I am going to mix some protein in my feeders this spring/summer. A pt. of mine was just warning me about getting moisture resistant (?) protein. Says that any other will gum up the barrel and jam the feeder.

Anyone have experience with this? Or is he full of it?

I.Y.A.C.Y.A.S. '91

Nope, definitely a real possibility. Those protein pellets suck up water.

We have a seperate gravity feeder for our protein. And it still gums it up.

Only time we have ever had protein gum up was when high winds (hurricane Rita) I think blew a lid off and it actually rained inside the barrel. We use gravity feeders.

Depends upon the feeder - we run one Lamco protein feeder basically year-round and it doesn't really get gummed up with "regular" pellets. I know our neighbors have a few gravity feeders that they run exclusively with protein pellets with little issue either. Most timers/spinners are made for corn so yeah, they can clog - stay on top of them and you'll be ok. Lamco also make a "rain detector" or some crap like that which will shut off when it's raining to help keep it from getting backed up.

Use drop tube gravity feeders for protein. It will gum up your spin types.

Throwing protein in spin feeders is very wasteful. Why feed non target species if you don't want to? Free choice is the way to go.

I don't recommend them for longevity, but All Seasons are inexpensive.

All season aren't inexpensive and why wouldn't you recommend them for longevity? I've never seen one bite the dust.

Because I have. Lamco is strong as was mentioned. There are many durable ones out there.

Unless you put fences around the feeder, hogs and cattle will eventually knock them over.

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Throwing protein in spin feeders is very wasteful. Why feed non target species if you don't want to? Free choice is the way to go.

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This. I work for a feed manufacturer and we produce a deer pellets. Pellets will absolutely absorb moisture, and if there is any kind of texture or ridge inside the feeder, and moisture gets in, the feed will hang up and not flow. This is more prevalent with a textured feed (not pellets) but pellets will still do it.

On the sling feeder note, we deliver to a large number of wildlife ranches with whitetails and exotics, and not one that I know of puts protein pellets in broadcast feeders. Just like another poster said its pretty wasteful. The elements can deteriorate the quality, as well as nutritional value. Non-target animals will also have their pick of the feed, that is not to say they won't in a free choice feeder though. They all use a free choice cattle feeder, or mineral style trough with a cover to protect from the elements. As far as I've seen, heard in my experience on wildlife ranches.

Another note you need to consider is typically a manufactured feed is only guaranteed by the manufacturer for around a month. Protein pellets are perishable products. Unlike corn, which if stored properly can last significantly longer, as it has not been through a manufacturing process.

OK then. Protein in my broadcast feeder is out.

Thanks OB.

Not to dogpile but feeding protein pellets out of a spin feeder is pointless. Spin feeders are used as an attractant which is why it uses timers. Protein really only benefits when the deer can have as much as they want/need hence free choice.

Maybe use some mineral blocks which will be way less expensive and be an attractant and give them some extra minerals. No worries about clogging.

To double up on the block idea, we actually have Deer Protein Blocks, and many stores sell them. Sweetlyx manufactures one, it is a 14% protein, less than a standard pellet, but is designed to be palatable to attract them back to the location. You'd want to keep one out year round. They're 25lbs. Price per pound is going to be almost twice what a bag of pellets will run, just FYI.


[This message has been edited by agbq06 (edited 3/16/2012 12:16p).]

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Unless you put fences around the feeder, hogs and cattle will eventually knock them over.

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Never had a protein feeder not in a pen.