wazine 17

[two j farm]

Just looked at bag of layer it is 16 % my feed store only has one kind and the only other thing they have is chick starter I buy chick starter for baby ducks the price for chick starter here is pretty high so can't really buy it for chickens too. What else could I give them for more protein? (I do give them a little chick starter every other day)

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I do worm them every six months the feed store told me change it up so bird don't get uses to wormer wazine was the only kind they had. I have been throwing a little chick starter in every other day after I feed ducks for the rooster for more protein but the hens eat it too. I'm about to stop feeding the corn as a treat anyway it is warming up here.

You need to change the wormer because the worms become resistant - the birds don't.
Chick starter doesn't have enough niacin for ducks.
Roosters don't need a lot of protein. I have separate rooster feeders (elevated so hens can't eat) with 12.5% game bird maintenance feed. Roosters getting too much protein can get articular gout. Roosters getting too much calcium (layer feed) can get visceral gout.

Just looked at bag of layer it is 16 % my feed store only has one kind and the only other thing they have is chick starter I buy chick starter for baby ducks the price for chick starter here is pretty high so can't really buy it for chickens too. What else could I give them for more protein? (I do give them a little chick starter every other day)

It's hard to find layer feed in any % other than 16. I used to get a 20% that was supposed to be supplemented with grain and a 17% breeder ration.

I think I mentioned giving canned mackerel as a protein source. It is animal based so is complete in amino acid complement but it is also the cheapest canned fish.

Since your birds aren't laying, I would avoid the layer feed altogether.
I would also hunt for a new feed store. The store about 5 minutes from my house only carries layer and starter (which is usually old) and they're both pricey. If I drive about 35 minutes into Illinois, there is a Tractor Supply and a Farm&Home across the street from each other. That competition drives the price down but F&H is usually much cheaper and both have a great selection.

 

[two j farm]

I only have one feed store here it's over a hour to the next town so really don't want to change feed store. I was feeding the roosters laying pellets to but had trouble with there legs that's when I changed them to chick starter for protein. That's what I was told to do. The roosters that are with the hens still eat layer. Its only the ones that don't have hens that get chick starter. And for the ducks I do add niacin to the food. I do have some can fish so I will try that I have given them it in the past

 

[ChickenCanoe]

95% of feed store people don't know anything about chickens. Nor are they poultry nutritionists. They know where they keep the chicken feed.
Problems with legs in roosters eating layer feed would be from excess calcium, not insufficient protein.

 

[two j farm]

Happy to report that after worming chickens on Saturday they are laying again! I know I can't eat the eggs for 14 days but they are laying