minerals weren't at the correct levels. After all, it is for fish.
I don't see the calcium percentage listed. Calcium/phosphorus ratio is critical for growing chicks.
I could considering it if that is all you had available and cutting the protein with scratch grains at a ratio of about 4:6. But you have a tractor supply so you do have chicken feed available.

If you did try it, I would expect to see a rash of lameness at the very least.

 

[featherhead007]

Seafood dieting?

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Seafood dieting?

Catfish isn't seafood. Catfish, most types anyway, are fresh water fish.

 

[featherhead007]

I perch corrected!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Seafood is a pretty loosely used term. People often call tilapia seafood but it is a freshwater fish too.

 

[ToniTalley]

My chooks like catfish food, but I only give them a tiny bit as a treat. I would stick with chicken feed as the main diet.

 

[centrarchid]

You can dilute it with corn or wheat to get protein levels down to where you want. Vitamin and possibly mineral profile might off still for extremely fast growing chickens like Cornish X broilers. Catfish feed works fine as part of a maintenance diet. Catfish feed alone will not be the most cost effective out there.

 

[Lynn-n-JimsVT]

You can dilute it with corn or wheat to get protein levels down to where you want. Vitamin and possibly mineral profile might off still for extremely fast growing chickens like Cornish X broilers. Catfish feed works fine as part of a maintenance diet. Catfish feed alone will not be the most cost effective out there.

Thank you for that reply! Ya I got into it with my hens who get it as a couple times per week treat. They also get regular greens from the yard and tractor as well. Since I was already doing it with the hens I wondered about the meaties.

 

[Lynn-n-JimsVT]

I like it out there too but I'm just curious why you would opt for a feed formulated for the nutritional needs of fish rather than one formulated for the needs of chickens?
First of all, it is too high in protein for even game birds and waaay too high for chickens. I wouldn't feed meat chickens anything above 22% and you're considering going 10 points above that. As the saying goes, 'too much of a good thing is a bad thing'.
I don't know what all the other nutrient levels are but the phosphorus and crude fat seem too high for chickens. It also contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) which chickens don't really need. I wouldn't be surprised if other vitamins and minerals weren't at the correct levels. After all, it is for fish.
I don't see the calcium percentage listed. Calcium/phosphorus ratio is critical for growing chicks.
I could considering it if that is all you had available and cutting the protein with scratch grains at a ratio of about 4:6. But you have a tractor supply so you do have chicken feed available.

If you did try it, I would expect to see a rash of lameness at the very least.

Thanks for the reply, appreciate it. I got into it after watching a youtube video

I supplement my layers with it a couple times per week. They also get grass and pasture but it seemed like a great way to get them some good affordable protein.