Hi, welcome to BYC!
I feed my whole flock 20% protein flock raiser, year round. It has about 1% calcium so I provide oyster shell on the side free choice for the ladies who are laying.
So cool that you are providing a little extra for your molting ladies! Many do not know or care that feathers are made of 90% protein and the amino acids that make it up. Many also don't know that extra calcium as in "layer" feed (usually 4%) can (doesn't mean will) cause gout or kidney failure if fed long term to birds not in lay like roosters, molting hens, or growing juveniles.
Personally, 16% is the bare minimum required to support a laying hen... not the best possible support, especially for dual purpose breeds like Marans or Barred Rock... Good link with 1 misprint in one of the tables..says 5-17% should say 15-17%...
http://ucanr.edu/sites/poultry/files/186894.pdf
In reality... "higher" protein feed would verge between 28 and 35% as in game bird feed. That wouldn't be good either because too high of protein can also cause a different type of gout and same end result. It could also result in fat birds.
I consider 20% a happy medium... for my mixed age and gender flock. It also gives room to budge if I want to feed out treats like corn, lettuce, melon or other low protein snacks. Which I'm a tight wad so I don't, but you get the point.
Plus breeders and people who show feed higher protein diets because it gives them better looking birds and hatch-ability. To me that says better overall nutrient in the egg if the chicks are more viable at hatch...
100% your birds will not be harmed and may actually even do better!
Everything is a personal choice though. And what's right for me may not work for you. So use the information you have and do your best or what makes sense to you until you learn something different. And ALWAYS get a second opinion on anything a feed store employee tell you. Despite their well meaning intentions they are often misinformed with little to no animal experience of their own. Owners will *usually* have a little more knowledge.
Your new flock sounds lovely!
I would probably move them to a grower @18% or so and make sure you have free choice grit and oyster shell. Alternatively, you can amp up available protein by adding things such as: Beef Liver, Cheap Canned Salmon, Tuna, Boiled eggs, etc. Make sure fish products don't exceed 5% of total diet. Again, glad you joined our happy flock
Spirit
Greeter
Friend
