What do you give your hens for protein?

[Sic]

spirulina - either added to scrambled eggs or added to water = fast and beautiful feathering

 

[EddieSalita]

I agree with meat and dairy. Especially if it's just a single hen. It's not just about protien. Its also about what protien is hugher in the aminos required.
Tins of sardines, dairy, silverskin/gristle trimmings.... little bit of fat from your own meat. Left over roast bones to peck at are also entertaining for them. They really don't need much. It's easy to overdo it.

Alternatively gamebird feed for birds like Guinea fowl and quail is often higher in protein.

 

[thatchickenmama]

try some plain natural yogurt, and/or sardines.

btw, the 'bully' may be picking feathers because she needs the protein too and has recognized that it is plentiful in them. Give her more protein and she may stop doing it.

What a great idea! This is great advice, thank you! I can definitely get them some sardines! I know they like yogurt too.

 

[Folly's place]

Same here! Such goodies do NOT go to our chickens...
Mary

 

[MiMito3]

One of my hens is beginning to molt, but has also been having her wing feathers plucked out by the bully hen. We are getting a kennel to put the bully in rehab, but in the mean time, what do you feed your girls to boost their protein? We have freeze dried mealworms and black soldier fly larvae, and have added sunflower meal a bit to their feed. I also give them scrambled eggs once a week or so, but now we’re running low on eggs. Do we need to consider looking for an organic meat bird feed? Our girls are layers, and they are currently on organic, non-gmo, corn-free, soy-free feed.

My pullets love love love sardines. Got 10 cans for $10 at Safeway.

 

[MiMito3]

One of my hens is beginning to molt, but has also been having her wing feathers plucked out by the bully hen. We are getting a kennel to put the bully in rehab, but in the mean time, what do you feed your girls to boost their protein? We have freeze dried mealworms and black soldier fly larvae, and have added sunflower meal a bit to their feed. I also give them scrambled eggs once a week or so, but now we’re running low on eggs. Do we need to consider looking for an organic meat bird feed? Our girls are layers, and they are currently on organic, non-gmo, corn-free, soy-free feed.

I don’t have that many chickens so I give them a can of wild caught sardines. They are 10 for $10 here. They love them!

 

[K0k0shka]

Maybe you will change your opininion a little after seeing the video below. You can see it with subtitles.

I posted this originally on another thread
Started by @Perris https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...bunks-trad-views-on-nutrition.1567953/page-87:

It's not as clear cut as organic=good, regular=poison. There are a lot of factors at play and a lot of reasons why "organic" isn't a long term, large scale solution. But I'm not interested in getting into that discussion here, I'm just here for the chickens.

 

[Possum-Pie]

My girls hate fish (sardines) don't know why but they won't touch them.

I won't get into an argument here (I'm here for chickens) BOTH sides of the Organic/non-organic argument have serious misperceptions and inaccuracies. I took a graduate-level nutrition course and did doctoral-level research on "organic" foods. Let's just say that the biggest winners are the people who sell organic food at higher prices b/c of the word "organic" on the label. You receive more poisons inhaling the polluted air we breath on the way to the grocer than from the food sold there.
In 2012, a systematic review of data from 237 scientific studies conducted at the Center for Health Policy at Stanford University concluded there were no convincing differences between organic and conventional foods in nutrient content or health benefits. BUT in the end, my wife and I only use the absolutely necessary chemicals in our garden to get a good harvest.

 

[thatchickenmama]

I agree, I feed mine their eggs from time to time like that. Sometimes I also scramble them with the shells broken up and included. In addition, got silicon muffin pan which works great to beat up and freeze individual eggs and when it's hot out I sometimes throw out a few of the frozen egg rounds as a treat.

Oh my gosh, what a great idea! We had been giving extra eggs away, which was nice too, but this!! I’ll definitely be trying this. Thank you!

 

[thatchickenmama]

Fish. Low fat, high in protein, all the essential amino acids plus some.
Meat is also a complete protein and the right cuts low fat compared to eggs and mealworms.

This is perfect! Ill make sure to grab some fish for them and see if it helps. Thank you!