Protein for diet advice

[U_Stormcrow]

Do you know if the heat affects the nutrition content of the pellets?

Also: excellent necropsy photos! I wish I'd found those before I did my first one.

not stupid heat, very quickly generated and lost. I understand the pellets get spit out steaming. The nutrition label is from testing AFTER processing, not before - so not something I need to worry about.

 

[FrostRanger]

My personal preference is not to feed commercial feed, otherwise it is the same as buying eggs in supermarket. I feed whole grain, but I ferment it to gain more amino acids developed. Also, I feed yellow field peas and comfrey and stinging nettle. I dry them and crunch them.

Not exactly, generally the feeds available to backyard keepers is usually better quality than what's fed commercially. My birds eat pellets and only very occasionally get extras and are occasionally let out to free range. I don't have the best pallet in the world but my eggs definitely taste different than storebrought eggs

Of course if making your own food is working for you and your birds than keep doing what you're doing, what matters is your birds are happy and healthy

 

[Apis mellifera]

If you live in Florida, Texas, or other southern states, just feeding all flock is all good. In my location I get consistent single digit temps and below zero with snow/ice covered ground. Feeding all flock is fine but it needs to be supplemented with some higher calorie food and meat proteins to keep them healthy in very cold temperatures.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

If you live in Florida, Texas, or other southern states, just feeding all flock is all good. In my location I get consistent single digit temps and below zero with snow/ice covered ground. Feeding all flock is fine but it needs to be supplemented with some higher calorie food and meat proteins to keep them healthy in very cold temperatures.

Studies have shown that chickens, and most other animals, will eat to meet their energy needs first. If you feed ad libitum - meaning feed is always available when they are awake - your chickens will adjust their consumption to meet the additional energy needs of very cold weather.

A good feed will have those critical amino acids best otherwise obtained from animal protein. It needs no adjustment.

A bad feed...

Let's just say I spend a lot of time on BYC typing about bad feeds and bad "homebrew" practices.

Oh, and converting protein to energy is (relatively) hard and wasteful - but that waste is heat. Which, in the case of birds facing extreme cold temperatures, is not a bad thing.

The greater concern are those who feed birds nutritionally borderline feeds, then "supplement" with scratch and table scraps, as if that somehow makes things better. Or who believe that BOSS raises the average protein content of their layer feed. (it doesn't - look at the nutrition of shelled sunflower seeds - even those intended for humans [more protein, less fat] are only 16.6% CP). Cheaper to just buy better feed.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Studies have shown that chickens, and most other animals, will eat to meet their energy needs first. If you feed ad libitum - meaning feed is always available when they are awake - your chickens will adjust their consumption to meet the additional energy needs of very cold weather.

Agree and that's why it's important in cold climates to offer more than just an all flock.

A good feed will have those critical amino acids best otherwise obtained from animal protein. It needs no adjustment.

Yup, and the added methionine is fine for most. I like to add something more than just a processed protein.

Cheaper to just buy better feed.

Yes, if its available in your area.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Which, in the case of birds facing extreme cold temperatures, is not a bad thing.

Oh yeah..... The millions of birds here that fly south for the winter didn't get the memo!

 

[Folly's place]

An all flock feed that's fresh and fed free choice works for birds of all ages, either sex, laying eggs or not. Treats in small amounts are fine, but nothing needs to be added in winter or summer, as long as there's oyster shell and grit available in separate feeders for them.
KISS is good advice here; keep it simple stupid!
And Stormcrow has best advice, as usual.
Mary

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Oh yeah..... The millions of birds here that fly south for the winter didn't get the memo!

I think you've misread me. I was saying that converting protein to energy generates heat, a bioochemical truth - and that in the case of birds in cold temperatures, that waste heat is not a bad thing.

That many bird species fly south for the winter is both irrelevant to the domesticated gallus gallus domesticus and a consequence of the fact that, otherwise, there wouldn't be enough to eat to sustain their populations.

 

[Apis mellifera]

I think you've misread me.

Sorry, Im just kidding. No need to explain. Not questioning your super knowledge!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Sorry, Im just kidding. No need to explain. Not questioning your super knowledge!

Apologies, *I* misread then. Kindly forgive.

I choose to blame the internet - text so rarely conveys tone accurately.