Fish pellets for protein

[tamaragreene86]

I went to a flock swap this past weekend and I had a gentleman tell me that he did a new others that would give their chickens like a handful of fish food pellets mixed in their feed for extra protein. Has anyone ever heard of that then I also heard from a man I deal with closely with hatching eggs that he had heard doing that changes the taste of chicken and eggs. Any advice is appreciated. Currently I have 35 chickens, three of them being roosters in four ducks in a 12 foot wide by 50 foot long enclosed coop/run. They currently get vegetables every day oats eight green scratch the lane crumble that I know is over 10% protein. My roosters are killing my hands back so I’m trying to add more protein to help with their feathers in their backs in the stop packing.

 

[DobieLover]

give their chickens like a handful of fish food pellets mixed in their feed for extra protein.

That is a very expensive way to supplement protein and it isn't high quality protein. I offer a can of tuna 2 times a week year round and up that during the molt. Sardines are also highly sought after as are the carcasses of turkeys and chickens.

he had heard doing that changes the taste of chicken and eggs.

I have never noticed a change in the taste of the eggs nor have any of my customers complained. I don't think it is nearly enough to affect it.

10% protein

That is extremely low. You want to shoot for a total of 18-20% protein. You should be feeding an all flock type of feed to your flock with 2 or 3 containers of oyster shell on the side for free choice feeding by your active layers. I feed a chick starter crumble and a meat bird mash that is offered fermented. The total protein content averages 20%. Plus they forage on pasture.

My roosters are killing my hands back so I’m trying to add more protein to help with their feathers in their backs in the stop packing.

You need to remove the most aggressive breeding rooster from your flock and rehome him or keep him in a separate pen. And regardless of that, roosters always have their favorites and tend to over breed them. Offering extra protein solely for this purpose isn't going to help anything as the feathers are being broken off. Once the hens molt during late summer into fall, these damaged feathers will be pushed out by the new feathers.

You have an overall imbalance in your feed. Get that corrected with the right balanced base diet then keep treats to a low roar. No more than 10% by weight of the total diet.