feeding dual purpose hens

[Chaerie]

I have 4 jersey giant laying hens, 6 ameraucana pullets, and one French maran rooster. I'm doing dual purpose, hoping I can get some breeding going on soon, planning to butcher hens around 2 years as well as any bred cockerels.

I'm feeding organic and they don't have an all purpose organic crumble near me, so I've been mixing layer crumble and starter. I'm aiming for a higher protein so they can put on a little more weight.

What advantage does a standard 16% layer protein have over a higher protein content feed? All the research I've done seems to be the 16% is barely enough and if you free range or give your layers scraps they won't get enough protein. I'm just curious why it's recommended at all then. My starter was cheaper and is 20%, then I supplement with crushed recycled egg shells. Thanks!

 

[BethLouMcCormick]

iv been wondering the same question's you've asked in your last paragraph

 

[lazy gardener]

Here's my unauthorized opinion which is worth exactly as much as you are going to pay for it: Layer feed at 16% protein contains what the "industry they say" folks say is needed to provide the necessary nutrition for a layer flock that receives no other nutritional input. Realize that the manufacturer is in business to make money. They are going to put the cheapest ingredients into the product that will still provide the desired nutritional analysis.

If you are using layer feed, and in the habit of giving scratch grains (8% protein) to your flock as a treat, if you clean out your fridge and bread box, and give them veggies, and old bread, you are further cutting their nutrient level below the industry minimum of 16%. If you free range your flock, and you have a varied rural yard with lots of wooded areas, meadow land, mulched areas and plants that will provide high quality forage, and lots of insects and other tasty critters, your birds will get good nutrition on free range, and the protein content of your feed is not critical. If you ferment your feed, that fermentation process will actually produce increased levels of Lysine and Methionine, making their feed a more complete protein, thus they will derive more benefit.

So, IMO, it depends on what else is going on with your flock management: Free range? Kitchen and bread scraps? Scratch grains? Fermenting?

Based on all of these issues, you can use Layer, or you can opt for the higher protein starter, or multi flock. I'd aim for 18 - 20%. There comes a point where too much protein is not a good thing: it increases the risk of gout, and also the risk of renal disease. Also, if you give them more protein than they really need, you might just as well be flushing your money down the toilet. Higher protein feed = more $$$$. They are gonna poop out the excess protein.

 

[Chaerie]

Here's my unauthorized opinion which is worth exactly as much as you are going to pay for it: Layer feed at 16% protein contains what the "industry they say" folks say is needed to provide the necessary nutrition for a layer flock that receives no other nutritional input. Realize that the manufacturer is in business to make money. They are going to put the cheapest ingredients into the product that will still provide the desired nutritional analysis.

If you are using layer feed, and in the habit of giving scratch grains (8% protein) to your flock as a treat, if you clean out your fridge and bread box, and give them veggies, and old bread, you are further cutting their nutrient level below the industry minimum of 16%. If you free range your flock, and you have a varied rural yard with lots of wooded areas, meadow land, mulched areas and plants that will provide high quality forage, and lots of insects and other tasty critters, your birds will get good nutrition on free range, and the protein content of your feed is not critical. If you ferment your feed, that fermentation process will actually produce increased levels of Lysine and Methionine, making their feed a more complete protein, thus they will derive more benefit.

So, IMO, it depends on what else is going on with your flock management: Free range? Kitchen and bread scraps? Scratch grains? Fermenting?

Based on all of these issues, you can use Layer, or you can opt for the higher protein starter, or multi flock. I'd aim for 18 - 20%. There comes a point where too much protein is not a good thing: it increases the risk of gout, and also the risk of renal disease. Also, if you give them more protein than they really need, you might just as well be flushing your money down the toilet. Higher protein feed = more $$$$. They are gonna poop out the excess protein.

Kind of misleading for home use, versus commercial. Hum. Most people I know who keep chickens certainly give them leftovers and scraps. That's a reason to keep them in the first place.

I'm pretty sure the grower was a couple bucks cheaper than the layer but could be mistaken. I didn't get a detailed receipt. But I think I'm gonna keep what I've got going. Chickens are eating and growing well, my jg look very tasty for when we're ready to dispatch.

 

[lazy gardener]

Here, grower is only 15%, better check your nutritional analysis. If your grower was cheaper than layer, chances are good that it was less protein. generally, the higher the protein level, the more expensive the feed is.

 

[Chaerie]

 

[lazy gardener]

That is fine. If you were to look at a bag of grower, you might see a different analysis

https://blueseal.com/files/feeding-and-mgmt/equine/home-fresh-grow-show.pdf

 

[junebuggena]

You can feed starter to birds for their entire lifetime. They don't absolutely have to have layer feed. There is no magic ingredient in layer feed. It's just regular feed with less protein and a lot more calcium. Layers just need access to a calcium source, which is easily provided via crushed oyster shell. Most people who stick with a higher protein feed find they have fewer issues with egg eating and feather picking, and birds lay more consistently. It also makes keeping different aged birds much simpler as you don't have to worry about the younger ones getting too much calcium (potentially fatal). It also helps balance out any lower protein extras. Layer feed is not forgiving in that aspect. As @lazy gardener pointed out, the minimum protein intake for egg production is 16%, which is what most layer feeds have. Extras like scratch and veggies can dilute that protein intake to the point where the birds simply can't produce eggs.

 

[Chaerie]

Ok great! Well they've been eating their recycled shells. I actually did have a couple thin shells before I started this new regiment so I'm thinking it's working. Maybe I can adjust once I get my other pen going and start free ranging a bit.

I was wrong about the starter being cheaper. Starter is 27 for 35 lbs, layer is 25 for the same. So not too much of a difference. Organic is so much more expensive! But the whole point was to raise these chickens for our own consumption. And once they start free ranging more they won't need as much feed.

 

[BethLouMcCormick]

You can feed starter to birds for their entire lifetime. They don't abfesolutely have to have layer feed. There is no magic ingredient in layer feed. It's just regular feed with less protein and a lot more calcium. Layers just need access to a calcium source, which is easily provided via crushed oyster shell. Most people who stick with a higher protein feed find they have fewer issues with egg eating and feather picking, and birds lay more consistently. It also makes keeping different aged birds much simpler as you don't have to worry about the younger ones getting too much calcium (potentially fatal). It also helps balance out any lower protein extras. Layer feed is not forgiving in that aspect. As @lazy gardener pointed out, the minimum protein intake for egg production is 16%, which is what most layer feeds have. Extras like scratch and veggies can dilute that protein intake to the point where the birds simply can't produce eggs.

whats feed starter
chickcrumb or growers