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

[BDutch]

You'd need to assess their diet and calculate according to what you're feeding - you already know their feed is 20%. Dried BFSL are something like 35-45% protein. An egg is something like 12% protein. And so on.

In general we are talking about dry chicken food when we discuss protein levels. Chicken feed from the shop goes from around 12% - 22% proteins.

It’s not helping to compare the numbers of dry and wet food like this.
Made me wonder about protein level of dried eggs.

From Cookbook Gostorgizdat (1960) indicated that 278 g of egg powder can be placed back on the nutritional value of 1 kg of fresh eggs. So in fact about the same level as the dried larvae.

Edited typo

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

It's incredibly hard to feed a chicken too much protein so don't worry about it. They'll be fine.

That's great to hear! Thank you!

 

[rosemarythyme]

It’s not helping to compare the numbers of dry and wet food like this.
Made me wonder about protein level of dried eggs.

OP specified: I love treating my girls to snacks like scrambled eggs with herbs or Black Soldier Fly larvae

Dried eggs weren't mentioned so I'm not sure why it's more helpful to look at dried vs. cooked.

 

[BDutch]

OP specified: I love treating my girls to snacks like scrambled eggs with herbs or Black Soldier Fly larvae

Dried eggs weren't mentioned so I'm not sure why it's more helpful to look at dried vs. cooked.

Comparing the % of proteins in food is only useful if you leave out the water. Think of food like fresh or boiled peas, eggs, fresh mealworms, pumpkin, fresh grass and herbs, boiled rice, …
The same food in dried form has higher protein levels, bc there is no water in it.
The chicken feed from the store is always dried. Dried food makes the chickens to drink more to compensate.

From https://www.nutritiontable.com/nutritions/nutrient/?id=965

 

[2 Acres]

Comparing the % of proteins in food is only useful if you leave out the water. Think of food like fresh or boiled peas, eggs, fresh mealworms, pumpkin, fresh grass and herbs, boiled rice, …
The same food in dried form has higher protein levels, bc there is no water in it.
The chicken feed from the store is always dried. Dried food makes the chickens to drink more to compensate.

From https://www.nutritiontable.com/nutritions/nutrient/?id=965
View attachment 4128487

What about lentils???

 

[Elle111]

What about lentils???

What do you mean..?

 

[BDutch]

If you compare dry uncooked lentils with cooked and canned lentils you get another protein %. Bc the cooked lentils have more water in them from cooking/absorbing water. Not bc they are way less nutritious. Cooked can be salty. Many canned veggies do contain much salt and unhealthy additives.

 

[uisceros]

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.

 

[BDutch]

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.

Such high level protein is unnecessary. Around 18% and a bit more is really okay for adult hens. Above 30% protein is unhealthy.

 

[Elle111]

What about lentils???

Such high level protein is unnecessary. Around 18% and a bit more is really okay for adult hens. Above 30% protein is unhealthy.

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