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Found out my hens need way more protein than I thought - debating the best source now
I was reading through a poultry nutrition guide from our state extension office and saw that laying hens need 16-18% protein, but mine have been getting about 14% from their scratch grains and kitchen scraps. Now I'm torn between giving them mealworms or fermenting their feed to bump it up. What do you all use for extra protein?
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ivan5222mo ago
Mealworms are easier than messing with fermentation. Toss a handful out and they go crazy for them, no prep work involved.
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diana_park2mo ago
Ivan, I was in the same boat as you and went with mealworms too. I picked up a bag of dried ones at the feed store and just toss a handful out with their morning scratch. My girls go absolutely bonkers for them, and it's nice knowing they're getting that extra protein without any extra work on my end. Fermenting always seemed like more trouble than it was worth to me after reading your comment.
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Honestly, "mealworms are easier than messing with fermentation" is what got me. I used to think fermenting the feed was the way to go because it felt more natural or whatever, but then I tried it and it was a hassle. The prep, the cleaning, the smell. After reading your comment I grabbed a bag of dried mealworms from the feed store and my hens went nuts. Tbh it's way less work and they get that protein boost without me having to babysit a bucket of fermenting grain. I'm sold on mealworms now.
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