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During molting season, providing high-protein, nutritious food can significantly benefit your chickens. Ensuring your chickens receive adequate protein is essential for their growth, egg production, and overall health. The protein content of their diet can vary based on the specific food products and how they are processed or prepared.
For instance, shrimp and lobster parts, such as shells, intestines, and meat, can be fed to your hens either raw or cooked. Additionally, dried mealworms or grubs are excellent sources of protein that chickens particularly enjoy.
Below are 13 super chicken protein sources for feed.
What Exactly Is Molting?
Chickens shed their feathers and then regrow new ones throughout the molting season. As feathers have a protein-rich profile, our chickens consume a lot of protein to repair their gorgeous plumage. As a result, egg production usually decreases or ceases entirely at this time.
Moulting usually starts in late summer or fall, when the daylight hours start to diminish. It could last anywhere from a month to four months, depending on the breed, genetics, and well-being of the chicken.
1. Cooked Eggs
Comprise 91% Protein
Eggs are the ideal complete food. However, you just shouldn’t feed them uncooked eggs because they might decide to get a snack all by themselves. The final thing you would like for your hens to devour your nice fresh eggs. In any case, raw eggs provide less protein than cooked eggs (around 51 percent).
Cooked eggs, conversely, are fine; chickens would not recognize them as eggs since they have texture and smell. Scrambled eggs also are tasty, but don’t make them with milk since chickens can’t digest them. Also, don’t add any salt because they don’t require it in the amounts we do.
2. Fish Or Fish Meal
Comprises of 61 – 72% Protein
Due to their high quantities of Omega 3 oils, sardines and tuna were particularly healthy, although any oily fish is healthy. Chickens adore sardines, a high-protein fish. Do not worry about the bones; they’ll consume the tiniest ones, but leave the larger ones alone.
When you feed anything like a whole herring and mackerel, the head and skeleton remain. They scavenge the rest.
In warmer weather, fish could be handy, and providing them to hens like a rare summer treat. Use fish in water with sunflower oil without any added ingredients, especially salt. Of fact, fish meal is treated and contains chemicals to stabilize it; however, it is a high-protein choice.
3. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are among the best high-protein feeds available to your flock. Organic seeds should be used instead of packaged seeds, which are sometimes heavy in salt. After a couple of days, they lose their freshness and some of their nutritious content, so don’t try to stockpile them.
You may either feed them right out from the pumpkin to your birds or softly toast them. Even better, they’re high in antioxidants, which may aid your hens in their fight against sickness. They don’t kill parasites or cure infections, though.
4. Mealworms
Comprised Of 53% Protein Dried And About 30% Live
Mealworms are high-protein food that chickens like eating. They’re a great technique to get your flock to scratch and forage if you scatter them over the run. They’re a crunchy delicacy that your flock will adore, whether added to a delicious mushy chicken porridge or a pumpkin cake.
But don’t go crazy with them. A bunch of times per week, give a few to each fowl.
5. Sprouted Lentils
Comprised Of 26 – 30% Protein
One of my all-time favorite delights is sprouting lentils, which I use all year. They’re one of the best high-protein foods on the market and low in fat. My chickens don’t appreciate them as much as some high-protein treats, but they’ll eat them because they’re cheap and quick to make.
6. Cat Food
Comprises 26 – 30% Protein
Anybody who’s ever witnessed hens battling more than a lizard or frog can attest that they aren’t vegetarians. They devour both plants and animals, making them omnivores. They also enjoy beef. Whether dry kibble or canned meat, cat food is a contentious chicken food.
Several swear by it, while others warn that it should not be used near a chicken coop. Like many other high-protein foods, it ought not to be consumed regularly but rather as a rare treat.
7. Sunflower Seeds
Comprising 26% Protein, Sunflower seeds are strewn onto the sacking. Sunflower seeds, which are rich in proteins and are always fresh in the autumn, are, however, abundant in disease-fighting polyphenols.
Sow sunflower seeds in the Spring and allow your flock to serve themselves to the heads whenever they’re ready, or sprinkle them dry in your run, include them in a treated block, or, finest of all, sow sunflower seeds in the Springs and then allow your flock to serve themselves to the heads once they’re ripe.
8. Garden Peas
Comprises 23% Protein
For millennia, peas have already been fed to chickens, either those deemed “unfit for human eating” due to their form or size or those bred specifically for animal feed. They’re simple to grow and can be served with other vegetables or blended into a treat block.
