Black oil sunflower seed/Feeding question...

[Chris09]

Quote:
Black Oil Sunflower Seed is only 15 - 17 present protein.

Sunflower Seed with Hulls -
Crude Protien------16.8
Digestible Protien-13.9
Fat-------------------25.9
Fiber-----------------29.0
Nitrogen - Free----18.8
Mineral Matter-----3.1
Calcium-------------0.17
Phosphorus--------0.52

Chris

 

[Laurie's Silkies]

I buy the Purina scratch grains and jazz it up with extra oats,BOSS,and wild bird seed and a little more cracked corn. Sometimes I buy some freeze dried mealworms and mix those in too. My girls absolutly love it !!!

 

[PAJerry]

I sprout BOSS for my hens and they can't get enough of it. Sprouting raises the protein to 25% and cuts some of the omega-6 out. I started sprouting a wheat-BOSS mix for winter feeding supplement, but because the egg quality and production has been so good, I am going to continue year round. It takes maybe 10 minutes a day but the benefits are great.

 

[blefky]

Quote:
Sounds like a very good idea - think I'll give that a try. Thanks!

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Black Oil Sunflower Seed is only 15 - 17 present protein.

Sunflower Seed with Hulls -
Crude Protien------16.8
Digestible Protien-13.9
Fat-------------------25.9
Fiber-----------------29.0
Nitrogen - Free----18.8
Mineral Matter-----3.1
Calcium-------------0.17
Phosphorus--------0.52

Chris

Yeah but we are comparing to scratch grains, or cracked corn, which is really low at 9-12% protein....feeding BOSS at 16% with 16% layer feed doesn't dilute their protein intake like corn/scratch does.

 

[Charming Chick]

I've been feeding my chickens already-hulled RAW sunflower seeds as a treat, not every day but maybe every third day... Is it really okay to feed them black oil sunflower seeds with the hull still on it??!! I would think the hull would not digest; that maybe it was too sharp and pointy... Thanks for the clarification!!

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Black Oil Sunflower Seed is only 15 - 17 present protein.

Sunflower Seed with Hulls -
Crude Protein------16.8
Digestible Protein-13.9
Fat-------------------25.9
Fiber-----------------29.0
Nitrogen - Free----18.8
Mineral Matter-----3.1
Calcium-------------0.17
Phosphorus--------0.52

Chris

Yeah but we are comparing to scratch grains, or cracked corn, which is really low at 9-12% protein....feeding BOSS at 16% with 16% layer feed doesn't dilute their protein intake like corn/scratch does.

But some people believe that BOSS is a high protein seed.
I don't know if they see the protein amount for Sunflower Seed Meal that is at around 21% - 41% protein and assume that BOSS is the same or what..

Chris

 

[ShannonS79]

Quote:
Thanks for asking this, I was wondering too.

We put put black sunflower seeds in our bird feeders, so I might have to let the chickens do some scratching under the feeders! Last year I was pulling sunflower seedlings like they were weeds. I think the chickens would have more fun taking care of it.

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
Sprouted flax seed is much higher in nutrients than un-sprouted too, allot higher. I feed both BOSS and Flax seed to my chickens.

 

[PAJerry]

BlackBart - do you sprout the flax seed? I tried adding it to my mix and it's pretty gooey and gross. I have a lot of it so maybe I should try again. Do your chickens like it?