Game Bird Starter

[Petermariah]

I keep quail and chickens so I use Purina Game Bird Starter (30% Protein) for my quail and I use Texas Natural Feeds Layer (18% Protein) for my chickens. Should I mix in some game starter during molting to increase protein? Is there any reason why chickens can’t eat game starter?

 

[NatJ]

Yes, you can feed some game bird starter to chickens. A bit will not hurt them.

Chicken food is usually cheaper, and chickens do not need the extra protein, so most people do not feed Game Bird Starter to chickens.

Too much protein can be bad for chickens, but I think game bird starter is still in the range of "probably safe." I haven't found much research on it, probably because protein is expensive and most research is about feeding chickens cheaply.

Considering that it usually costs more, and knowing that some level of protein can be harmful, I would not give Game Bird Starter to chickens as their sole ration, at least not for very long at a time. (Feeding it for a few days should be fine, like if you run out of chicken food.)

 

[Petermariah]

Yes I was just thinking if mixing it half and half during molting to boost the protein. The quail feed is actually a little cheaper than the chicken food.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I keep quail and chickens so I use Purina Game Bird Starter (30% Protein) for my quail and I use Texas Natural Feeds Layer (18% Protein) for my chickens. Should I mix in some game starter during molting to increase protein? Is there any reason why chickens can’t eat game starter?

I've read that 27% Protein feed should be the limit for chickens. Long term use above that level or additional high Protein treats on top of that level could lead to kidney disease and gout.
However above 21% Protein for grown chickens could cause watery poop and excess ammonia.

I feed all ages of egg laying breeds a 18% feed, from day old chicks through adulthood.
I don't increase protein during molt, because they aren't laying eggs or are laying sporadically, so they don't need the protein to produce eggs, (much like a Rooster doesn't need as much Protein as a Hen).
So the protein goes into regrowth of feathers.

I've never bought feed higher than 20% Protein for my chickens.
My chickens get through molt just fine on 18%.
An example from last winter. Curly named for her toes.
Start of molt November, 23

November, 26

December, 5

December, 12. Feathers coming in nicely

December, 27. Looking gorgeous.

GC

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I use 24% the first few weeks of a chick's life to help with weight gain, feathering, etc before they are moved to the grow out pen outside, and then to join their flock mates about week 6-7. Due to my ducks, 24% is the highest I will feed (as higher protein is associated with increased incidence of "angel wing" in some studies).

I've seen no evidence of damage from such a high protein (as compared to typical) feed, but evidence of benefit (particularly as compared to cost) is pretty marginal. Unfortunately for purposes of this question, I'm in the middle of a "mutt" breed project, so there is simply too many variables to attribute effects, confidently, to the protein content of me feed.

Gut feeling, for what its worth, is "doesn't hurt, probably helps, might not be worth it."

Like you, 18% protein is what I feed my adult flock, and I'm mulling over a change to 20% as many are entering molts of their own right now. My other alternative is weekly culling for the table, and thus far, that's winning out.

 

[NatJ]

Yes I was just thinking if mixing it half and half during molting to boost the protein. The quail feed is actually a little cheaper than the chicken food.

I would expect half and half to be fine all the time, if you want to (especially since it is cheaper.)

 

[Boomerwaffen]

Yes, you can feed some game bird starter to chickens. A bit will not hurt them.

Chicken food is usually cheaper, and chickens do not need the extra protein, so most people do not feed Game Bird Starter to chickens.

Too much protein can be bad for chickens, but I think game bird starter is still in the range of "probably safe." I haven't found much research on it, probably because protein is expensive and most research is about feeding chickens cheaply.

Considering that it usually costs more, and knowing that some level of protein can be harmful, I would not give Game Bird Starter to chickens as their sole ration, at least not for very long at a time. (Feeding it for a few days should be fine, like if you run out of chicken food.)

I use 24% the first few weeks of a chick's life to help with weight gain, feathering, etc before they are moved to the grow out pen outside, and then to join their flock mates about week 6-7. Due to my ducks, 24% is the highest I will feed (as higher protein is associated with increased incidence of "angel wing" in some studies).

I've seen no evidence of damage from such a high protein (as compared to typical) feed, but evidence of benefit (particularly as compared to cost) is pretty marginal. Unfortunately for purposes of this question, I'm in the middle of a "mutt" breed project, so there is simply too many variables to attribute effects, confidently, to the protein content of me feed.

