# Why not put protein in my spin feeder?



## Blue.dog (May 8, 2005)

I paid $10 for corn and $11 for
protein here in junction today. So, why can't I. Just feed 
Protein in my spin feeders. If I turn the speed 
Down to low, the protein will be just at the edge
Of my feeder's legs. I remember in the past that
Folks said that doing this was a waste. With no 
Rain, the protein will stay hard on the ground.
So, what are your thoughts?
B.D


----------



## camowag (Aug 25, 2005)

Try Spin-Cast, mixture of protein & corn, ran it all the time in my feeders, feed store in Mason had it, I'm Junction has as well.

Good Luck


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Well 1st its gonna gum up your spinner and next when it hits the ground (there will be moisture someday) it will sour and nothing will eat it.


----------



## FBGHUNTER (Sep 27, 2010)

We have always put a mix of protein and corn in spin feeders. If your feeding just corn right now your not doing much anyway. Deer are so hungry they would eat the dirt if it would fill them up. Corn prices are ridiculous right now. I'm buying 20% protein and alfalfa pellets for $1.50 cheaper than corn. Feed the protein.


----------



## mywifeshusband (Nov 19, 2006)

Charlie if you get the protien with the weatherlock seal it does great and i have used a deer blend from Country boys in RS for years with no problem. I am using the spintech feeders with no varmit guard and the blend from country boys with no clogs. the blend consist of corn protien and buck bites <buck bites is an attractant> to pull the deer in and yes i also have a protien feeder with the 3 feeders at my wifes blind. No ***** and no clogs and makes for a interesting time watching the deer race from feeder to feeder along with the turkey because we add a bag of milo on top to finnish filling the feeder. Beau


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

If it works for you go for it...


----------



## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

It has always been my understanding that if you are not offering free choice protien to the deer you are wasting your money. I don't think a few protien pellets are going to help antler growth. Saying that we used to use a wildlife blend when we hunted Laredo that had pellets, peas and corn in it. Never had a problem but don't know where you can get it these days. I'm currently using Record Rack Golden Nuggets. It has a high fat content to help these deer during the drought. Also 20% protien is for pen deer and 16% is for wild deer. Higher protien content can do damage to internal organs. Prob is alot of feed stores in my area aren't carrying the 16% because hunters think higher % is better. It is not! If you decide to do it you can mix the Golden Nuggets with the corn no problem and that is what I would recommend. Not claiming to be an expert here just some stuff I've learned from smarter hunters than me. I'm sure there are some management gurus on the board that could offer more insight and I would like to hear their opinions.


----------



## neverlimit (Mar 26, 2007)

We did the mix for 4 years now and have had no problems with anything! The deer went from 110lbs to 145lbs and added 20 inches.


----------



## Jock Ewing (Mar 26, 2006)

I mix in 1:1 ration of corn and protein. I think that keeps it from getting gummed up. Seems to help. I have a 1600 pound feeder penned off and I feed heavy.


----------



## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

They make the kind that don't gum up' doing it for years now.


----------



## Swampus (Sep 1, 2005)

Bucksnort said:


> It has always been my understanding that if you are not offering free choice protien to the deer you are wasting your money. I don't think a few protien pellets are going to help antler growth. Saying that we used to use a wildlife blend when we hunted Laredo that had pellets, peas and corn in it. Never had a problem but don't know where you can get it these days. I'm currently using Record Rack Golden Nuggets. It has a high fat content to help these deer during the drought. Also 20% protien is for pen deer and 16% is for wild deer. Higher protien content can do damage to internal organs. Prob is alot of feed stores in my area aren't carrying the 16% because hunters think higher % is better. It is not! If you decide to do it you can mix the Golden Nuggets with the corn no problem and that is what I would recommend. Not claiming to be an expert here just some stuff I've learned from smarter hunters than me. I'm sure there are some management gurus on the board that could offer more insight and I would like to hear their opinions.


