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Questions about feed. POLL - Page 2

Poll Results: What do you put in your feed as a 'filler'?

Poll expired: Mar 4, 2012  
  • 100% (3)
    Corn
  • 0% (0)
    Soy
  • 0% (0)
    Oat
3 Total Votes  
post #11 of 29
3/2/12 at 5:07am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clay Mudd View Post

Wheat is probably the least problematic alternative to corn. In fact, my chickens generally get slightly more wheat (sprouted) than corn.

 

When you say "wheat berries", that makes me wonder if you're buying them at a health food store or grocery. If that's the case, look for a local feed store and buy a 50# bag. It's more expensive than corn, but not ruinously so. (in my area, and in my opinion)

 

How many chickens are you feeding?

 

 

My mom makes bread from the wheat berries and she buys them from a health food co-op. I assumed since we are eating it, the chickens could eat it! I am going to be feeding ten chickens. It's $28 for a 50# bag.

 

 

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post #12 of 29
3/2/12 at 11:17am

Wheat here is like less than half that price for 50 pounds. At the feed store. ;)

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Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?

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post #13 of 29
3/2/12 at 12:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CluckyJay View Post

Wheat here is like less than half that price for 50 pounds. At the feed store. ;)



Bingo.

 

And corn's even cheaper. ;)

 

Back to the OP: are you working from a  recipe, or are you winging it? What's your goal in mixing your own feed?

 

Sorry to ask so many questions, but sometimes that helps figure out what your question really is.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129278/speckledhens-ten-commandments-of-good-flock-management

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

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http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129278/speckledhens-ten-commandments-of-good-flock-management

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

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post #14 of 29
3/2/12 at 2:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clay Mudd View Post



Bingo.

 

And corn's even cheaper. ;)

 

Back to the OP: are you working from a  recipe, or are you winging it? What's your goal in mixing your own feed?

 

Sorry to ask so many questions, but sometimes that helps figure out what your question really is.

I'm wingin' it. My goal is high protien feed that doesn't involve much corn. These are what i am planning to mix so far: Sunflower seeds, Wheat/corn/oats and some kind of animal protein. Another question: I am going to raise mealworms for my chickens. In the summer when they have access to a run and free range, could i NOT have animal protein? And in the winter give them meal worms for the animal protein? I know they are omnivores so they need some type of 'animal' in their diet.
 

 

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post #15 of 29
3/2/12 at 3:52pm

Rather than give too much specific (and possibly wrong!) advice, I'd like to point  you at some useful resources:

 

Two books that I've almost worn out in the last year or so:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Poultry-Nutrition-Chickens-Gamebirds/dp/0972177027/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330731514&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Small-Scale-Poultry-Flock-All-Natural-Growers/dp/1603582908/ref=pd_sim_b_4

 

The first is very specifically about designing poultry diet, and the second is more general, but has great info on feeding. Some of the content in the second one is available for free here:

 

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Feeding.html

 

another good site is this one:

www.lionsgrip.com/feedinstruc.html

 

A good article from Jeff Mattocks at Fertrell Nutrition:

http://www.sustainablepoultry.ncat.org/downloads/chnutritionhpinew.pdf

 

 

If you're going to be mixing your own feed, you owe it to yourself to do some in-depth research so you can make you own choices for your own reasons. It's important to understand the nutrition need of the chickens. It's more than protein and starch.

 

My fave animal protein source is fish meal, but I also live in a bug-friendly climate so I don't have to use tons of it. ;)

 

 

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129278/speckledhens-ten-commandments-of-good-flock-management

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

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http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129278/speckledhens-ten-commandments-of-good-flock-management

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

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post #16 of 29
3/3/12 at 2:58pm
Thread Starter 

haha where do you get fish meal?

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post #17 of 29
3/3/12 at 3:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chicks Galore3 View Post

haha where do you get fish meal?



http://www.countrysideorganics.com/product.php?productid=181&cat=40&page=1

 

I haven't found anyone selling smaller quantities of feed-grade fish meal, but they're probably out there.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129278/speckledhens-ten-commandments-of-good-flock-management

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

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http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129278/speckledhens-ten-commandments-of-good-flock-management

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

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post #18 of 29
3/4/12 at 5:17am
Thread Starter 

how fast do you go through it?

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post #19 of 29
3/4/12 at 5:27am

My record keeping is terrible,  but it looks like about a pound a week for an average of 10 chickens. How much they eat varies a lot depending on what forage and kitchen scraps they get.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129278/speckledhens-ten-commandments-of-good-flock-management

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

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http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129278/speckledhens-ten-commandments-of-good-flock-management

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

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post #20 of 29
3/4/12 at 6:10am
Thread Starter 

THANKS! that helps alot! bow.gif

"Jesus is my Savior, not my religion"

 

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