Corn/Soy base feed or Non Corn/Soy or both!

[Rodrad]

Have you read this book yet?
Notice the READ ONLINE link on this page:

https://www.nap.edu/catalog/2114/nutrient-requirements-of-poultry-ninth-revised-edition-1994

This is so confusing! Based on that book, the layers of brown eggs need to have quite different nutrients than the other two sources suggest:
CR 16%, LY 0.49%, ME 0.21% TRP only 0.11%.

However, it appears that TRP is not being required to be listed. What I read about it it is very important for growing pullets and quite important for laying hens.

 

[Kiki]

This is so confusing! Based on that book, the layers of brown eggs need to have quite different nutrients than the other two sources suggest:
CR 16%, LY 0.49%, ME 0.21% TRP only 0.11%.

However, it appears that TRP is not being required to be listed. What I read about it it is very important for growing pullets and quite important for laying hens.

Don't over think things.
Most commercially made poultry feeds that are a pellet or a crumble are good. Don't feed your birds treats often and they will thrive. Most feed related problems start when you start feeding all the extra crap which takes away from the bird getting a complete balanced diet which the commercially made feeds are.

 

[Rodrad]

Don't over think things.
Most commercially made poultry feeds that are a pellet or a crumble are good. Don't feed your birds treats often and they will thrive. Most feed related problems start when you start feeding all the extra crap which takes away from the bird getting a complete balanced diet which the commercially made feeds are.

There are some really inexpensive layer feed at Rural King, Country Road for $13.69/50 lbs. And there are more known feed brand, like a Kalmbach with various type of layer feed in $22-26 per 50 lbs.

How did you decide which feed to give to your chickens?

 

[Kiki]

There are some really inexpensive layer feed at Rural King, Country Road for $13.69/50 lbs. And there are more known feed brand, like a Kalmbach with various type of layer feed in $22-26 per 50 lbs.

How did you decide which feed to give to your chickens?

I decided to buy what is locally made...to me.
I buy it because it is the freshest available to me.

 

[GreenMountainEric]

I learned earlier that based on an older USDA recommendation the layers need to have Crude protein 15%, Lysine 0.69%, Methionine 0.3% and Tryptophan 0.16%.
Recently I read that brown egg layers need to have even more these nutrients (at the feed rate of 0.22lb/hen/day):
CP 18%, LY 0.84%, ME 0.36% and TRP 0.19%.
However, the TRP is not labeled on any feed I looked over. Why is that? Can you provide TRP in your feed?

As far as I know, the only reason Tryptophan is not listed on tags is because states and the FDA do not require it to be listed/guaranteed.

Crude protein and specific amino acid requirements change over the lay cycle/life cycle of the hen. When they are younger, and in the earlier stages of lay, the requirements are higher (17-18% CP). As they get older, those requirements go down. For instance, once they are beyond 45 weeks of age, and average 4.5lbs in weight (using a common laying breed as an example, such as a Hi-Line brown), the CP requirements drop to about 15%.

Depending on ingredients used, Lysine, Methionine, Tryptophan, etc., will follow along. The specific amino acid requirements change along with the total crude protein requirement.

The older USDA listed requirements would be more correct for a hen that is beyond 45-50 weeks of age, but not optimal for hens that are younger, or are in earlier stages of lay.