It’s best to be used as frozen peas. They’re frozen so fast that they may contain greater nutrients than those offered in stores as ‘fresh.’
9. Parsley
Comprises 21% Protein
The parsley is a powerful immunity booster for chickens. It is often used as a flavoring or a garnish for curries, sauces, etc. Parsley is a herb rich in essential minerals and vitamins, along with a lot of protein.
This flat-leaved Italian strain is particularly a rich source of anti-carcinogen calcium and, of course, protein. It also lowers the amount of fat.
10. Oats
Comprised Of 10 – 17% Protein
Even though oats just aren’t as rich in proteins as other foods, oats are particularly useful in a variety of recipes for adding bulk and binding together diverse ingredients. They contain calcium, soluble fiber, iron, and protein.
These birds won’t consume them in large quantities, but they’re essential to a well-balanced diet. Avoid the ‘quick’ type, which is processed and contains fewer nutrients and more salt and sugar. Choose whole oats as well as organic oats whenever possible.
Soaking oats in water before feeding them to your chickens renders them simpler to digest, and it’s a wonderful method to keep them hydrated during hot summer months or even during the winter, whenever water can freeze.
11. Shrimp Shells and Lobster Shells
Comprise of 30-50% Protein (Varies)
Shrimp and lobster shells are excellent sources of chitin, a type of fiber that can aid in controlling internal parasites in chickens. While the exact protein content can vary widely based on the preparation and specific type of shellfish, they generally offer a good protein boost. These shells can be fed to your chickens either raw or cooked.
However, ensure they are crushed or ground to aid in digestion. It’s a novel way to recycle kitchen scraps while enriching your chickens’ diet.
12. Shrimp and Lobster Meat
Comprises of 20-25% Protein
Shrimp and lobster meat, aside from being a delicacy for humans, can also be a luxurious treat for your chickens. This meat is packed with high-quality protein and essential amino acids necessary for feather regrowth during the molting season and overall health.
You can feed this to your chickens raw or cooked, but ensure no spices or harmful ingredients are added. This protein source is particularly useful during the molting season or when your chickens need an extra protein boost.
13. Intestines
Protein may vary by source. Approximate Protein Content: 15-20%
Intestines from fish or other animals, adequately cleaned and prepared, can be a valuable protein source for chickens. The protein content can vary depending on the animal source but generally falls within a range that can significantly benefit chickens, especially during periods of high protein demand such as growth, egg-laying, or molting.
When feeding intestines or animal by-products, it’s crucial to ensure they come from safe, disease-free sources to avoid transmitting any illnesses to your flock.
Helpful Chart
Here’s a concise table that outlines some of the best high-protein food options:
| High-Protein Food | Protein Content (Approximate) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Soybean Meal | 40-45% | A very common protein supplement in poultry diets, rich in amino acids. |
| Fish Meal | 60-70% | High in protein and essential omega-3 fatty acids, but use should be moderate to avoid flavor issues in eggs or meat. |
| Meat and Bone Meal | 50-60% | Good source of protein and minerals, but its use depends on regulations due to disease transmission risks. |
| Alfalfa Meal | 17-20% | High in protein and essential omega-3 fatty acids, but use should be moderate to avoid flavour issues in eggs or meat. |
| Peas | 20-25% | Not only a protein source but also rich in fibre and minerals, good for foraging. |
| Lentils | 25-30% | Can be used whole or ground as a protein source; also provides dietary fibre. |
| Sunflower Seeds | 16-20% | High in protein and fats, should be fed in moderation. |
| Earthworms | 60-70% | Excellent source of protein and other nutrients; can be raised at home or purchased. |
| Crickets | 60-70% | Another live feed option, high in protein and fat, is loved by chickens. |
| Mealworms | 50-55% | Can be used whole or ground as a protein source; also provides dietary fiber. |
How Much Protein Does A Chicken Need?
What is good protein for chickens? Give no more than a few handfuls of food to roughly 12 birds two times a week. Pullets from 7 to 18 weeks should be fed a protein content of 17 to 18 percent.
Hens require roughly 16 percent protein after 19 weeks of age, which is all through their egg-laying cycle. When hens or chickens begin moulting, they can be provided with a higher percentage of dietary protein (as much as 20%) and less calcium.
Can You Feed Chickens Too Much Protein?
