Protein help please!

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us
Since you've already got a nutrition background, if you'd like I can provide you some chicken specific info. Start a conversation with me if interested.

 

[Percheron chick]

Don't worry about excess protein. Just as in humans it will be used by them. Feeding excess protein will hurt your wallet more then the hens.
Commercial hatcheries have a fine line when feeding their birds. They have to feed enough to maximize production but nothing extra. Their feathers suffer, they are underweight. .. Feeding at a higher plane of nutrition can only help them.
A certain amount of diarrhea is to be expected from dietary, weather and management changes.

 

[Ladies in Red]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us
Since you've already got a nutrition background, if you'd like I can provide you some chicken specific info. Start a conversation with me if interested.

Hello yes, I would really like to understand more. I raw fed my cat as soon as we got her (8 years ago) and am delighted it's becoming fashionable now, I really believe to feed as best nutrition as possible but I'm only finding my way with chickens. I don't want to make more work for myself but want to give them the best I can. My new layer feed is 16% protein - I will continue to supplement with mealworms and eggs and move onto a higher protein feed (someone suggested grower feed? My local livestock outlet suggested gamefeed but I haven't looked into it) - can you suggest any (I'm in the UK) and just leave shell and grit available. I have a huge bag of oyster - I assume it doesn't go off? I feed them back their own shells and they seem to prefer it.

 

[Ladies in Red]

Don't worry about excess protein. Just as in humans it will be used by them. Feeding excess protein will hurt your wallet more then the hens.
Commercial hatcheries have a fine line when feeding their birds. They have to feed enough to maximize production but nothing extra. Their feathers suffer, they are underweight. .. Feeding at a higher plane of nutrition can only help them.
A certain amount of diarrhea is to be expected from dietary, weather and management changes.

Thank you - I'd rather be safe than sorry with the protein so if a couple of eggs and some mealworms won't hurt I will continue to do that. I was afraid the excess protein was causing diarrhea but it's suddenly really cold again (for Scotland) so maybe it's that?

 

[lazy gardener]

Welcome! One other thing you might look into is fermented feed. The fermentation process increases Lysine and Methionine content of the feed, as well as manufacturing B vitamins. There is an article cited in my signature line that explains the how and why of fermented feed. There are also some lengthy threads regarding fermented feed.

For battery hens, I'd be aiming for 18 - 20% protein.