how often should I give my flock additional protein

[JANAE]

I was having an issue with one chickend pulling feathers out of a few of my younger hens....and I posted it in another forum on this site and I was told that they were basically getting too much scratch and to give them chicken......I did and they threw down on it.....so I am contemplating giving it to them again....how often can they have additional protein and what is too much.....and I have issues with giving my chickens chicken to eat so I am going to give them tuna or go buy them some fishing worms or something......just dont want to do any harm....

 

[Fred's Hens]

The situation arises as the result of boredom, crowding or lack of protein. You can feed chickens any kind of meat, as they are NOT vegetarians by nature.

Protein for layer hens should be 17%. You reduce that level drastically every time you feed scratch or other low protein feeds. The advice given you was correct.
All that said, sometimes there is a particular bird who simply has developed a really bad habit and must be removed from the flock, for the general good.

 

[JANAE]

ok they might be bored.....because they have eaten all the grass in the yard that they are in however I do know that there is no overcrowding.....they have their coop which allows them 14 sq ft per chicken....and they have a door in their coop that lets them into 100x100 yard to peck and scratch and there are only 14 of them.....so Im not worried about that....and the hen that was pulling the fethers out has not done it since the chicken.....they are getting laying pellets.....and I admit I have DEFF given them too much scratch......but we live and learn......so back to the original question.....

how much additional protien should I give them......how many oz per chicken and how often.........

Please....any advise would be very appereciated............

 

[Chris09]

Here is some information that I have found sometime back on feather pecking.

Quote:
Chris

 

[DangerChickenHouse]

IS this something I need to worry about if my flock free ranges frequently?

 

[JANAE]

well from what I am learnging danger chicken house......yes......I have raised hens for over 2 yrs and apparently this is a prob with lack of protein....however...all I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT IS IF ANYONE CAN SUGGEST HOW OFTEN TO FEED ADDITIONAL PROTEIN IF YOU ARE FEEDING YOUR HENS A STANDARD DIET OF LAYING PELLETS.......just an IDEA or APPX.....anything.............I love my hens and I want to do what is best for them.........i would HATE to lose one.......or for any of them to need something sipmle I can give them and I dont due to lack of INFORMATION......

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
If you are feeding a feed that contains animal protein and is around 18% protein or better you should not have to worry about boosting protein at all.

Chris

 

[vsmenagerie]

You could add some black oil sunflower seeds to their scratch, as that has a decent level of protein, just be sure its not too much, since they need their layer feed the most. You can give them any type of meat, you are not limited to chicken. So beef, pork, fish. Even scrambling some eggs up for them, shell and all, is a good protein source. Mine loved the peanut butter/applesauce pine cones I gave them the other day. I mixed up some pb, applesauce and a little BOSS. Stuffed it onto a pine cone and then rolled in their feed. hung them in the coop and by the next afternoon, all of them were clean

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

all I

AM TRYING TO FIND OUT IS IF ANYONE CAN SUGGEST HOW OFTEN TO FEED ADDITIONAL PROTEIN IF YOU ARE FEEDING YOUR HENS A STANDARD DIET OF LAYING PELLETS.......

Never, if they are getting layer pellets and not much else
It gives them all the protein they need​

 

[whiterock]

I have had chickens most of my life They are my friends, my bug err4adicators, and my garbage disposal! yes t hey get extra protein when I clean out the fridge! they get all the goodies. what they dont' eat, they scratch into the ground and are happy campers! I currently have 6 white rock! beautiful Girls!