Protein percentage

[humblehillsfarm]

What makes you believe the rooster died from too much scratch? Scratch is just the raw ingredients used in fortified feeds. Corn, oats milo and barley are perfectly safe for chickens. Wouldn't the hens of died as well?

Scratch is basically like if a human ate mostly bread for their diet. Very high in carbs, low in protein, and low in nutrition. Each chicken should only eat, at most, 1-2 tablespoons of scratch grain a day. It only has about 8% protein. The minimum amount necessary for a laying flock, including the rooster, is 16%, but 17-18% is better. I would think it would take a long time for a poor diet to be deadly, but it certainly could weaken the immune system over them.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

How much is too much kitchen scrap to give layer hens? I give mine collard greens or kale everyday...grow it specially for them. Is this affecting their laying??? did not know this would be an issue!! Thanks everyone!! great comments...

Greens can almost be given in unlimited amounts kind of like people on weight watchers can eat unlimited green beans. They don’t really fill anyone up, but are very nutritious, while being low in carbs, sugar, and fat. When I throw out large piles of green scraps, the birds pick through what they want for 15-30minutes, then leave the rest. They may revisit the pile a few times in the day, but it’s not the same as giving them mealworms, bread scraps, fatty meats, scratch grain, and those kinds of “bad” treats.

 

[Califas77]

Thanks humble hill!! Are those grubs you can get in feed stores considered "bad" treats? I thought they'd be more protein.

 

[docdubz]

Can you not find any grower feed? It’s usually around 16-18% protein.

I feed 18% all year round. Protein in Protein out. I get it at TSC. Nutrena. Green and blue bag $14-15. I sell 20 dozen eggs a month at $2.50 each doz. So the pays for my feed.

Only thing my tsc ever has in stock is dumors 20% starter/grower.

What makes you believe the rooster died from too much scratch? Scratch is just the raw ingredients used in fortified feeds. Corn, oats milo and barley are perfectly safe for chickens. Wouldn't the hens of died as well?

I had family over and I let the kids give a little more scratch that I should have, that one cockerel hogged it and ate a ton and wouldn't let the others eat. He died the next morning with a crop that was all sorts of messed up.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Thanks humble hill!! Are those grubs you can get in feed stores considered "bad" treats? I thought they'd be more protein.

They are good in moderation, about 1-2 tablespoons per bird per day. They are about 50% protein and 37% fat, which is high for both categories.

I particularly like to feed them to my girls when they are molting or when the weather is cold. I have 17 birds and will throw out only three small handfuls in the yard along with some veggie scraps maybe 4-5x a week, so not every day. I usually won’t give any mealworms in the spring and summer when they can forage on their own.

 

[Percheron chick]

Only thing my tsc ever has in stock is dumors 20% starter/grower.


I had family over and I let the kids give a little more scratch that I should have, that one cockerel hogged it and ate a ton and wouldn't let the others eat. He died the next morning with a crop that was all sorts of messed up.

Chickens die for no appearent reason. When they die with a full crop it continues to ferment and produce gas. It gets nasty. Unless you had aflatoxins in your scratch, it was not the cause of his death. You would of had others die as well if there was a problem. You would of heard about a recall by now too. There is nothing inherently deadly with feeding scratch grains.