Says it all.....................................:texasflag


----------



## uncle dave (Jul 27, 2008)

As dry as it is any supplemental feed will help them thru the summer,don't know which is best' but it's all good.


----------



## mywifeshusband (Nov 19, 2006)

Bucksnort ck in hempstead at Waller grain for the mix with roasted soybeans. Have heard good things about the roasted soybeans Beau


----------



## FBGHUNTER (Sep 27, 2010)

bucksnort - why is 20% protein used for pen deer and not for wild deer? If it is so harmful to the animal then why would a breeder who makes a living selling breeders and hunts risk his animals having internal organ damage?


----------



## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

FBGHUNTER said:


> bucksnort - why is 20% protein used for pen deer and not for wild deer? If it is so harmful to the animal then why would a breeder who makes a living selling breeders and hunts risk his animals having internal organ damage?


Isn't a penned animal only going to eat what you give it? Therefore the reason for higher% protien pellets. I suggest you do some of your own research. Like I said. I'm not claiming to be an expert. I've just done some research and listened to others who know more about this arena than me. I also know that all protein pellets are not equal and some are absorbed more efficiently than others. We could debate this like a high fence article or which ammo is the best but that's gonna give me a headache.

http://www.deermanagement.us/protein-pellets-for-deer-feeding-whitetail/

to briefly state the last paragraph in a recently written article;
*"During severe drought, habitat, particularly browse plants but also forbs, will not produce adequate leafy foods. It is during this time that managers providing protein pellets for deer should reduce the protein content of the pellets they are feeding to 16 percent to prevent rumen problems in free-ranging deer. This may also apply during the winter period if browse or herbaceous plants, either natural or in food plots, are not available."*


----------



## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

Bucksnort said:


> Also 20% protien is for pen deer and 16% is for wild deer.


 You got that backwards Snort. 20% is for suplementing wild deer. We feed them 15, 16 or 17% in the pens. Pen deer will founder on 20%. Mine actually only eat about a 13% diet in the pens.
Never tried to throw a pellet out of a spin feeder,though.


----------



## FBGHUNTER (Sep 27, 2010)

I have done some research on this. That's why I wanted to clarify your comment because it was backwards from what I have learned. 20% protein would be needed for wild deer because they dont get the same amount of food as a penned deer would. So when they do eat they need as much protein as they can get. While penned deer are probably being fed very well and very often, they dont have a lack of food like the wild deer would making them not need such a high % at one time. I'm in no way an expert either, thats just my 2 cents from what I have read and learned from other people. I know this could go on like the high fence stuff and that gives me a headache too. I was just wanting more clarification.


----------



## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

Awesome. I always keep an open mind when it comes to deer hunting. I have never raised a deer in a pen so any discussion is good. As long as it's civil. I think there is info defending both sides. I guess 20% is for penned lactating does and penned fawns? One thing is for sure is we are having a severe drought and many biologists do not recommend 20% during such conditions. Lol. However, I guess it's becoming a point of stealing the thread now.


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Well I have been told (again no expert) that anything over 17 % is a waste of money cuz some how the deer's system cannot injest or use anything over 17 % . One bite of 20 % does no better than one bite of 17% penned or not..


----------



## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

Blue.dog said:


> I paid $10 for corn and $11 for
> protein here in junction today. So, why can't I. Just feed
> Protein in my spin feeders. If I turn the speed
> Down to low, the protein will be just at the edge
> ...


For $1 more a bag I would throw the pellets. Assuming they wouldn't plug up and the deer would know to eat them. I guess I would mix them with corn at first. Good Luck:cheers:


----------



## texas8point (Dec 18, 2006)

As dry as it is you shouldnt have any trouble spinning both.


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Another issue is that the protien feeders that feed pellets is the opening in the bottom of the barrel is larger than corn feeder openings. Trying to feed protien out of a corn feeder sometimes the cone becomes stopped up with protien wet or dry.


