Feather Meal in Feed - Yay or Nay?

[Ridgerunner]

Feathers are 93% protein.

Yeah, you are correct. The first article I read on feather meal said 12% and I quit reading. My mistake. Checking other articles feather meal is normally in the high 80's in percent protein.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yeah, you are correct. The first article I read on feather meal said 12% and I quit reading. My mistake. Checking other articles feather meal is normally in the high 80's in percent protein.

Yeah, that's like citing protein percentage in things like sunflower or even eggs.
Sunflower seeds, hulled, dehulled or meal can be dramatically different.
With the hulls intact, they are about 15% protein. Just the meat is about 22% and, depending on the oil extraction technique, the meal can approach 50% protein.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I thought I would add to the discussion that I'm reading the guaranteed analysis and ingredient tag on a bag of Nutrena layer feed. 3rd ingredient is 'animal protein products'. It doesn't specify what kind. It could be fish, porcine meat and bone meal, or feather meal, or any of several other things.
And it may vary from batch to batch, depending on the price of the ingredient. Whenever they aren't specific, it usually means it will vary from time to time.
Like when it says grain products rather than corn or wheat.

 

[Krazyquilts]

I wouldn't feed it either! Antibiotic residue? Not good, and in general, I'm not a fan of feeding chicken parts to chickens. The price seems too good to be true; I guess you'll see how your birds do on it. Mary

I'm working with the mill to see if they can replicate something similar to the more expensive stuff but at a wholesale price. I, and my poultry, love the expensive stuff but I have too many birds to be paying retail.

Over the past few days, I've noticed that with the new cheaper feed with the feather meal, they don't seem to finish all of the finely ground bits (of which there is a LOT, like at least 25%). There was almost no waste with expensive, hardly ground feed, even though people say not to give them whole-grain style feed because they will pick out their favorite bits. Mine ate everything of the expensive feed except a tiny bit of the finely ground particles (probably minerals etc) and even then they gobble even that up if I mix in a bit of water or something.

I guess you do get what you pay for!

 

[Krazyquilts]

20% protein is excessive for mature roosters, research shows that 13% is adequate. When I can find it, I feed either 15% finisher or 12.5% game bird maintenance feed to roosters.
That's probably why they're stealing the corn.
Excess protein ends up in the bedding as ammonia and can cause articular gout.

They are young roosters, ranging from 2-8 months, which is why I'm still feeding them a high protein feed. Once they are all old enough (or in the freezer) I'll probably mix in something like raw oats to cut the protein.

I think they steal mostly corn from the sheep feed because the most of the rest of the feed is stuff like alfalfa pellets that the chickens don't care about. And the sheep steal the roosters' feed too, until this last weekend when my husband built a box to go around the rooster feeder that the sheep can't get through.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They are young roosters, ranging from 2-8 months, which is why I'm still feeding them a high protein feed. Once they are all old enough (or in the freezer) I'll probably mix in something like raw oats to cut the protein.

I think they steal mostly corn from the sheep feed because the most of the rest of the feed is stuff like alfalfa pellets that the chickens don't care about. And the sheep steal the roosters' feed too, until this last weekend when my husband built a box to go around the rooster feeder that the sheep can't get through.

I understand your position. I suppose your mill doesn't have a means to pelletize the feed.
If that is the case, is it feasible to ferment or at least moisten the feed?
Even with pelleted or crumbles there is waste. That fine powder left behind at the bottom are where all the goodies are located. The mineral, vitamin and amino acid supplements are all added as powder.
By fermenting or wetting feed, the fines are bound up in the feed in a consistency of oatmeal.
Much less waste.

 

[rjohns39]

Feed can be a very complicated thing. I personally am very picky about what goes into my feed and where it comes from, I also like to know who grew it and how they grew it. I don't buy any feed with feather meal and I'm very picky about my fish meal.

About once a year, my nutritionist and I wander through the pelleted vice cracked grains debate. and after a lively discussion we always seem to end up in the same place and stick to cracked grains. Right now I'm using pellets because that's all I can get, but I'll be returning to cracked as soon as I can. The issue raised above comes down to what are they leaving in the trough. My birds eat the roasted soy last and I have no powdery residue left, but I also don't have any grain meals in my feed. When my nutritionist tested the powdery stuff left behind, he mostly found it to contain grain meals.

