Is there such thing as TOO MUCH protein for chickens??

[Mother of Chaos]

It’s funny, I was just coming here to ask if short term feeding of 28% would be bad for chickens. I usually buy 20-22% since I have a lot of roosters, but I accidentally got 150lbs of 28%.

I assume it will be okay for a few weeks, especially since they’re molting.

Would the higher protein be better or worse for my tiny bantams? I keep Seramas, d’uccles, modern game bantams, and silkies.

Can you buy a bag of lower protein, serve a mixture of the two, and thus dilute the protein level a bit?

When’s the expiration or “best-by” date on your accidental bag? Maybe as you get closer to that date, you can “re-home” the bag to a rescue group, someone raising turkeys, etc.

If you have a large flock, and 150# is only a few weeks’ worth of feed, you’d probably be ok. But if I were in your shoes, I’d probably do the two-feed-bag method described above.

 

[BDutch]

It always struck me that Dutch chicken feed is consistently lower in protein than US feed. Why is that, do you think? Cultural difference?

Efficiency. Dutch farmers are known for saving money if possible. Good feed, high on proteins is more expensive. And cheap (GMO) proteins in soy and corn are not very healthy.
The farmers organisation and agricultural university researched the needs vs egg production.

 

[uisceros]

Can you buy a bag of lower protein, serve a mixture of the two, and thus dilute the protein level a bit?

When’s the expiration or “best-by” date on your accidental bag? Maybe as you get closer to that date, you can “re-home” the bag to a rescue group, someone raising turkeys, etc.

If you have a large flock, and 150# is only a few weeks’ worth of feed, you’d probably be ok. But if I were in your shoes, I’d probably do the two-feed-bag method described above.

I think that will be what I do (mix bags). And since it’s diluting it, I should be able to mix with a 16% layer feed since the calcium will be diluted as well. That will leave me at like 22% protein and like 2-2.5% calcium which isn’t ideal but won’t be horrible for a few weeks.

100lbs usually only lasts me 2-3 weeks, so it’s not going to be a long term thing.

 

[Elle111]

Efficiency. Dutch farmers are known for saving money if possible. Good feed, high on proteins is more expensive. And cheap (GMO) proteins in soy and corn are not very healthy.
The farmers organisation and agricultural university researched the needs vs egg production.

Sounds plausible. Anyway, my bantam silkie did fine on 14.something percent protein feed. If you add mealworms etc, which I did, I would be worried about too much protein, especially for a bantam.

 

[BDutch]

I would be worried about too much protein, especially for a bantam.

?
Bantam chickens are chickens too.
I wouldn’t worry about much proteins for commercial laying hybrids. They need more protein bc they lay about 2x the amount of eggs than non commercial and heritage breeds.

 

[Elle111]

?
Bantam chickens are chickens too.
I wouldn’t worry about much proteins for commercial laying hybrids. They need more protein bc they lay about 2x the amount of eggs than non commercial and heritage breeds.

Don't you have a Dutch bantam? (think I saw it somewhere). What feed does she get?

 

[Mother of Chaos]

The usual explanation for lower protein levels is that they were set for commercial poultry production, especially layers, with a much shorter life expectancy as they are generally culled around two years or so for younger, fresher models. So it was minimal protein (which is expensive) because farmers have to work on such a narrow margin.

Under this model, 16% might be viewed as “barely enough for them to crank out eggs for the short term.”

 

[2 Acres]

The usual explanation for lower protein levels is that they were set for commercial poultry production, especially layers, with a much shorter life expectancy as they are generally culled around two years or so for younger, fresher models. So it was minimal protein (which is expensive) because farmers have to work on such a narrow margin.

Under this model, 16% might be viewed as “barely enough for them to crank out eggs for the short term.”

I would be more concerned about too much Calcium.

 

[2 Acres]

What do you mean..?

Some simple ingredients in one particular well known feed shares most of the same ingredients found in the grocery store in the dried goods section.

 

[2 Acres]

Some simple ingredients in one particular well known feed shares most of the same ingredients found in the grocery store in the dried goods section.

Mix your own much cheaper.