Pros & cons of high protein feed for chicks

[SPRING CREEK FARM]

Akane, you are so right about the black oiled sunflower seed, it is some of what I call the extra "treats" that I feed being as we keep it on hand for feeding the "other" birds in winter and spring. The problem that I had during our most recent cold spell was getting the higher end gamebird scratch, our local coop has had in on back order for 3 weeks now. I never had a problem getting it before, so I think everyone was trying to do the same thing. The protein level in the gamebird flight conditioner that I get from the co-op shows a minimum protein level at 20% with the average being somewhere near 24%. At those levels, I can't imagine any harm and have seen none to date.

 

[cybercat]

There is high protien and there is High protien. Buckeyes are bred to be a meat bird. Muscle is meat. You need protien to build muscle therfor the high amounts for buckeyes and meat breeds. Heritage breeds are mostly duel purpose so it is recomended that they too get a higher protien content than a layer only chicken. Usually 18 to 20 percent is recomended for them to help build their body meant. Now a chicken in moult will benifit from higher protien also as feather need it to grow back. Those having low egg production can up their protien to increase egg production after a moult. But I would look at what breed you have before changing feed and what are you feeding. If you feed alot of low protien treats then you would want to feed a layer with a higher protien than 16%. Corn has 9% protien and most grains are around that too.

 

[Lollipop]

This is a great thread. Been into this kinda thing for years. Corn does average out at about 9%, but it depends on what kinda corn it is. Some corn, like popcorn kernals, can be as high as 12%. Corn that is cracked, for the most part, starts out at the mill at about 7% and depletes rapidly and after about 3 days is not much better than feeding dirt. It still has most of it`s calories, but the protien is deminished. Whole corn of the best quality you can find is what you want to give them in the evening meal when it`s cold. Makes that gizzard work out.

The idea that different purpose birds need different levels of protien is also correct. In my younger days I did a lot of reading in the gamefowl journals and learned a lot from old cockers that had experimented for years to get their fighting cocks to perfection. My own experience as a gamefowl fancier is that 30% is fine until between 8 and 10 weeks in my brand of fowl, but after 3 months promotes growth at such a rate that leg and joint problems crop up. I`ve settled on Purina Gamebird Blend at 14% for any bird older than 3 months. This works well for me and promotes a massive breast and body tone without fat. It does contain cracked corn, but it appears to be just a filler and probably is the main reason the Blend is 14% instead of much higher.

One thing for sure is that feed companies spend a fortune developing balanced diets for all animals. If it says "Broiler" or "Layer" on the bag, you can be suree it will be hard to improve upon at home.........Pop

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
This is utterly and completly FALSE!

I am just dumbfounded by the misinformation and misconceptions people on BYC have in their heads.

Jim

 

[kathyinmo]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

Quote:
This is utterly and completly FALSE!

I am just dumbfounded by the misinformation and misconceptions people on BYC have in their heads.

Jim

Actually, I read an article to support Lollipop's statement. Now, if I can just find it .... It was a college study done. As well, there were a couple other places (also university studies I believe?) that said the same thing. Wait, maybe it said that the vitamins were depleted after milling, cracking, and time ??? Hmmm, let me go look for that article .......​

 

[Germaine_11.20]

This is very interesting. All I can say is that for my Dark Cornish which are meat birds I have been feeding a mix (different days, different stuff) of layer pellets at 16%, cracked corn (as a treat and sometimes 1/4 of the feed) and flock raiser at 20 %.

the DC have grown alot in the last 4 weeks so the mix must be fine. How much better they would be on a higher protein I don't have anything to compare them with. I haven't been able to get the higher protein. I did just special order some and will compare results when I have DC chicks.

 

[CARS]

I found this simple chart:

A List of the Protein Levels of Different Feeds


FOOD SOURCE %PROTEIN, BY WT


Dried fish flakes 76
Dried liver 76
Dried earthworms 76
Duckweed 50
Torula yeast 50
Brewers yeast 39
Soybeans (dry roasted) 37
Flaxseed 37
Alfalfa seed 35
Beef, lean 28
Earthworms 28
Fish 28
Sunflower seeds 26.3
Wheat germ 25
Peas & Beans, dried 24.5
Sesame seed 19.3
Soybeans (boiled) 17
Wheat bran 16.6
Oats, whole 14
Rice polish 12.8
Rye 12.5
Wheat 12.5
Barley 12.3
Oats 12
Corn 9
Millet 9
Milo 9
Rice, brown 7.5

(source: http://www.lionsgrip.com/protein.html)

 

[kathyinmo]

Another important factor, besides the protein % .... would be the vitamins. I have experienced a slow growing (and poor feathering) chick, which I believe was a vitamin deficiency.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
The liklihood of a vitamin deficiency in fresh commercial feed is very low since the fortifications typically don't account for any vitamins present in the commodities in the recipe. Plus the vitamin levels in feeds are typically quite overformulated, especially in feeds that might be stored for a period of time.

Jim

 

[digitS']

Here is some information to consider:

"Although low-protein diets seem to adversely affect growth rate, there is little indication that excessively high levels of protein have any benefit on growth and development." Nutrient Requirements of Poultry: Ninth Revised Edition

"Excessive crude protein intakes are to be avoided. Daily intakes of 27 g per hen had adverse effects on hatchability (Pearson and Herron, 1981, 1982)." Nutrient Requirements of Poultry: Ninth Revised Edition

The book is talking about leghorn-type laying hens and the production of fertile eggs. But, with a diet of 110 grams of feed each day, 27 grams of protein would constitute 25% of the ration.

Keep in mind that corn or any plant protein isn't the same as chicken/egg protein. A balance of amino acids must be available in the diet for the bird to convert the crude protein into something useful.

Steve