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

[Elle111]

Thanks! Have you fed this from the beginning/if not; have you seen their health improving?

 

[BDutch]

Thanks! Have you fed this from the beginning/if not; have you seen their health improving?

I started with Welkoop, sometimes their own label non organic, mostly organic.
Then a few years a brand I bought at our local organic mill. They sold layer, mixed grains and chick feed in spring and summer. The brand ( van Gorp) sold the factory. The organic freed from Forefarmers they started to sell was not good at all. And I started to buy from Welkoop again a few years. They got really expensive.

Later the mill sold yet another brand which was good (can’t remember the name) . But my chickens got older, had a long winter break and I wanted to feed them low calcium feed (chick feed) in winter. Therefore I bought Welkoop organic chick feed in winter, and layer from the mill at other times.
Then 2 -3 years ago a neighbour came by with the question if I was interested to share the order from AR.
Now I rarely buy something else.

I let my chickens free range too in an organic garden. They are healthy. Impossible to say if their health is better bc of the AR feed.

 

[Midnight Maran Momma]

I've also been worried about giving my chickens too much protein, as well. I currently have eight chickens. Three Copper Black Marans, two Easter Eggers, one Prairie Bluebell Egger who are all 21 months old, save our two 4.5 month old Bresse. Here in Virginia (US), I feed mine a 50/50 mix of Kalmbach 20% Flockmaker Crumbles and Kalmbach Henhouse Reserve Layer Feed with 17% protein, along with a few sweet mint leaves each day (they make a game out of trying to steal them from me). Almost all of them are molting right now, save the Bresse, and one Copper Black Marans who seems to be finished molting, as she's Gorgeous and appears to be fully feathered out (she started earlier than the rest). I had also been giving them a can of tuna fish every 2-4 days, which they go crazy for. They have a mulch covered run (over dirt), and the whole of the area under their 4' x 8' coop is their sand dust bath.
I just quarantined & treated one EE for respiratory distress- she was making a snoring sound as she breathed, but VetRx and using a humidifier near her seemed to clear that up.
My concern is that some of my flock are having diarrhea issues. One in particular is emitting clear fluid- no signs of worms, thankfully (I'm squeamish about parasites). She's also the only bird I've got that's going through a hard molt. There's no bloody droppings in the coop or run, so doesn't that rule out coccidia?

 

[rosemarythyme]

My concern is that some of my flock are having diarrhea issues. One in particular is emitting clear fluid- no signs of worms, thankfully (I'm squeamish about parasites). She's also the only bird I've got that's going through a hard molt. There's no bloody droppings in the coop or run, so doesn't that rule out coccidia?

Molt can be hard on them and really mess with their eating and digestion. So if there's no other signs that something's amiss, I'd chalk the issues up to being molt related.

My bird that's currently in the hardest molt is also having very noticeable diarrhea. And she doesn't want any treats at all, when normally she'd be a treat hog. It looks like it might be starting to improve slightly, which would make sense because now I can see most of the new feathers coming in.

Coccidiosis doesn't always present as bloody poop, lethargy would be the main sign. But a molting bird can also be lethargic, miserable, hunkered down, etc.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My concern is that some of my flock are having diarrhea issues. One in particular is emitting clear fluid- no signs of worms, thankfully (I'm squeamish about parasites).

Some people have cleared up diarrhea by going to the basics. No treats, just feed them the feed. Either feed you mentioned (or 50% of both) should be OK. No additives in the water. No mint leaves. No cat food. I don't know that this is the problem but I'd try it for a couple of weeks.

For the worms you might call a vet's office and see what it takes to run a fecal sample.

She's also the only bird I've got that's going through a hard molt.

Sounds good. That means he feathers fall out fast so she will be through with the molt fairly soon. The slow molters can take several months.

There's no bloody droppings in the coop or run, so doesn't that rule out coccidia?

