Safe limits for protein in feed?

[jenjscott]

Here is ALBC page I was referring to. Go down to chicken care and keeping. Then for some interesting reading, follow some of the links on the right and the educational resources link on the left. Very interesting reading on nutrition and assessment for production.

 

[speckledhen]

What do you mean, "burn them up"?

I have no idea what that means. When I was looking for Game Bird Starter in the 28-30% range, the proper protein level for guinea keets, some guy in an old feedstore, who obviously knew nothing about their different/higher protein needs than chicks, told me that. Chicks do not need that level and grown chickens do not need an excessively high protein level, either. Though I do feed some Game Bird Breeder (20%) to my two breeding flocks on occasion and the 22% layer when I have many molting, I normally just feed 16% layer pellets to all grown birds.​

 

[dancingbear]

I re-read the article, and it says 28%, not 38%. I don't know how that transmuted to 38% in my brain. The questions are still relevant, though, it's still info I need. Thanks, all!

I've been feeding in the 18%-22% range since late last winter. Our weather has been really weird this year, much cooler than normal, much wetter than normal, a week of cool and a week of hot and steamy, then cool again, all summer. My hens have been molting off and on since spring. I figured it was because the weather had them all messed up, it certainly did mess with everything else. I'm wondering now, could excess protein cause excess molting? I've always read that extra protein helps get them through molt faster, and when I've boosted protein before, it seemed to help a lot, feathers grew in better, egg production went up.

 

[Centralflafred]

This has been my first season with chickens. When I first bought them all were on clearance at my local TSC store. I bought a lot of Cornish X birds at the time.

Looking back I think I might have been better if I had taken the Cornish off the starter sooner, as they ended up developing problems in their legs before I butchered them. I might try that next year even though my son doesn't want to fool with them again.

I wonder if a lot of the recommendations don't come from commercial producers who have the goal of getting them to market size ASAP.

 

[NYREDS]

I used to use a 28% protein game bird starter grower & still would if I could find it locally. Birds grew fast on it & feather quality was outstanding. Feather quality is something that really benefits from high protein.

 

[Penske]

I use Poulin Grain for my hens and give them BOSS. About 3 cups a day of BOSS for the 13 of them because they are molting. One, my Ameracauna, is in a rapid molt and is near featherless! She has new feathers coming in all over her entire body AT THE SAME TIME! She sometimes squats down when she walks--I think b/c she's feeling so crappy?? Someone here said that when they molt is like getting the flu to us.

They all go outside-she goes out for a few minutes and then comes back into the coop. Sleeping in a nest box at night to stay warm. We've got 50 weather with 25-30mph winds=cold. Should I just keep doing what I'm doing? They all have Avia Charge 2000 in their water and have since August. They are clean and dry.

I've also been been making warm oatmeal with olive oil and yogurt at night...

Thanks for your help.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

For years I used to hang a tube feeder of 28% game bird starter and another tube feeder of whole grains (usually corn and oats) and let the birds balance their own ration which they generally did very well. They got plenty of green feed and a hopper of free choice oyster shell.

Most of them would eat about 1/3 gamebird starter and two thirds grain. It worked out cheaper in the long run to feed them like that than to feed them straight layer feed.

The birds that were molting ate a higher protein diet. The ones that were not molting and not laying ate mostly grain and green feed. The ones that were laying did the 1/3 and 2/3 thing.

Unless I was brooding turkey poults or other species that needed such a high protein content I wouldn't feed a 28% protein ration as a sole feed.

.....Alan.

 

[dancingbear]

Ok, I've increased mine to 24%, I'll see what happens. I'm only getting a few eggs right now, and about 2/3'd of the hens are looking pretty ratty from molting. I have 5 Buckeye chicks, just hatched 10/6. Got a bunch of youngsters between 3 and 5 months old, some heritage breeds, but mostly mixed breed dual-purp. The pullets will be kept for layers, most of the boys are going to the freezer.