I\'ve been a lurker here for a few months. I have a small flock of Wheaten/Blue Wheatens that I think I have a good start on and have learned quite a bit from the collective knowledge here as to what to breed towards.
This discussion on protein % is interesting and timely as I\'ve had my birds on a Game Bird Breeder since laying age. I recently had a hen develop an egg laying problem (shelless eggs and eggs breaking inside her). I think I would have lost her if I had not taking her to the vet for fluids and a feeding tube as she quit eating and drinking for nearly a week. I kept her nourished enough to pull through this bad patch, and she\'s gaining weight and laying normally now.
I\'m not implying the Game Bird Feed was responsible, and I provide Oyster Shell in all my pens, but the incident prompted me to do some investigation into the use of Game Bird Breeder in chickens. I first emailed FRM (the manufacturer) regarding the calcium content (% was not listed) and got this response:
\"We do not recommend the game bird feeds for chickens. The game bird line of feed is formulated specifically for quail and the calcium requirements are considerably less than poultry.\"
I\'m also blessed to have one of the best Poultry Science Division Universitys in the country near me and have been in contact with their professor of Nutrition and Management and I have his permission to post portions of his response regarding the higher protein feed:
\" In regards to your question about the extra protein you are feeding to your birds by feeding them the Game Bird Breeder feed. Your mature birds, roosters and hens, do not require the extra protein that is being furnished to them as they consume the GBB feed. As you probably know the protein is made up of individual building blocks known as amino acids and your birds really have a requirement for certain of these amino acids and not protein per se. The protein is used to only furnish the amino acids into the bird just as the feed ingredients are the furnishing the protein to the diet. So, once the requirement for specific amino acids is met the birds liver will have to dismantle the extra amino acids and dispose of the nitrogen from the amino acids as waste. The waste nitrogen that is being excreted by your birds (and all birds and reptiles) is the white material in their droppings. Whenever the bird’s liver has to dispose of lots of nitrogen from the extra amino acids being furnished from the extra protein in the GBB feed it has to work overtime and in hot weather, as we are having now and for many months to come, this will be a stress on the birds because of the extra heat that is being produced in the body as the nitrogen is excreted. The layer feed will furnish the protein level which is closer to your bird’s requirement for protein and in hot weather this will make your birds more comfortable. Your birds will more than likely do very well and have good condition and performance on the commercial layer feed once you switch to the layer if you decide to do so.\"
My answering email to him was would the Layer give me the good, glossy feather condition my birds currently have, and this was his reply,
\"Yes, you can quote me if you wish as the University poultry nutrition professor near you. If anyone calls you can give them my name and I will be glad to talk with them.
One further comment about protein and feathers: I am not surprised that the GBB feed is promoting good feather growth and condition since it is higher in crude protein. When considering the many factors that are required for feather formation, overall nutritional adequacy of the diet is of utmost importance during feather growth and development. Feathers consist almost completely of protein (~90%+) and when the bird is synthesizing new feathers a source of high quality protein in the diet becomes very important. High quality protein contains the amino acids in the proper quantity that will be required for feather synthesis. This is especially true at the time the bird is molting and after which will grow new feathers. However, mature feathers are not living tissue like other tissues in the bird’s body. Feathers are made up of the same type of protein as is found in finger and toe nails, claws, hoofs, horns, hair, beaks, etc. This protein is called keratin and contains a lot of sulfur in special bonds referred to in nutritional chemistry as “di-sulfide” bonds. So, there are two sulfur containing amino acids that are very important during feather formation. These amino acids are methionine and cystine. Cystine is the one that is found mostly in feathers and is made from methionine. So, methionine is really the important one and must be adequate in the diet during feather formation. Feeding the higher protein feed, which would provide more of these and other amino acids to the bird, would be very beneficial at the time the bird needs them for lots of new feather formation, however after the feathers are mature the extra protein is of no use for feather formation and is a burden on the bird’s liver as has already been discussed.\"
So based on his advice I\'ve been gradually switching over to 100% Layer, and I\'ll possibly add some extra protein during molts. My girls are barely touching their oyster shell now, before they were going through a half cup a week per pen of 5-7 hens. I also grow high vitamin greens (spinach, kale, etc.) which I give in small amounts several times a week, which the Phd is fine with.
Another thought I\'ve had is, if the birds eat amounts to get their required protein, perhaps they are not getting the correct balance of vitamins and minerals?
