whey for chicks?

[carolanne]

Hi all,

I'm milking goats and have lots of leftover whey from cheese - is this okay for baby chicks? I saw the posts on feeding whey to grown layers and feel OK with that, j/w if anyone knows about chicks having different nutritional needs or sensitivities?

Thanks much!!!
Carol

 

[Mykee]

I should think it is okay, though I don't have any personal experience and my research doesn't prove either way. It will just add more protien to their diet, so that would be beneficial. But in animals like geese, who grow too quickly and may get twisted wing from too much protien, you would have to watch their growth rates. So just keep an eye on them.

 

[donrae]

I supplemented this last batch with whey sporadically and had no problems. But honestly between the momma cats and laying hens they didn't get tons.

 

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! I feed ours whey and they love it!
~Beth

 

[Chris09]

I should think it is okay, though I don't have any personal experience and my research doesn't prove either way. It will just add more protien to their diet, so that would be beneficial. But in animals like geese, who grow too quickly and may get twisted wing from too much protien, you would have to watch their growth rates. So just keep an eye on them.

Milk Whey leftover from making cheese has very little proteins left in it. You would get more proteins from cheese than the whey.


Chris

 

[Mykee]

I know the cheese has more protien than the whey. But the whey is a waste product, and I want the cheese.

 

[Yashar]

Whey is full of probiotics and minerals and many other healthful things. It is a great way to not let the stuff go to waste. It's also good for the garden, but why not put is through the chickens "processing plant" first.

I also feed the birds any old goat milk I have. They love bread soaked in curdled goat milk! Yum...

 

[Mykee]

I wish I had a goat. I have a sheep, so the goat would fit right in. But I can't have one yet...

 

[Chris09]

I know the cheese has more protien than the whey. But the whey is a waste product, and I want the cheese.

Then how will it "add more protein to there diet" as you posted?

Quote:

Since the whey has less protein then there regular feed you would be depleting there protein not add protein.

Chris

 

[Mykee]

I certainly don't think it would hurt, even if it didn't help. Humans use something called whey protien, which I guess is a concentrated, powdered form of the protien in whey.

I don't think it would reduce the protien too much, unless you fed it every day.