As Rosemary said, blood is not always present. There are different strains of the bugs that cause Coccidia. Some strains are stronger than others and affect different parts of their digestive system. A couple of these can cause bleeding but most do not. The symptoms I look for are chickens standing around lethargic, hunched over, with their feathers fluffed up. They just look miserable.

 

[Elle111]

I've also been worried about giving my chickens too much protein, as well. I currently have eight chickens. Three Copper Black Marans, two Easter Eggers, one Prairie Bluebell Egger who are all 21 months old, save our two 4.5 month old Bresse. Here in Virginia (US), I feed mine a 50/50 mix of Kalmbach 20% Flockmaker Crumbles and Kalmbach Henhouse Reserve Layer Feed with 17% protein, along with a few sweet mint leaves each day (they make a game out of trying to steal them from me). Almost all of them are molting right now, save the Bresse, and one Copper Black Marans who seems to be finished molting, as she's Gorgeous and appears to be fully feathered out (she started earlier than the rest). I had also been giving them a can of tuna fish every 2-4 days, which they go crazy for. They have a mulch covered run (over dirt), and the whole of the area under their 4' x 8' coop is their sand dust bath.
I just quarantined & treated one EE for respiratory distress- she was making a snoring sound as she breathed, but VetRx and using a humidifier near her seemed to clear that up.
My concern is that some of my flock are having diarrhea issues. One in particular is emitting clear fluid- no signs of worms, thankfully (I'm squeamish about parasites). She's also the only bird I've got that's going through a hard molt. There's no bloody droppings in the coop or run, so doesn't that rule out coccidia?

 

[Midnight Maran Momma]

Some people have cleared up diarrhea by going to the basics. No treats, just feed them the feed. Either feed you mentioned (or 50% of both) should be OK. No additives in the water. No mint leaves. No cat food. I don't know that this is the problem but I'd try it for a couple of weeks.

For the worms you might call a vet's office and see what it takes to run a fecal sample.


Sounds good. That means he feathers fall out fast so she will be through with the molt fairly soon. The slow molters can take several months.


As Rosemary said, blood is not always present. There are different strains of the bugs that cause Coccidia. Some strains are stronger than others and affect different parts of their digestive system. A couple of these can cause bleeding but most do not. The symptoms I look for are chickens standing around lethargic, hunched over, with their feathers fluffed up. They just look miserable.

Thank you for the response. With the molting, they're already looking miserable. I'll try what Ridgerunner recommended (stopping treats & keeping an eye on their output for a couple weeks).
There are NO signs of worms, (thankfully!).

 

[Midnight Maran Momma]

Again, thank you all for your responses!
Two questions, then.. I know it's recommended that I go back to basics (not giving them any more treats for a couple weeks, in the hopes of their gastro issues clearing up). Should I not give them any electrolytes/rooster booster, then? I hadn't started, but I'd been looking into it.
Also, if coccidia is a possibility, but they're already feeling crummy from molting, should I, or should I Not give them Corid? I don't want any of them suffering (and they're miserable enough between molting, and the upcoming temps dropping to freezing), but I'm also concerned about giving them medication if they Don't have coccidia.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Again, thank you all for your responses!
Two questions, then.. I know it's recommended that I go back to basics (not giving them any more treats for a couple weeks, in the hopes of their gastro issues clearing up). Should I not give them any electrolytes/rooster booster, then? I hadn't started, but I'd been looking into it.
Also, if coccidia is a possibility, but they're already feeling crummy from molting, should I, or should I Not give them Corid? I don't want any of them suffering (and they're miserable enough between molting, and the upcoming temps dropping to freezing), but I'm also concerned about giving them medication if they Don't have coccidia.

Corid is fairly safe so if you are worried about coccidiosis you can treat them to ease your mind. However if you're giving them Corid you need to commit to the full round of treatment AND do not add any additional vitamins like the Rooster Booster during the duration.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Corid is fairly safe so if you are worried about coccidiosis you can treat them to ease your mind. However if you're giving them Corid you need to commit to the full round of treatment AND do not add any additional vitamins like the Rooster Booster during the duration.