what type of meal to use?

[sydney13]

ive looked at all different feed recipes and most contain either bone meal, fish meal or soybean meal. the more complicated ones have both bone meal and fish meal and some contain all three meals. so is it worth it to buy multiple types of these meals or is just one enough if the protein is right. and what is the best type?
i add alfalfa meal to the feed but if my birds free range all day is it even worth buying more when i finish this bag?
right now i add 1 lb. of kelp to every 50 pounds of their feed but i recently discovered poultry nurti balancer which contains kelp and other supplements
http://www.fertrell.com/poutrynurtibalancer.htm
is this stuff better then using kelp in the feed mix?

 

[sydney13]

anyone?

 

[Chris09]

Bone meal is good for increasing Calcium,
Fish and Bean Meal (Soybean Meal) is used it increase Protein.


Chris

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

The importance of alfalfa:
http://www.naaic.org/Alfalfa/Importance.html

I'll give you a link to my recipe:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4850576#p4850576

I got my inspiration from this page:
http://www.greenerpasturesfarm.com/ChickenFeedRecipe.html

and this page:
http://www.lionsgrip.com/protein.html

I don't use bone, fish, or soybean meal. I object to them for various reasons. But a lot of people like them.

I use alfalfa meal because of the minerals and good (17%) protein. I add kelp for minerals, and I don't really trust supplements and artificial vitamins.

 

[Chris09]

This might help out some more.

Soybean meal - 48 to 50% crude protein
Most widely used because of its ability to provide indispensable
amino acids; high in digestibility and low in toxic or undesirable substances.

Cottonseed meal - 41% protein
1) Generally not used for layer diets because of: a) gossypol, which can cause a
mottling and greenish cast to egg yolks, and b) cyclopropenoic fatty acids,
which can impart a pink color to egg whites.
2) May be used to replace up to 50% of the soybean meal in grower poultry diets.

Linseed meal - 39% crude protein
Can use a limited amount but may depress growth and cause
diarrhea. Should not exceed 3 to 5% of the poultry diet.

Alfalfa meal and corn gluten meal - Alfalfa meal 19% crude protein and corn gluten meal 45% crude portein
Used extensively, both for their high content of carotenoids. Both should be limited to not more than 10%.

Fish meals - 60% crude protein
Often used at 2 to 5% of the diet, but high in fat & tend to create a fishy flavor in meat and eggs when used in larger amounts.

Meat products (animal by-products, poultry meal, blood meal, hydrolyzed poultry feather) -
Often economically priced, thus may replace an equal amount of soybean
meal protein up to about 10% of the diet. Excellent sources of Ca & P.

Chris