Protein is one of the six classes of essential nutrients that all animals need.  They are necessary for building muscle mass in the body and are essential for life. 

Some say you can never have too much of a good thing, right? Well, think again. Both animals and humans need this nutrient but too much can have negative effects on the body. So, what are the symptoms of too much protein in these birds? This article looks into it 

Too much protein in chickens causes excessive water consumption by the chicken, loose bowels, a wetter litter, blistered feet, respiratory issues, gout, trachea damage, and damaged eyes. Chickens having too much protein in their diets can even result in the death of the animal.

Symptoms of too much protein in chickens: 5 symptoms to look out for 

Protein has loads of benefits and is necessary for a healthy chicken, it simply needs to be offered in the right amounts.

Chickens need protein, and a lot of it, for feather plumage, claws, spurs, beaks, eggshell production, and general health. But too much protein can be bad for these animals. Here are symptoms of too much protein in chickens: 

Gout:

Gout is not only a disease that affects humans who eat too high purine foods (foods that contain high amounts of uric acid), it can also affect chickens who eat too much protein.

This is a renal disease that can cause swollen painful joints, depression, regurgitation, loss of appetite, diarrhea, seizures, feather picking, and lack of urination in chickens

A strong smell of ammonia in feces:

An adult chicken’s body will take whatever protein it needs and pass the excess protein in the bird’s feces. Unfortunately, you as a poultry raiser will also suffer from this.

Excessive protein in a bird’s feces will cause the feces to smell like ammonia. The stronger the smell of ammonia in the bird’s feces, the more protein the animal’s body has expelled. 

Eye and respiratory damage:

If your bird is exposed to high levels of ammonia the ammonia will negatively affect the bird’s health and performance. Ammonia is a corrosive solution that can cause eye damage, trachea damage, and respiratory distress in chickens.

It does this by eating away at the bird’s respiratory tract and destroying the cilia in the tract.

The cilia are responsible for clearing mucus in the bird’s trachea, if the cilia are damaged, they cannot clear the mucus in the bird’s trachea, if this happens bacteria can become trapped in the mucus causing infections. 

Excessive water consumption:

If your bird is eating too much protein the bird will take in more water, an excessive amount of water. This added water intake will lead to the bird having wetter litters and loose bowels. 

Blistered feet:

Chickens poop all over the place, all day. Because of this, they will sometimes walk around in their own excrement. This can cause their feet to become exposed to their ammonia-filled excrement and develop blisters on their feet.

This can also cause burns on the bird’s feet and skin. 

How much protein should I feed my chickens?

Chickens have different dietary needs depending on what stage of life they’re in. When chickens are molting, they need more protein to support feather growth.

Generally baby chicks up to about 6-weeks-old need around 20% of their diets to be protein-based. After 6 weeks, and up to the mature egg-laying age, hens need about 16% of their diets to be protein.

Laying hens need about 18% of their diets to be protein-based. While in general, hens and roosters need 16% of their diets to be protein-based.

Avoid giving your bird more than the recommended amounts of protein. The sad truth is that too much protein can quickly shift from being a good thing to becoming deadly for chickens.

What other food groups should I feed my chickens?

Moderation and a diverse diet are needed for humans as much as it is needed for chickens.

Besides protein, chickens need other types of nutrients too.

They need calcium and iron for bones and egg quality. They need iodine and magnesium. They need cobalt for longevity, taurine for plumage. They need vitamin R to be safe from crazy chicken disease.

They need vitamin K for blood health that prevents blood clotting and muscular damage. They need vitamin B2 to prevent curly clay syndrome. These are only a few of the nutrients that chicks need in their diets.

What can I give my chickens for extra protein?

In general, organic protein sources are naturally the better options for chickens but animal matter also offers good amounts of protein.

The best sources of protein for chickens are mealworms, earthworms, dehydrated eggs, and snail morsels. This is what free-range chickens generally eat.

Specialty chick feed varieties also offer your chickens extra protein.

That being said, not all proteins are equal. Good protein options include fish and animal-based proteins in the formula.

What shouldn’t you feed chickens?

There are some proteins and foods that you shouldn’t feed chickens. For starters, human foods such as chocolate are toxic to chickens and should not be served to them.

Green or sprouted potatoes are also a no-go because these contain toxins that are damaging to chickens.

Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant leaves are also a no-no as they contain solanine which is a nerve toxin.

The pit and skins of avocado and uncooked beans can be fatal to chickens so don’t feed this to the animals.

Conclusion

In conclusion, too much protein in chickens results in chickens consuming excess water, this results in wetter litters, and loose bowels.

It can also result in more ammonia being produced by the animal. Also, issues with the respiratory system, blistered feet, gout, trachea damage, and damaged eyes can develop.

How much protein you feed your chickens depends on what stage of life they are in. Just make sure to feed them all the other food groups throughout their lives.

Other protein options that you can feed your chickens include mealworms, earthworms, dehydrated eggs, and snail morsels.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other chicken related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: How to fatten up chickens for winter. Can chickens eat frozen peas? Do fertilized eggs taste different? How to tell if a chicken has died in the egg