Is 20% protein too much for pullets and laying hens?

[Amelise]

I have used this for 9 years....hatch to harvest or beyond.
One thing that decided it for me was that I could give some(very little) other foods without reducing the protein levels. I give some scratch grains daily in a ratio that brings the protein level into the high teens.

Oh, so treats like scratch/fruits/veggies can reduce their protein intake? So having a slightly higher protein feed allows you to give them small treats while keeping their protein intake at a good amount?

 

[CNJ]

Oh, so treats like scratch/fruits/veggies can reduce their protein intake? So having a slightly higher protein feed allows you to give them small treats while keeping their protein intake at a good amount?

If 3 chickens eat 3/4 pint of high protein feed mixed with scratch, the protein digested is less, since scratch has less protein.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So 20% is an ok amount, it would have to be more than that to cause health issues like kidney failure?

It takes like 40-50% plus to cause gout and kidney failure in chickens.. even then only in birds that are genetically predisposed.

I have used 30% protein turkey starter to raise chickens.. Going that high decreased my hatch ability and created extra smelly and expensive waste. The best hatch rates according to studies I've read were seen at 22% protein.. and there are some "breeder" feeds formulated at that ratio.. not available in my location.

Since making the switch full time to 20% protein flock raiser (from 16% protein layer).. the difference is immense ESPECIALLY when molt set into the elder gals.. they don't crash and withdrawal like they used to!

20% protein is not too much

It's the calcium that hurts the kidneys. Not the protein.

Another type is caused by excess protein..

 

[Painted Calls]

It takes like 40-50% plus to cause gout and kidney failure in chickens.. even then only in birds that are genetically predisposed.

I have used 30% protein turkey starter to raise chickens.. Going that high decreased my hatch ability and created extra smelly and expensive waste. The best hatch rates according to studies I've read were seen at 22% protein.. and there are some "breeder" feeds formulated at that ratio.. not available in my location.

Since making the switch full time to 20% protein flock raiser (from 16% protein layer).. the difference is immense ESPECIALLY when molt set into the elder gals.. they don't crash and withdrawal like they used to!

20% protein is not too much

Another type is caused by excess protein..

I did not know this! Thank you!

So how much is too much?

 

[aart]

Oh, so treats like scratch/fruits/veggies can reduce their protein intake? So having a slightly higher protein feed allows you to give them small treats while keeping their protein intake at a good amount?

Any extra foods reduce how much chicken ration they eat and needs to be taken into account while evaluating their over nutrition.

 

[Amelise]

It takes like 40-50% plus to cause gout and kidney failure in chickens.. even then only in birds that are genetically predisposed.

I have used 30% protein turkey starter to raise chickens.. Going that high decreased my hatch ability and created extra smelly and expensive waste. The best hatch rates according to studies I've read were seen at 22% protein.. and there are some "breeder" feeds formulated at that ratio.. not available in my location.

Since making the switch full time to 20% protein flock raiser (from 16% protein layer).. the difference is immense ESPECIALLY when molt set into the elder gals.. they don't crash and withdrawal like they used to!

20% protein is not too much

Another type is caused by excess protein..

That's great to know! Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I saw a study where 30% protein could cause avian gout. I don't know which chickens were used for that study, I suspect it was either the breeder flocks that produce the eggs that hatch into the Cornish Cross broilers or the hybrid hens specifically developed to lay eggs. The commercial poultry business are the ones that generally pay for those studies so they are going to use the birds they are interested in instead of the ones that we typically keep.

The commercial egg laying businesses feed their hens around 16% protein. The hybrid egg laying hens have relatively smaller bodies so they don't need as much protein for body maintenance as our larger hens do. The higher the protein the larger the eggs are. The hybrid egg layers lay a relatively large egg for their body size, an increase in size could cause internal laying, egg bound, or prolapsed hens. High protein can cause them to release an extra egg yolk which can lead to other health problems. If you have 5,000 hens in a hen house and several of these hen houses you are more likely to see these things. Our chickens tend to have larger bodies and lay smaller eggs so they can typically handle higher protein levels.

Any extra foods reduce how much chicken ration they eat and needs to be taken into account while evaluating their over nutrition.

Yep!

It is not what is in one bite, it's how many total grams of calcium, protein, and other nutrients they eat in a day. Even that is averaged out over a few days. If you let them forage for much of their food you've lost the ability to micromanage their diet anyway.

 

[BirdLvr56]

Any extra foods reduce how much chicken ration they eat and needs to be taken into account while evaluating their over nutrition.

I've only had chickens for 2 months. I give them BSF Larvae treats. Can i give them too much? They have been on the 16% protein feed. Getting ready to change them to flock raiser

 

[Brooks_]

I've only had chickens for 2 months. I give them BSF Larvae treats. Can i give them too much? They have been on the 16% protein feed. Getting ready to change them to flock raiser

The protein boost from BSF is nice. The fat content is of concern though. Keep all treats to less than 10% daily intake.

 

[FunClucks]

I have an enclosed run, no free ranging (due to predators), and feed 20% Purina All Flock(Flockraiser). Free choice calcium carbonate rocks (oyster shell) and grit. When they eat only their formulated feed, their eggs are larger. When I see a decrease in egg size, I withhold treats for a few days, and the size increases again. If you can get a good baseline of egg size based on commercial feed only, then you can tell when you're over-feeding treats due to slight egg size decrease.

I have a mix of production layers (ISA Browns, Golden Comet) and others (buff orpington, starlight green eggers, prairie bluebell eggers). The change in egg size is most visible to me in the production layer eggs, probably because they are all extra large. Haven't had much trouble with with internal laying or double yolking and so forth yet, but my flock is <1 yr old, and small (15 hens).