High Protein treats??

[mags2009]

I've been hearing that high protein treats are the best for hens, especially ones that are close to laying, which ones are the best? What does everyone give their girls for treats??

Thanks!

 

[Benelli]

I don't know which are best, but my hens love seafood kitten food. It's about 30% or more protien. They follow me around when I get home from work until I throw it out to them. Then they go off looking for bugs the rest of the evening. The kitten food is smaller and easier for them to eat than normal sized cat food.

 

[Hornetkc5]

I give min bananas from my grocery store a huge bag about 20 bananas is 99 cents when too ripe for the stores liking. The birds dont mind!

 

[b.hromada]

I use the black oil sunflower seeds. They just love 'em!!

 

[cap1717]

Peanuts! I buy them in bulk at the feed store, and "reward" the girls, after egg collection, each day. . . . .
The downside, they now hang around the back door constantly. . . pooping on the door mat and demanding more peanuts!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

We use Black oil sunflower seeds and tuna.

 

[Schroeder]

It seems illogical to me that the major feed companies include inadequate protein in their feed mixes designed specifically for laying hens. I'm confused.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I suspect the key is that the large chicken/egg producers want minimum standards they can get by with. Makes no sense to feed a chicken an optimal diet when you are going to slaughter it at 1.5 years or whatever, long before it has lived a normal life span. We can stay alive a while on an inadequate diet.

There is a big difference between minimum and optimum. I'll bet the research on what is optimum isn't out there.

 

[cap1717]

Quote:
I suspect the key is that the large chicken/egg producers want minimum standards they can get by with. Makes no sense to feed a chicken an optimal diet when you are going to slaughter it at 1.5 years or whatever, long before it has lived a normal life span. We can stay alive a while on an inadequate diet.

There is a big difference between minimum and optimum. I'll bet the research on what is optimum isn't out there.

Agreed. My girls have "free choice" layer feed, but go nuts for high protien treats. . . I figure it's got to be good for them. . . .