Need help with feed dilemma

[Fairview01]

Feeding chickens should not be this complicated or create this much anxiety.

Chickens will eat and try to eat anything and everything that comes their way. I have seen my chickens eat a snake and gladly gobble down fresh caught field mice. The protein content of these snacks have to meet or exceed that 28% protein content and it doesn't phase their digestive system. Imo the digestive system of a healthy chicken is bullet proof.

 

[Iheartkukens]

thanks for all the great reply's.

I will most likely end up mixing the feed with cracked corn. I don't mind doing that.

Next time I have an opportunity to buy feed at a great price. I will make sure I read the label first.

 

[rjohns39]

When I started this adventure I never thought about feed. I mean what's the deal you just go to the store and buy it right? My local coop thinks I'm a crazy person. I want to know every single ingredient in my feed and where it came from. I want to know how the farmer who grew the grains grew them. I want to know where the fish meal comes from and how it was grown, harvested and processed. And I hate surprises. I quickly discovered that I had to give them the recipe to make the feed I wanted. Which meant I had to learn feed. There is no more boring science than feed science, but I learned it and it has served me well.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Imo, that is a pretty good feed in that it contains animal protein. How old is the flock your feeding it to. I routinely feed or switch over to 28% for my newly hatched chicks and adults going into molt. Feathers are practically 100% protein. Both chicks and birds in molt have a very high demand for protein in their diet.

When it comes to % of nutrients listed on the feed bag, that is what research has determined the MINIMAL nutrient level required to produce acceptable performance in most situations and I think we have commonly accepted as the holy grail of what can ONLY be fed. If one of the companies just added even 1% more of something than other feed companies added, they would price them out of commercial poultry production. As customers we use bags of feed. Commercial customers buy tonnage. At that level every penny counts.

If the feed is fresh and at a good price, I'd buy more.

If you're worried about a high protein content the easiest solution would give them some free range time.

The animal protein content is one reason I like gamebirds and many show feeds!