All proteins aren’t created equal. Protein requirements change over time based on age and level of activity. Unlike adult laying hens, young pullets and growing chicks might require more protein. Younger birds are expanding in size, muscle, and organs, necessitating additional protein for the growth of such systems.
The protein demand of these birds will decline as they age and the body shifts from producing tissues to maintaining them. That’s why chick feed will have more protein, and laying hen feeding will have less protein. The body can only absorb a certain amount of protein at a given moment, and it cannot keep the rest; the rest is ejected as waste, and then that waste is useless.
Protein metabolism produces a pungent ammonia odor; the sharper the odor, there is more ammonia and wasted protein. Ammonia could cause a variety of health problems, including respiratory distress as well as eye as well as trachea impairment.
Extra protein might cause a rise in water consumption, resulting in wetter litter and bedding regions. Too much moisture inside the litter can cause blisters and burns on the feet and skin. If you utilize your bedding material as fertilizer, the extra nitrogen exhaled can cause major problems, including “burning” your plants and damaging your garden.
Do Chickens Need Protein To Lay Eggs?
We understand that chickens require a lot of protein and calcium to produce many eggs; therefore, supplementing their diet can assist them in maintaining their overall health. While most of your hen’s nutritional needs will be fulfilled by their usual layers pellets, a special treat now and again will help them lay more eggs!
The appropriate protein level in your feed is crucial for growing a healthy flock, so commercial rations are undoubtedly the most convenient way to have the proper nutrition for the birds.
Depending on age, the best protein for producing breeds
- Chicks under the age of six weeks: Protein content ranges from 20% to 22%
- Seven weeks till the start of the lay: Protein content ranges from 14 to 16 percent
- Once they’ve begun to lay, Protein content ranges from 15% to 18%
- Over six weeks old, all-purpose: Protein content is 16%
Chick starter, grower, layer, and other terms may describe these various formulas. Chicks require a lot of protein as they rapidly grow and develop their feathers! The chicken Pullets require less as they’ve passed through the quickest growth period and have developed their feathers.
Layering may require significantly more since, although they have finished developing, they have begun laying eggs, necessitating a high-protein diet.
Do Chickens Need More Protein In The Winter?
A chicken’s food preferences vary in the winter as they molt and adapt to colder weather and short, darker days. If you have a farm/ranch or even a home coop, your hens require additional nutrition in the winter. They will use a lot of energy to keep warm; therefore, they should eat extra food to compensate.
From November through March, feeding the flock a high-quality, higher-protein diet is critical.
Extra protein keeps the chickens warm during the winter, enhances their well-being, and maintains their body composition. In addition, hens consume to meet their daily dietary needs.
The chickens will eat less overall feed when you provide them with a higher protein, nutritionally complete diet. Your flock will have more options to collect treats if they aren’t eating as much food, and you won’t have to purchase as much.
Do Chickens Need More Protein During Molting Season?
Usually, you would give your chickens a high-protein diet containing about 16 percent protein. Consider adjusting the feed to an even formula with at least 18 percent higher protein content during the molting season. Whenever hens cease laying, they will require less calcium, and they’ll still require some. Provide a high-protein, whole feed so you will not have to add additional protein supplements.
Make free-choice feed available. Throughout molt, keep scratch at 10% of the feed to avoid diluting the protein level of the feed. It needs a lot of work to molt and develop fresh feathers. Because feathers comprise 85 percent protein, ensure your chickens’ diet consists of a high-protein, high-nutrient feed with at least 16 percent protein. Whether you’re feeding either of these meals, you won’t need to add any drugs or vitamins.
Chickens molt in various ways, just as they have various personalities. Some birds lose and regrow a few feathers in as little as three to four weeks. Several chickens miss a bunch of feathers, and it takes approximately 12-16 weeks for them to regrow.
Other Ideas You Might Like
- 14 Best Chicken Breeds That Consistently Lay Great Eggs
- How to Raise Meat Chickens
- How to Choose a Heritage Chicken Breed for the Homestead
Conclusion
As summer goes into fall, your yard and chicken coops get strewn with feathers every year. It’s crucial to remember that hens don’t generally require a huge amount of high-protein diets and also that overfeeding protein might harm them.
Augmenting your flock’s diet shouldn’t be essential if you feed them high-quality food, especially if they’re allowed to roam freely. These meals can only be given whenever there is a definite need for them and only in little amounts at other times.
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