Gut feeling, for what its worth, is "doesn't hurt, probably helps, might not be worth it."

Like you, 18% protein is what I feed my adult flock, and I'm mulling over a change to 20% as many are entering molts of their own right now. My other alternative is weekly culling for the table, and thus far, that's winning out.

I have a mixed new flock of chickens, ducks and a goose. All started a little over about 2 weeks ago with them. We are feeding them Modesto Mills organic chick starter at 22% protein. I’d ordered 3 guinea keets st the same time and they arrive tomorrow or the next day. As I’m a complete noob with guineas, I didn’t realize the higher protein requirements until I read them on another blog earlier today. So I jumped on Amazon and bought some MannaPro game bird starter at 24% protein. We do supplement the birds we have already with dried mealworms, dried shrimp and soldier fly larvae. My research is giving me answers all over the map on protein percentages for game birds from 24-30%. Plus I don’t want to hurt the chickens. The ducks are already nearly triple in size after two weeks on the 22% protein, which seemed okay for ducks and the goose too who’s now enormous. My solution was to just put the game bird food into another feeder in the same brooder. Thoughts?

 

[Boomerwaffen]

Yes, you can feed some game bird starter to chickens. A bit will not hurt them.

Chicken food is usually cheaper, and chickens do not need the extra protein, so most people do not feed Game Bird Starter to chickens.

Too much protein can be bad for chickens, but I think game bird starter is still in the range of "probably safe." I haven't found much research on it, probably because protein is expensive and most research is about feeding chickens cheaply.

Considering that it usually costs more, and knowing that some level of protein can be harmful, I would not give Game Bird Starter to chickens as their sole ration, at least not for very long at a time. (Feeding it for a few days should be fine, like if you run out of chicken food.)

I use 24% the first few weeks of a chick's life to help with weight gain, feathering, etc before they are moved to the grow out pen outside, and then to join their flock mates about week 6-7. Due to my ducks, 24% is the highest I will feed (as higher protein is associated with increased incidence of "angel wing" in some studies).

I've seen no evidence of damage from such a high protein (as compared to typical) feed, but evidence of benefit (particularly as compared to cost) is pretty marginal. Unfortunately for purposes of this question, I'm in the middle of a "mutt" breed project, so there is simply too many variables to attribute effects, confidently, to the protein content of me feed.

Gut feeling, for what its worth, is "doesn't hurt, probably helps, might not be worth it."

Like you, 18% protein is what I feed my adult flock, and I'm mulling over a change to 20% as many are entering molts of their own right now. My other alternative is weekly culling for the table, and thus far, that's winning

I have a mixed new flock of chickens, ducks and a goose. All started a little over about 2 weeks ago with them. We are feeding them Modesto Mills organic chick starter at 22% protein. I’d ordered 3 guinea keets st the same time and they arrive tomorrow or the next day. As I’m a complete noob with guineas, I didn’t realize the higher protein requirements until I read them on another blog earlier today. So I jumped on Amazon and bought some MannaPro game bird starter at 24% protein. We do supplement the birds we have already with dried mealworms, dried shrimp and soldier fly larvae. My research is giving me answers all over the map on protein percentages for game birds from 24-30%. Plus I don’t want to hurt the chickens. The ducks are already nearly triple in size after two weeks on the 22% protein, which seemed okay for ducks and the goose too who’s now enormous. My solution was to just put the game bird food into another feeder in the same brooder. Thoughts?

 

[NatJ]

My solution was to just put the game bird food into another feeder in the same brooder. Thoughts?

I don't know enough about the other kinds of birds to tell what is best for them, but putting the two feeds in different feeders sounds like a reasonable thing to try

 

[U_Stormcrow]

While you can just put in in a separate feeder, I expect a number of oyur birds - not just the 'keets - will try to eat it. At 24%, the only harm would be to your pocket book. If you can separate the keets and their new feed out, but allow them to still be seen by their flock mates ("quarantine/grow out pen") I'd go that route - which will also help with size disparities.

When I first got started, last year, one of my four week old Pekins, rushing for food, crushed a couple day old chicken. Poor bird didn't make it.