Food specifically for heritage breeds?

[chickenpapa]

Without seeing the ingredient list, I can't say whether this feed is a gimmick or not. That said, I do think there is a legitimate need for heritage breed starter and layer rations. Most commercial feeds (including organic) are formulated for production birds like Cornish cross and production leghorns, in that they are corn and soy based. Production breeds were developed about the same time that corn and soy became the two most prominent crops in the U.S. (within the last 50 or 60 years), and were therefore selectively bred to do well on these ingredients. Most heritage breeds, on the other hand, were developed a century or more ago, when agriculture was more diverse and chickens were actually encouraged to forage. So, in my opinion, heritage breeds can do ok on corn and soy based feeds, but really thrive on a wider variety of grains and legumes, as well as animal based protiens.

Diversifying a laying hen's ration to better reflect its natural omnivorous diet might slow down egg production a bit, but I would argue that the phytoestrogens in soy leads to unnaturally high production as it is.

I think backyard-kept heritage breeds do fine on a soy and corn based feed in the summer if they are allowed to adequately free-range, as they will forage for most of their food and supplement at the feeder, but a soy-free feed with some animal protein in it is best for the cold months.

 

[chickenpapa]

Quote:
I think you're right. My guess is that this feed is for heritage meat birds. If you are raising laying pullets, you don't need a feed with this much protein.

 

[catchthewind]

I called and asked for the ingredients. I missed some of them, mostly at the end, and may have misheard a couple of them. My one year old is teething and cranky and so I couldn't hear well and didn't want to ask her to repeat herself.

Heritage starter/grower 25% protein: oat groat, wheat, corn, peas, wheat mill run, fish meal, corn gluten, flax, alfalfa, DE, limestone, kelp stone

Their organic feeds are all these ones: http://otter-coop.com/_customelements/uploadedResources/OtterOrganicFeedFeatureSheet.pdf I can't find an ingredient list for them though.

The non-organic ones are produced there and she didn't have an ingredient list handy. Anyway, I don't want to over-think it. I just thought it might be nice to have an organic, non-GMO feed that is very near the price of the non-organic, but don't want to overdose the protein.

 

[vjbakke]

What if you have new hybrid breeds and heritage breeds? What is the reason for the higher protein?

 

[Illia]

Quote:
True heritage breeds get BIG and grow slowly, thus they need plenty of protein as well as other nutrients.

Hybrids and hatchery/production bred hens ("heritage breeds" that are bred for production included, such as the common Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds) need less protein because there's nothing they truly need it for. They don't get very big, and all they focus their energy on most of the time is laying eggs. They're bred to be efficient egg layers, thus, less feed, less protein.