So a couple of anecdotal theories emerge. Birds can and do self regulate to some extent, but they also like candy. Our observations show some birds go after corn first while others will go after the fish meal or vitamin pack first—yet others will go after the oats and or barley. I've found mine will devour cracked alfalfa pellet and turn their nose up at alfalfa meal. Pellets eliminate cherry picking and waste, but prevents them from self regulating. So it becomes a personal choice in the end.

What type of birds are you raising (heritage or industrial)? Is your feed mill one of these?

When it comes time to adjust your feed, be careful with oats. If you like, I can provide you some recipes with instructions on adjusting for different circumstances, just PM me. I've been told that some growers have been able to get a good non-gmo feed for $11-$13 per 50 pound bag in your neck of the woods. Certified Organic is in the range you mentioned.

 

[Krazyquilts]

I understand your position. I suppose your mill doesn't have a means to pelletize the feed.
If that is the case, is it feasible to ferment or at least moisten the feed?
Even with pelleted or crumbles there is waste. That fine powder left behind at the bottom are where all the goodies are located. The mineral, vitamin and amino acid supplements are all added as powder.
By fermenting or wetting feed, the fines are bound up in the feed in a consistency of oatmeal.
Much less waste.

I do wet their feed - it's just that the new cheaper feed has significantly more finely ground particles in it, which makes me question its nutrition. Also the stupid guineas are too stupid to figure out how to eat the finely ground stuff even when I do wet it.

I did purchase a bag of pelleted feed from the mill to see how the roosters nad guineas like it and I'll report back.

 

[Krazyquilts]

Feed can be a very complicated thing. I personally am very picky about what goes into my feed and where it comes from, I also like to know who grew it and how they grew it. I don't buy any feed with feather meal and I'm very picky about my fish meal.

About once a year, my nutritionist and I wander through the pelleted vice cracked grains debate. and after a lively discussion we always seem to end up in the same place and stick to cracked grains. Right now I'm using pellets because that's all I can get, but I'll be returning to cracked as soon as I can. The issue raised above comes down to what are they leaving in the trough. My birds eat the roasted soy last and I have no powdery residue left, but I also don't have any grain meals in my feed. When my nutritionist tested the powdery stuff left behind, he mostly found it to contain grain meals.

So a couple of anecdotal theories emerge. Birds can and do self regulate to some extent, but they also like candy. Our observations show some birds go after corn first while others will go after the fish meal or vitamin pack first—yet others will go after the oats and or barley. I've found mine will devour cracked alfalfa pellet and turn their nose up at alfalfa meal. Pellets eliminate cherry picking and waste, but prevents them from self regulating. So it becomes a personal choice in the end.

I like the cracked feed better too! I think that the poultry like it better than pellets and I've found they waste very, very little of it.

What type of birds are you raising (heritage or industrial)?

With the exception of a handful of Golden Comets hens, all our poultry are heritage, mostly hatchery stock but I'm trying to switch over to breeder stock and rare breeds. The roosters are almost all "fancy" boys from a local breeder who couldn't sell them (it's always hard to sell all the excess males) so she gave them to me and some get to stay on as future breeders or "yard art" while some we butchered.

Is your feed mill one of these?

No, it's Farmers Portable in Middlefield. I spoke to them again this past week about a custom cracked feed, but they are waiting to talk to their nutritionalist. I'm jealous that you have one!

When it comes time to adjust your feed, be careful with oats. If you like, I can provide you some recipes with instructions on adjusting for different circumstances, just PM me.

Yes please! Will do!!!

[/QUOTE] I've been told that some growers have been able to get a good non-gmo feed for $11-$13 per 50 pound bag in your neck of the woods. Certified Organic is in the range you mentioned.[/QUOTE]

I'd love to know where to find some, preferably cracked style but I'd be willing to get pelleted at least for the roosters and stupid guineas. Is Certified Organic a brand?

 

[rjohns39]

Is Certified Organic a brand?

No, it's just a certification that the grains and ingredients meet the national organic standard. Also, if you're opposed to pesticides and herbicides that accompany GMO grains, it can be a bit of an insurance policy—but I use the term loosely.