Meyer Moment: High Protein Treats

Hey everyone! Welcome back to The Coop with Meyer Hatchery - where we talk all things poultry in hopes of inspiring crazy chicken keepers and educating future flock owners. Each week we like to take a Meyer Moment to cover relevant happenings. 

Let’s take a Meyer Moment to talk about protein. While it may sound boring, protein is absolutely essential to the health of a chicken. Eggs, feathers, and everything in between need a steady supply of good protein. Chicken feed is offered at various protein levels, based on the age and needs of your flock, but there are many treats and supplements that give your flock an always-welcome extra boost.

A boost is ideal anytime your chickens are experiencing any changes or stress. As we approach the molting season and cooler temperatures, your flock is going through a crucial time of protein intake.

The first source of protein for your flock is their feed. Most layer feeds are between 16-18%, but when extra protein is needed, feel free to use a higher percentage feed, like 20-25%. Increasing this protein intake during molting season will help your chickens through the molting process and likely speed along feather growth. 

Feeding eggs to chickens can seem strange at first, but cooked eggs are an amazing source of protein for your flock. Hard-boiled, scrambled, however, you prefer to cook them, is perfectly fine for your chickens! To spoil your flock, mealworms or other tasty morsels can be added to their eggs. A warm treat of cooked eggs will be especially welcome on the coldest of winter days. 

Another warm treat to try in the coldest of months is oatmeal! Whether you provide it warmed or raw, oats are an excellent source of vitamins, protein, and antioxidants. 

Meal scraps are welcome anytime, but be sure to include your flock anytime you have leftover meat. Any cooked carcass and even fat trimmings can be offered for your flock to have a feast of their own.  

The most natural source of protein for your birds are the bugs and grass that can be found free-ranging. The offerings found while free-ranging do become sparse as the weather changes to cooler days, but your flock will be happy to scratch and peck up the ground until it freezes. 

Lastly, bagged chicken treats are a convenient and quick way to give a protein boost to your flock. Some treats have more protein than others, so be sure to check the labels. Some proven-flock favorites include crickets, mealworms, and black soldier fly larvae.

We hope you enjoyed this Meyer Moment about high-protein treats and the many ways to make sure your flock maintains optimal health. 

Enjoy the rest of your week and as always, thank you for listening to The Coop!