Meatbird Crumbles Feedm for Silkies

[U_Stormcrow]

My top comment is that there are only two things that matter on a bag of feed.

1) The Guaranteed Nutritional Label
2) The Mill Date.

Ok, 3 is price.

How the MFG chooses to market it - Starter, Grower, All Flock, Layer, Game Bird, etc is helpful if you know nothing, but a distraction if you know much of anything.

That said, "Meatbird" and "Game Bird" *tend* to be higher protein (that is, above 20%) formulations - but there is absolutely no guarantee of that. Just as I have seen 17% "All Flock"s, and 18% "Layer" feeds.

 

[Kiki]

I, too, have bought the Rural King meat bird crumbles for my silkies....twice! Both bags have literally been nothing but dust. l am going to have to go back to Tractor Supply. Also, I just read the following in a post, "Meatbird food is formulated for fast growth for birds that are intended to be harvested for eating. It is not really an appropriate choice for pet birds like silkies." I thought the whole idea is that silkies need more protein than what is offered in layer or all flock feed. Can anyone comment on this?

Silkies do NOT need a higher protein feed.

Also the corn and oats you are feeding them is going to cause harm because it is taking away from them getting a balanced diet.
Both of those need to be stopped immediately.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I thought the whole idea is that silkies need more protein than what is offered in layer or all flock feed. Can anyone comment on this?

"Layer" *generally* refers to a low protein formulation (around 16%, typically, in the US) with high calcium (generally around 4%) intended for the economical feeding of production layers, often based on some studies produced in the 70s and early 80s for minimal dietary needs under production conditions.

"All Flock" *generally* refers to a moderate (18-20%, typcal here in the US) standard calcium (around 1-1.5%) feed intended as a "catch all", suitable for use for essentially all ages and genders of all breeds of poultry, ducks, geese, etc. It *should* have additional niacin, tomeet the needs of waterfowl. All Flock use is easy - no need to seperate birds, and its better nutrition than you find in layer formulations generally - but as a catch all, it is frequently supported by the addition of other products - free choice oyster shell for instance - so that individual birds can meet needs in excess of the typical flock member.

Beyond "All Flock", there are special formulations for meat birds, turkeys, waterfowl, show birds, and it really is best to read the label.

My local mill makes a "game bird grower" (24% protein, std calcium), a "game bird breeder" (24%, 4% calcium), and a "game bird maintainer" at 17% protien! The nutritional label tells the tale.

As to what Silkies "need"? Its not studied. Respectfully, Silkies are (in my view) "vanity birds", and in the view of commercial meat/egg producers, and in the view of countries focused on feeding their populations (China, India, the EU, etc) of "no commercial-scale production value". So there have been no significant studies of which I am aware re: specific nutritional needs associated with Silkie genetics.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Now, if you want to look at the studies that have been done, and the biological processes in poultry that are understood, and what is known of the average nutritional values of various feed ingredients, its possible to *speculate* intelligently about the dietary needs of Silkies - but its nothing more than an educated guess, and you can't reasonably expect the levels of precision associated with, say, a feed regimen for Cobb Broilers or a Lohman line of birds.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Just throwing in my two cents. I feed my Silkies an All Flock crumble which is 20% protein. They also get oyster shell on the side.
I believe most crumble designed for meat birds is about 25%. Too much protein can cause kidney problems in chickens. Not really an issue in meat birds because they would be slaughtered before they would develop problems.