PROTEIN!!!PROTEIN!!!PROTEIN!!! (Please)

[Stuby05]

What are you feeding them now? The easiest way to remedy a nutritional deficiency is to address it at its source. Supplemental protein will help in the short term if that is the problem but it's just masking the problem, which is a deficient diet overall, unless you remedy it forever. In other words, you need to pick something you can stick with forever, not just a quick short term fix as if they are protein deficient as soon as you quit giving them the extra supplement the problem will begin anew.

they are getting a mixture of Dumor brand layer and producers pride brand scratch grain. plus a purina flock block​

 

[VioletBlueIvy]

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That is very cute!!!!

 

[Olive Hill]

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they are getting a mixture of Dumor brand layer and producers pride brand scratch grain. plus a purina flock block

How old are they? What is the mixture -- how many parts layer, how many parts scratch grain? What is the protein content of the scratch grain you're using?

 

[Stuby05]

Hope that this helps but also check their environment; ie, whether there's enough room for all the birds to not get crowded. Remember, minimum suggestions are just that and often the minimums don't work well.

thanks for the suggestion, space is not an issue.​

 

[featherbaby]

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Oh you are soooo lucky! Mine eat yogurt or some other messy food then go find the dirtiest corner of the coop, wallow their faces in the dirt under the shavings and then run from me when I try to clean them up. It's not so bad on the darker colors, but I've got one white silky named Snowflake that I should rename "Pig-pen". That girl will never be white again.

Oh, and by the way, to boost protein I feed a can of tuna mixed with other leftovers. If I get them on sale they are about .50 per can. As a treat a couple of times a week, I also feed Manna Pro gamebird/showbird crumbles mixed into applesauce to soften. They go crazy for that and it's 24% protein.

 

[Stuby05]

How old are they? What is the mixture -- how many parts layer, how many parts scratch grain? What is the protein content of the scratch grain you're using?

they are just over a year old, (~12-14 months) they get 2 parts scratch to 1 part layer. Here is the guaranteed analysis of the scratch grain (from Tractor Supply website, which is where i get my feed) Crude Protein (min.) 8.50%, Crude Fat (min.) 2.00%, Crude Fiber (max.) 4.00%, Ruminant meat and bone meal free.​

 

[Stuby05]

would it hurt, to mix the starter/grower 20% protein in with the layer and scratch grain? here is the analysis from that (this too from TSC website)

Crude Protein (min.) 20.00%, Lysine (min.) 1.00%, Methionine (min.) .50%, Crude Fat (min.) 2.50%, Crude Fiber (max.) 4.50%, Calcium (Ca) (min.) .70%, Calcium (Ca) (max.) 1.20%, Phosphorus (P) (min.) .65%, Salt (NaCl) (min.) .25%, Salt (NaCl) (max.) .75%, Ruminant meat and bone meal free.

 

[PunkinPeep]

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they are just over a year old, (~12-14 months) they get 2 parts scratch to 1 part layer. Here is the guaranteed analysis of the scratch grain (from Tractor Supply website, which is where i get my feed) Crude Protein (min.) 8.50%, Crude Fat (min.) 2.00%, Crude Fiber (max.) 4.00%, Ruminant meat and bone meal free.

Well, that's explains a lot. With that mixture, they're only getting 12% protein. I would recommend adjusting that mixture.

 

[Olive Hill]

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they are just over a year old, (~12-14 months) they get 2 parts scratch to 1 part layer. Here is the guaranteed analysis of the scratch grain (from Tractor Supply website, which is where i get my feed) Crude Protein (min.) 8.50%, Crude Fat (min.) 2.00%, Crude Fiber (max.) 4.00%, Ruminant meat and bone meal free.

Right there's the problem. By cutting your feed with the scratch grains you not only compromise the nutritional density of the feed you have cut the overall CP of their diet from the 16% -- which is a bare minimum for birds their age -- to only 11%. Stop cutting the feed with the scratch and the problem will remedy. If you want them to have scratch grains throw them out on the ground as a treat.

 

[Stuby05]

Well, that's explains a lot. With that mixture, they're only getting 12% protein. I would recommend adjusting that mixture

adjust with different ratio or add another to the mix??​