What grains are essential to chickens?

tdaigle

In the Brooder
6 Years
Jul 31, 2013
42
2
36
I live on a farm in Eunice, Louisiana (Prudhome City Farms). And if you live in this area are a climate similar to this, than you would know what we grow: squash, zucchini, tomatoes, all kinds of melons, kale, collard greens, and swiss chard. I know that I can feed all of these to my chickens,(and it's really easy to feed it to them because at the farmers market I go to people want there vegetables perfect) but I also know that I need to incorporate some grains in their diet and I am just wondering which ones.
 
I live on a farm in Eunice, Louisiana (Prudhome City Farms). And if you live in this area are a climate similar to this, than you would know what we grow: squash, zucchini, tomatoes, all kinds of melons, kale, collard greens, and swiss chard. I know that I can feed all of these to my chickens,(and it's really easy to feed it to them because at the farmers market I go to people want there vegetables perfect) but I also know that I need to incorporate some grains in their diet and I am just wondering which ones.


A diet based on a above would be deficient on protein and likely evening energy. It would be very good for vitamins and fiber. Corn and oats could cover energy needs well but would not in themselves supply sufficient protein / amino acids. To get protein / amino acids up you would need grain meals likely based on soybeans. I would not even attempt what you are doing unless with birds able to do some free-range foraging for insects and the like. A problem I would expect then is my birds would not each much of your base diet unless it was worked on first by a compost heap. They will eat lots of vegetables and the like but they must have quality animal protein to balance out nutrient profile.
 
Veggies and a few grains are not going to provide your birds with a balanced diet needed for good health and productive birds. Feed them a balanced and complete chicken feed. Veggies should make up no more than 10% of their diet.
 
Thank you for answering! Yes, Centarchid, they free range 13 hours a day and pick up many bugs on their way, but I could add some soybeans to their diet.
 
Consider using a lot of those veges in compost bins (plural) to convert much of that matter into edible insects and crustaceans. I would place bins well away from roosting area if you question your predator management at all. In you area you might also be a able to obtain shrimp head / crayfish heads from which to make a good supplement for compost and possibly even chickens directly.
 

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