June, this is one of the very few times I’m going to disagree with you. We all have our own opinions on what they “need’, sometimes they are different. Some of that can be attributed to our different goals.
I use Dumor feeds. They have a chart on there saying what feeds should be fed at a certain age. Most other brands of feeds have a similar chart. In general, they recommend a Chick Starter with a protein percentage of around 20% for the first 4 to 8 weeks, then switch to a 16% Grower. Several recommend you switch to a 15% protein Finisher/Developer about 13 weeks until age 18 weeks. Most recommend you switch to a 16% layer at 18 weeks but I think it’s better to wait until they actually start to lay. As I’m sure you know, that chart is set up for the commercial layers where they control when the pullets will start to lay by manipulating lights and feed. With our backyard flocks we don’t control it that finely, especially the lights. And with treats or possible foraging our control of the protein levels they eat is usually not controlled that tightly anyway.
I understand the commercial hybrid layers do not have the larger bodies that our typical backyard chickens have. Our typical backyard flocks do not have the efficiency of converting the feed to eggs the commercial egg laying flocks have where feeding a higher protein feed can cause medical problems. The commercial hybrid layers don’t get the treats, high or low protein, that many of us give out flocks and they don’t forage. All they eat is that layer feed. Those charts are developed for the commercial hybrid layers, not out typical backyard flocks. But the general guidelines still apply to out flocks unless we have a certain situation that changes it.
This is specifically for flocks that will become layers, not the meaties. Next time you are at a feed store check out the charts on the bags of feed. I know some feeds use different percent proteins for the different stages. You can find 18% protein Grower or Layer instead of 16% in some places. I can’t at my local
Tractor Supply. Some people use a 24% Game Bird Starter instead of a 20% chicken Chick Starter. This stuff is not set in stone. In my opinion you have a lot of flexibility in what percentage protein you feed at different stages.
I do believe in providing a higher protein feed the first month or so to help them feather out faster and get off to a good start. But after that I cut back to a lower protein feed. With the kitchen scraps and garden scraps mine get in season plus with their foraging I don’t control the exact amount of protein they eat in a day anyway. I never switch to Layer since I practically always have juveniles in the flock, I normally feed that 15% Finisher/Developer to the entire flock after the chicks get over 4 weeks of age and offer oyster shell on the side for the ones that need the extra calcium for the egg shells.
This suits my goals just fine. There are only two of us so I can get two meals out of my chickens when I butcher, even the hens. I get plenty of eggs a good size for my dual purpose hens to lay, I don’t need double extra huge eggs. I give away a lot of my excess eggs and people don’t complain to me about the size. My chickens are healthy and active, often go broody and hatch and raise chicks for me. They chase bugs, scratch a lot, and pretty much behave like chickens. I have been exceptionally lucky in that they are parasite free. I have yet to get an egg bound hen or see internal laying or prolapse. I don’t see feather picking or any other behaviors you often see attributed to low protein diets on this forum. I don’t see any ill effects of feeding them the way I do.
I don’t raise my chickens for show so I don’t need to feed them to reach show chicken size. I don’t get chickens from breeders that breed for the extra large chickens. If they have been bred for a larger size they may need the higher protein for health reasons. I find that is not the case for hatchery chickens. I don’t feed mine a high protein diet once they are passed that initial feathering out phase so they have not developed a body that needs higher protein feed. I don’t feed mine a lot of low protein treats, at least regularly, which would reduce the overall protein intake to a low level. Some chickens do need a higher protein feed. That could be heredity, the way they are used to being fed if most of what they eat is their chicken feed, or if you feed a lot of low protein stuff other than feed.
In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with feeding a high protein diet to your chickens that will be a laying flock. That’s purely your choice. But I don’t see a “need” for everyone to feed a high protein feed to their flock when you don’t know their goals or situation. That’s my disagreement with your post, the word “need”.