----------



## lotsofline (Feb 19, 2008)

Were can i find some good weather coated protien in North Houston? Bulk


----------



## DEXTER (Jun 28, 2005)

While were on the subject I can get Canola pellets for $10.32 / 50# and was going to mix corn with it for a spin feeder. Any thoughts on Canola? It is the "waste" after the canola has been crushed for oil.


----------



## catchysumfishy (Jul 19, 2008)

I've been spinning 100 percent RR Gold Nuggets for two years now and i don't have problems with the Whitewing swarming the and cleaning up the ground! the corn we have available to us in Texas is Terrible terrible terrible with extremely low nutritional value and it's Damned Expensive! I purchased 2 pallets of Golden nuggets last week at Kramers here in town on sell @ $11 per! corn here is ranging from $9.25 to $11.50 per 50lbs and that's from the feed stores! The deer eat it all and there is nothing left to spoil,the Nuggets are round pellets that are the size of corn kernels so spinning them is not a problem and i had no problems with Clogging even when we had all of those hard rains early last year!


----------



## waterbug (May 22, 2004)

We are hunting a new place near San Angelo this year. When I started researching feed dealers out there, we found that Palmer Feed/Angelo Feed & Supply (Palmer's mill) mills a small diameter pellet for spinning. While we were a little skeptical about it, we are spinning their protein out of traditional "corn" feeders. It has worked well and the deer/dove/quail/turkey/hogs keep it cleaned up. Of course it has been so dry that we haven't had any moisture to reckon with - we will have to see what happens if we ever return to "normal" weather/rainfall patterns.

Another thing we like there is that they have feed buggies with blowers on them that allow us to buy in bulk and blow feed into the feeders. It sure beats going up and down the ladder to fill feeders with 50 lb bags. We can fill a 1,000 lb All Season or HB feeder in about 4-5 minutes once we get the trailer positioned and the hose up to the top of the feeder. A couple of us middle-aged fat boys can easily put out 6,400 lbs of feed using their equipment.


----------



## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

catchysumfishy said:


> I've been spinning 100 percent RR Gold Nuggets for two years now and i don't have problems with the Whitewing swarming the and cleaning up the ground! the corn we have available to us in Texas is Terrible terrible terrible with extremely low nutritional value and it's Damned Expensive! I purchased 2 pallets of Golden nuggets last week at Kramers here in town on sell @ $11 per! corn here is ranging from $9.25 to $11.50 per 50lbs and that's from the feed stores! The deer eat it all and there is nothing left to spoil,the Nuggets are round pellets that are the size of corn kernels so spinning them is not a problem and i had no problems with Clogging even when we had all of those hard rains early last year!


 They love the nuggets and a BIG plus the bag weighs only 40lbs but you get the volume of a 50lb bag. It is amazing what the benifits of 10lbs lighter can do in 100 degree heat.


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Whats the percentage of protien in those nuggets ??


----------



## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

CHARLIE said:


> Whats the percentage of protien in those nuggets ??


*Guaranteed Analysis*

NutrientMin.Max.Crude Protein13.0%-Lysine0.5%-Crude Fat12.0%-Crude Fiber-14.5%Calcium2.25%2.75%Phosphorus1.0%-Salt0.05%0.25%Copper25 PPM-Zinc100 PPM-Vitamin A15,000 IU/LB-Vitamin E20 IU/LB-


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Thanks Danny I thought it was 13 % but its been a while ago.. About 10 % greater than corn..


----------



## Blue.dog (May 8, 2005)

Bucksnort,
Where do you get the RR Gold Nuggets?
thanks,
B.D


----------



## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

Blue.dog said:


> Bucksnort,
> Where do you get the RR Gold Nuggets?
> thanks,
> B.D


You can go to the website and put in your zip and it will give you the available vendors. 
www.sportsmanschoicefeeds.com


----------



## catchysumfishy (Jul 19, 2008)

Blue.dog said:


> Bucksnort,
> Where do you get the RR Gold Nuggets?
> thanks,
> B.D


Most Tractor supply's carry them but they are proud of thiers- in most cases $1.50 more per bag then the feed stores!


----------

