⠀ How to handle my malts

[Gearmpr]

Ok so I know a chicken molts and recovers and for a time a halts egg production. I know for rabbits if you give them calf manna it'll speed up the process, is there anything that can be done for the little cluckers? thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Feathers are 93% protein. Feathers contain 25% of all the protein in a bird's body.
It also takes extra energy to grow feathers. That's why they look like they feel bad when molting.
The main needs in growing feathers are amino acids and lipids. Birds will seek out foods high in protein and fat to satisfy both the extra energy requirements.

Those essential amino acids that come from animal protein can help greatly. Going with a higher crude protein feed can help too but IMHO, cystine, leucine and especially lysine and methionine are much better provided by fish and meat or things like mealworms, crickets, etc.. The latter 2 essential AAs are just barely provided in sufficient concentration in regular poultry feed to maintain a body.
Cystine and Leucine are each about 8% of the feather, Argenine about 7%. About half of the feather is essential acids, the rest is non-essential.
My preferred method is to either mix fishmeal into the ration or offer some canned mackerel every day or two. That's the least expensive canned fish per ounce.
Grain like corn will supply the extra energy and fat, but it will also lower some of the essential amino acids in the total feed intake.

 

[Percheron chick]

You can feed them calf manna as well.

 

[Gearmpr]

Ahhh makes sense. Are laying pellets considered a high protein/fat diet?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No, layer pellets are usually 16% protein (that isn't high) and about 2.5% fat. They are almost always vegetarian feeds.

Calf manna has 25% protein and 3% fat. It doesn't have any animal protein. The main protein comes from dried whey (4th ingredient), dehydrated alfalfa meal (5th ingredient), linseed meal (6th ingredient) and brewer's dried yeast (7th ingredient). It's about $30/50#. 1 Tbsp pre chicken per day is recommended for supplement.

I still prefer animal protein when trying to grow feathers.

There is a layer feed that is called feather fixer and is pretty good for the purpose.

I have to ask @Gearmpr , since you asked about layer pellets being high in protein, what normally makes up your chickens total intake?
Feed (protein %), scratch grains, table scraps, etc.?

 

[Gearmpr]

No, layer pellets are usually 16% protein (that isn't high) and about 2.5% fat. They are almost always vegetarian feeds.

Calf manna has 25% protein and 3% fat. It doesn't have any animal protein. The main protein comes from dried whey (4th ingredient), dehydrated alfalfa meal (5th ingredient), linseed meal (6th ingredient) and brewer's dried yeast (7th ingredient). It's about $30/50#. 1 Tbsp pre chicken per day is recommended for supplement.

I still prefer animal protein when trying to grow feathers.

There is a layer feed that is called feather fixer and is pretty good for the purpose.

I have to ask @Gearmpr
, since you asked about layer pellets being high in protein, what normally makes up your chickens total intake?
Feed (protein %), scratch grains, table scraps, etc.?

My normal feed for my chickens are laying pellets, a bucket full of scraps every 2 days and crushed oyster shells mixed into the feed. Scraps are usually fruits and veggies with some misc scraps like meats, rice, or other pastas. They are just about all utility or hardy chickens, not strictly layers

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No one knows the ratios of those feedstuffs but you. You have to get a feel for protein, vitamins and minerals.
16-18% crude protein is what you are shooting for. If you're feeding scraps, you have to have a handle on the protein %, especially when you're dealing with molt.
Rice, pasta, fruit and veggies are low in protein. So you're going to have to get a feel on how much meat they're getting.

A bucket full of scraps for 8 chickens is dramatically different than for 40 chickens.

 

[Gearmpr]

Oh and I forgot to mention I have 8 medium to large chickens, 2 bantams, and one americana rooster

 

[ChickenCanoe]

With the bucket full of scraps, is it a 1 gallon bucket, a 5 gallon bucket or what?

 

[Gearmpr]

With the bucket full of scraps, is it a 1 gallon bucket, a 5 gallon bucket or what?

Well it's more like the size of an ice cream tub, one of those plastic ones with a handle