AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

I think it is too high in protein for chooks

I use both mixed together for my pekins and they turn out fine and I find I don't loose very many chicks when I started using both maybe a coincidence but it seem to be working for me

Feeding Turkey starter to fowls is fine.
The problem is it is a waste of money and protien to do so.
It is more expensive and has a higher protien content, it is also medicated as is chicken starter.
As a general rule fowls only digest around 50% of the protien in any ration, it was for this reason it (chicken manure) was trialed to use as a feed suppliment for lot fed cattle, it was seen as a cheap protien suppliment but other problems arose and to a large degree the practice was dropped.
The use of turkey starter can be benificial in a breed like Malays where they have a higher degree of ability to digest and utilise protien.This is because they were decended from a ground dwelling species "gallus gigantus" and not 'gallus gallus' or 'gallus bankiva' like most other poultry species.The originator "g gigantus" was a ground dweller that lived mainly on small animals, rodents insects and as such developed a digestive system capable of handling a higher protien diet unlike other grain eating species.It is for this reason that G gigantus grew to a larger size with denser bone, it was not as capable of flying to follow the grain ripening of a normal season as G gallus and G Bankiva did.
The feeding of higher protien rations to refined breeds and bantams encourages couseness and growth that is against the requirements of the standards.So in fact can be detrimental in the final outcomes in that you have oversized course bantams and light breeds with to much body and can also be the cause of overgrown combs etc all of which you do not want.

Thats very good oaklands to know all the facts and save money is also important

I have not experienced any of those problems but will be interesting to see if I ever do. Yes thanks for sharing your thoughts

I just use the standard chick starter and all my chick turn out healthy and happy so I don't see any need to feed them both?

I have found Riverlea chick starter which is only $13 a bag compared to about $32 a bag for the Barastock starter.
The main differance is the cheaper one only has 18% protein compared to the usual 20% for starter.

I have been adding a handful of meat meal as I put it in the feeder to boost the protein. Is there any reason this could cause a problem.

Its in most cat and dog food so should not be a problem for chooks but with only 2% difference is it worth worrying about?

That is interesting I also wonder if 2% is enough to have an affect of chicks?

If you are raising pullets of a light breed then 18% starter is probably fine. If you are raising any of the heavier breeds or meat birds then they will be advantaged by higher protein (I use turkey starter for these).