Raw egg yolk

[JacinLarkwell]

Maybe try giving him some grains, it’s not always a healthy option to only feed them crumble. The quail egg with seeds and crumble should be fine. You could also portion his normal food quota throughout the day in spread out portions

Crumble has everything they need, especially minerals and vitamins. Grains/seeds don't

 

[aart]

Maybe I read thru to fast, but...
How old is this bird and why do you feel the need to feed it more than starter?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Maybe I read thru to fast, but...
How old is this bird and why do you feel the need to feed it more than starter?

He's about 12 weeks and is constantly eating the crumble. The last time I had a bird like this, once I started adding other high protein things into the food, he calmed down and went back to eating a more normal amount. But this male is going through a whole J feeder of crumble before I go out in the afternoon to check on water

 

[aart]

He's about 12 weeks and is constantly eating the crumble. The last time I had a bird like this, once I started adding other high protein things into the food, he calmed down and went back to eating a more normal amount. But this male is going through a whole J feeder of crumble before I go out in the afternoon to check on water

Is his crop distended?
Is he drinking enough?
Is he pooping OK?

 

[Brooks_]

Is his crop distended?

For my own knowledge, what's the difference between full and distended? For a crop, that is.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Is his crop distended?
Is he drinking enough?
Is he pooping OK?

His crop feels like everyone else when they're happy and finished eating, but I'm worried if he keeps eating like this, he'll have problems with it sooner or later.
His poops all look okay, and he's drinking a fair amount of water (about 16 oz, give or take an oz).

 

[NatJ]

He's about 12 weeks and is constantly eating the crumble. The last time I had a bird like this, once I started adding other high protein things into the food, he calmed down and went back to eating a more normal amount. But this male is going through a whole J feeder of crumble before I go out in the afternoon to check on water

You have checked whether he's just spilling it, right?

Are there better protein boosters, or maybe a quail egg or two would be better since they're so much smaller? He's at 20% chick grower, but besides the 18% feather fixer, I can only find 28% and isn't that too high for a daily feeder.

You could use 28% as a supplement--maybe mix it with the 20%, or measure a certain amount and serve it as a mash so he'll eat that first and then he can fill up on the 20% feed afterward.

Or I suppose you could give him two feeders, one with 20% protein and one with 28%, and see how much he chooses to eat of each one

I found an article that mentions several studies about protein levels:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119381106
"Milne (1932) observed an adverse effect on the growth and liveability of chickens fed diets containing 38% protein. Heller and Penquite (1945) found poor growth in chickens on diets containing 35 or 40% protein. Almquist and Asmundson (1944), Heller and Penquite (1945), and Singsen (1949) obtained satisfactory growth of chickens fed diets up to 30% protein."

Based on that, 28% protein will probably not be harmful, even if it is his sole diet.

His crop feels like everyone else when they're happy and finished eating, but I'm worried if he keeps eating like this, he'll have problems with it sooner or later.
His poops all look okay, and he's drinking a fair amount of water (about 16 oz, give or take an oz).

I wonder if he just needs extra food, because of a growth spurt or something? Or maybe he spent some amount of time being chased away from the feeder, before you put him in the cage? If that happened, he should settle down once he's gained the weight he needs.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You have checked whether he's just spilling it, right?


You could use 28% as a supplement--maybe mix it with the 20%, or measure a certain amount and serve it as a mash so he'll eat that first and then he can fill up on the 20% feed afterward.

Or I suppose you could give him two feeders, one with 20% protein and one with 28%, and see how much he chooses to eat of each one

I found an article that mentions several studies about protein levels:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119381106
"Milne (1932) observed an adverse effect on the growth and liveability of chickens fed diets containing 38% protein. Heller and Penquite (1945) found poor growth in chickens on diets containing 35 or 40% protein. Almquist and Asmundson (1944), Heller and Penquite (1945), and Singsen (1949) obtained satisfactory growth of chickens fed diets up to 30% protein."

Based on that, 28% protein will probably not be harmful, even if it is his sole diet.



I wonder if he just needs extra food, because of a growth spurt or something? Or maybe he spent some amount of time being chased away from the feeder, before you put him in the cage? If that happened, he should settle down once he's gained the weight he needs.

I have checked that.

But 28% is okay for chickens*? I thought 24 was the highest that was safe long term. I'd gladly just get 28% since it wouldn't be for all the birds I havs.

 

[PolishAllTheWay]

You have checked whether he's just spilling it, right?


You could use 28% as a supplement--maybe mix it with the 20%, or measure a certain amount and serve it as a mash so he'll eat that first and then he can fill up on the 20% feed afterward.

Or I suppose you could give him two feeders, one with 20% protein and one with 28%, and see how much he chooses to eat of each one

I found an article that mentions several studies about protein levels:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119381106
"Milne (1932) observed an adverse effect on the growth and liveability of chickens fed diets containing 38% protein. Heller and Penquite (1945) found poor growth in chickens on diets containing 35 or 40% protein. Almquist and Asmundson (1944), Heller and Penquite (1945), and Singsen (1949) obtained satisfactory growth of chickens fed diets up to 30% protein."

Based on that, 28% protein will probably not be harmful, even if it is his sole diet.



I wonder if he just needs extra food, because of a growth spurt or something? Or maybe he spent some amount of time being chased away from the feeder, before you put him in the cage? If that happened, he should settle down once he's gained the weight he needs.

That’s sounds like it’s the case!

 

[NatJ]

But 28% is okay for birds? I thought 24 was the highest that was safe long term. I'd gladly just get 28% since it wouldn't be for all the birds I havs.

28% is PROBABLY okay for chickens, based on what I can find online of studies on the matter. If there are studies that say otherwise, I have not yet found them.

But I have not tried it myself, I do not know of anyone who has, and studies tend to feed a given ration to a given type of birds for a relatively short time, so they only notice short-term effects, not long-term ones.

So I would not feel confident saying "good idea" or "bad idea." (I certainly agree it would be convenient to have only one kind of food for many kinds of birds.)