Hens are molting, fishmeal to supplement feed with extra protein

[stromsmith]

Hello BYC community! Our hens in Eastern Virginia have just started molting. We feed them a quality mash that is 16% protein. We bought a bag of fishmeal that is 60% protein made from menhaden/bunker. Can we simply put a bowl of this fishmeal out to supplement? Or do we need to mix in their feed at some ratio? We put out ~3 cups of feed per day for our 3 hens. Any help appreciated!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I would blend it so you know exactly what percentage you are feeding.
I used to do that. I mixed fishmeal with a 15% organic grower to raise the protein for chicks.
In your case, 16% feed/60% fishmeal would be 18% at a 42:2 ratio. 10:1 would give you 20% yield.

 

[stromsmith]

Thanks @ChickenCanoe. I figured putting out a bowl of fishmeal would be risky and too easy. I really appreciate the math, if understanding it right I am going with 2.5 ounces of the fishmeal mixed with their daily 24 ounces of feed. Have a great day!

 

[saysfaa]

I think ChickenCanoe's way will work well but isn't the only way that will work well. I don't care if I know how much protein my hens eat. They know how much they need far better than I do.

As long as it is a complete protein (like meat and fish are) and not too high in salt or fat (like meal worms are but fish usually isn't) then I would give it to them separate from their other food and free choice. I do that with fish carcasses from local lakes sometimes so it isn't totally theoretical.

And you posted while I wrote. I don't seen a risk to the easy way in this case. But, that way should work well too.

 

[K0k0shka]

16% is too low in general, whether they're molting or not. Get them a better feed that's at least 18-20% protein and you won't have to do math with supplements. I feed a 20% protein flock raiser feed to the whole flock all year round (with calcium added on the side) and don't need to supplement with anything else. They are doing great.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Having fed fishmeal frequently and fed chickens off and on for over 60 years, I just don't envision them just taking a bite of fishmeal. That's why I recommended blending it. Another good thing to try is fermenting the feed (mixed with the fishmeal. The advantage is that fishmeal is like a powder or at least it is very fine. Fines, like those you see whether you feed crumbles or even pellets, are the residue left at the bottom of the feeder that the chickens won't eat. THAT is where all the goodies are that were added in the milling process to make a complete feed out of the primary ingredients of grains and legumes. That would be the vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fats that are insufficient in the seeds themselves to keep chickens healthy. Fermenting binds those goodies up in the mix causing the birds to consume them rather than waste them. I've known people to wait till the chickens clean all that up before feeding them, in essence starving the birds because they aren't going to eat the fines.

 

[K0k0shka]

Having fed fishmeal frequently and fed chickens off and on for over 60 years, I just don't envision them just taking a bite of fishmeal. That's why I recommended blending it. Another good thing to try is fermenting the feed (mixed with the fishmeal. The advantage is that fishmeal is like a powder or at least it is very fine. Fines, like those you see whether you feed crumbles or even pellets, are the residue left at the bottom of the feeder that the chickens won't eat. THAT is where all the goodies are that were added in the milling process to make a complete feed out of the primary ingredients of grains and legumes. That would be the vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fats that are insufficient in the seeds themselves to keep chickens healthy. Fermenting binds those goodies up in the mix causing the birds to consume them rather than waste them. I've known people to wait till the chickens clean all that up before feeding them, in essence starving the birds because they aren't going to eat the fines.

An easier and faster way to make sure they eat the fines, is to wet them with water just enough to make a clumpy mash, and feed it right away. This is very popular with a lot of people, and the chickens love it. I do this regularly, the chickens think it's a treat and gobble it up. So I never have any wasted fines at the bottom of the feeder/bag/storage barrel.

 

[saysfaa]

I didn't know the fish meal is that fine. That would make it impractical to feed it separately.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

An easier and faster way to make sure they eat the fines, is to wet them with water just enough to make a clumpy mash, and feed it right away. This is very popular with a lot of people, and the chickens love it. I do this regularly, the chickens think it's a treat and gobble it up. So I never have any wasted fines at the bottom of the feeder/bag/storage barrel.

That is true. Basically the same effect one gets from fermenting.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I didn't know the fish meal is that fine. That would make it impractical to feed it separately.

It is basically the same consistency as layer mash suitable for caged laying hens with trimmed beaks.