Feed vs Genetic Potential

[Chris09]

I have noticed that chickens continue to grow for at least two years, I keep mine on grower a lot longer because I believe they need the extra protein to continue to grow as well as produce eggs, without enough they will start feather picking or egg eating sometimes, I always provide oyster shells for calcium as well as feeding back their shells. After I switched from a layer to an all flock I had my birds molt faster and resume laying quicker, so for me higher protein was warranted.

Back in the day when chicken feed was still just a bunch of stuff mixed together hens didn't start laying until 7-8 months, now they are starting at 4 months. And I practice the old way of adding scratch into their diet to bring down protein to put off laying a bit until they mature more, I don't want my hens starting at 4 months, so feed can have a big effect on laying from what I have seen.

I have also bought birds from a show breeder, they are terrible layers, late to start, low production, despite eating the same feed as the hatchery birds, so breeding behind the birds is also a factor.

In the end I would say it's about 50 percent breeding, and 50 percent feeding.

Keep in mind your comparing apples with oranges.
Most hatcheries "breed" for egg production and in doing so they cross other high production breeds like leghorns in to there stock.
If you order Rhode Island Reds from a hatchery they are nothing like the real breed because of there crossing and breed high production breeds into them.

Now if you want a chicken that looks like it could be a breed, produces lots of eggs, has a short production life and makes a poor dual propose animal then hatchery stock is the way to go. However if you want a real breed of chicken that makes a good dual animal and has a longer production life than breeder stock is the way to go.

 

[Chris09]

nice im currently feeding higher protein (25% gamebird pellet non medicated)for my chicks and pullets, and i was feeding a 16% protein layer feed for my layers, but i just switched to a 20% protein layer. So if i switch my pullets over to 20% layer feed at 18wks im preloading them with calcium, that may or not be good for them, but its definitely enough protein for them to continue growing and have better plummage!

I myself feed ---

Birth to 6 weeks --- starter 30% protein,
6 weeks to laying --- conditioner feed 20 to 22% protein,
Laying and breeding birds --- breeder/ breeder mix averages from 22 to 28 percent protein. (The higher protein feed would be fed mostly during colder days and nights, during a hard molt or when I throw a little extra "treats" out to them.)

Now my feed contains at least porcine meat meal as a animal protein and the breeder feed contains porcine meat meal, fish meal, animal blood cells, dried egg.

I offer no extra calcium to the hen until they are lay and then I offer oyster shells in a feeder by there self.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

30% wow! That's the highest I've heard of someone using for dual purpose. Hey, seems to be working for you and I'm a huge advocate of more protein over less. For added umph to aid in molt canned cat food as additive/treat works well then you don't need to find a different feed, just adding a high protein supplement for that period to push them through it faster.

 

[Raven625]

I too have seen these debates many times. Because information was always so different from one resource to the next, I did what several others on this topic have done, I feed 20% starter/grower from hatch right through their entire lives. I picture documented my birds back when I just used egg layer rations that was 16% protein, this group of hens was strictly egg production. The pictures then to now of the same birds are astonishingly different. On layer pellet they were much thinner, almost scraggly, their feather sheen was much less, and the quality in feathering was less to say the least.
The images of 1 year later on starter/grower (with free choice calcium) are completely different. The birds have a perfect body weight, lots of big shiny strong feathers, they stay active, and have overall been very healthy. I would never go back to feeding layer rations as this was a huge turn around for me. Looking back, I'm glad I didn't use any of these birds for breeding, as I can't imagine quality chicks coming from them.
Just me two cents! Lol