Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Shadrach]

I have mentioned on a number of threads the difficulty I've had finding anything like the All Flock feed that is more common in the USA.
Whether chickens need a commercial feed at 18% protein is another matter but for those in the UK who might want to feed higher protein feed this would seem to be a good option.
I've got a bag on order.
https://www.warleys.co.uk/product/allen-page-specialist-poultry-breeder-pellets-20kg/

 

[Iluveggers]

I have mentioned on a number of threads the difficulty I've had finding anything like the All Flock feed that is more common in the USA.
Whether chickens need a commercial feed at 18% protein is another matter but for those in the UK who might want to feed higher protein feed this would seem to be a good option.
I've got a bag on order.
https://www.warleys.co.uk/product/allen-page-specialist-poultry-breeder-pellets-20kg/

Do they offer a starter/grower chick feed? I’ve been feeding mine that (20% protein), since my new chicks are not laying yet and almost everyone else is in molt. My two hens still laying have been eating lots of oyster/egg shell when I refill the buckets, and the rest are mostly ignoring it.

 

[Shadrach]

Do they offer a starter/grower chick feed? I’ve been feeding mine that (20% protein), since my new chicks are not laying yet and almost everyone else is in molt. My two hens still laying have been eating lots of oyster/egg shell when I refill the buckets, and the rest are mostly ignoring it.

They do, but it's 16% protein.
There is an arguement that high protein feeds are not ideal for growing chickens. I'll let you research the topic.

https://www.smallholderfeed.co.uk/products/poultry/poultry-grower-pellets/

 

[Perris]

Do they offer a starter/grower chick feed? I’ve been feeding mine that (20% protein), since my new chicks are not laying yet and almost everyone else is in molt. My two hens still laying have been eating lots of oyster/egg shell when I refill the buckets, and the rest are mostly ignoring it.

this page gives all their poultry feeds; there's a starter and a grower. Breeder rations are usually the best in terms of completeness.
eta I forgot the link, but Shad provided one to their site anyway and interested parties can find the whole range from there!

 

[Perris]

There is an arguement that high protein feeds are not ideal for growing chickens.

while the American Livestock conservancy recommendations for heritage breeds give the highest protein levels for the youngest chicks...
https://livestockconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Heritage_Chicken_Feed_Guidelines.pdf

 

[Shadrach]

The majority of backyard hens in the UK get fed a 16% protein feed.
The average egg contains 6 grams of protein.
That leaves 10 grams for the hen.
I haven't read anything about laying hens eating 16% protein feed falling over dead from malnutrition.
This would suggest that a laying hen manages on 10 grams of protein for her own needs.
The Ex Battery hens at the allotments were lucky to get 12 grams of protein in total until I arrived. They still laid eggs and grew feathers and, on average, lived as long as the average Ex Battery hen.
In general, moulting hens stop laying eggs. This means all the protein goes to the hen and none to the eggs.
Taking the 16% feed, this means instead of getting 10 grams of protein, she now gets all 16 grams.
Those who advocate higher proteinn diets for moulting hens, whether they are laying while moulting or not, often suggest 20% protein feed.
By the UK rough averages above that's twice the usual protein intake for a moulting hen that isn't laying.
If I doubled my protein intake I would not only end up wasting 50%, I would probably have other health issues as well if I wasn't involved in a high protein need sports activity for example.
Most people eat more protein than they need. This is particualry true in the USA and it seems possible that this overconsumption has been passed on to their chickens.
If one looks carefully at what we (humans) eat in a day, one has to work quite hard to maintain a diet of natural foodstuffs to maintain even a 20% daily protein intake.
The assumption that more is always better often doesn't work out to be the case with a little reasearch. Better quality however may work out to be benificial.

 

[Shadrach]

while the American Livestock conservancy recommendations for heritage breeds give the highest protein levels for the youngest chicks...
https://livestockconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Heritage_Chicken_Feed_Guidelines.pdf

Hmmm, American this and that make a lot of recommendations that have later been proven to be misleading.
For the commercial industry the higher protein content feed is to promote the fastest growth rate. Sometimes slow and steady gives better results.

 

[Molpet]

Hmmm, American this and that make a lot of recommendations that have later been proven to be misleading.
For the commercial industry the higher protein content feed is to promote the fastest growth rate. Sometimes slow and steady gives better results.

My understanding is hybrid layers have been developed to lay well on lower protein, cheaper feed.
Heritage do better on higher is what I have heard.
I raise for meat so mine get the higher that the turkey poults get.
After molt is done and poults are to size I switch to all flock until March. The turkeys lay better with higher protein. 24% this year but in the past I used 28%

 

[Shadrach]

My understanding is hybrid layers have been developed to lay well on lower protein, cheaper feed.
Heritage do better on higher is what I have heard.
I raise for meat so mine get the higher that the turkey poults get.
After molt is done and poults are to size I switch to all flock until March. The turkeys lay better with higher protein. 24% this year but in the past I used 28%

Growing for meat is rather different. One probably wants maximum growth rate irrespective of any long term health costs, should there be any. Turkey feed in general from what I've read has a higher protein content than chicken feed

 

[Perris]

I haven't read anything about laying hens eating 16% protein feed falling over dead from malnutrition.
This would suggest that a laying hen manages on 10 grams of protein for her own needs.

they can synthesize a lot of what they need, converting carbs to proteins and vice versa; it is only the essential amino acids that they need to consume because they can't manufacture them from other foodstuffs that they eat. There's also the issue of bioavailability.

There's quite a good overview - for human nutrition - here
https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/dis...f-nutrition/carbohydrates,-proteins,-and-fats
from which I excerpt this tidbit
"The percentage of protein the body can use to synthesize essential amino acids varies from protein to protein. The body can use 100% of the protein in egg and a high percentage of the proteins in milk and meats. The body can use a little less than half of the protein in most vegetables and cereals.

The body needs protein to maintain and replace tissues and to function and grow. Protein is not usually used for energy. However, if the body is not getting enough calories from other nutrients or from the fat stored in the body, protein is broken down into ketone bodies to be used for energy. If more protein is consumed than is needed, the body breaks the protein down and stores its components as fat.

The body contains large amounts of protein. Protein, the main building block in the body, is the primary component of most cells. For example, muscle, connective tissues, and skin are all built of protein."