Does anyone have a good chicken feed spreadsheet they will please share?

[U_Stormcrow]

So, Milk...

If you want to try it, just set a bowl out. Continue to provide your feed. Continue to provide fresh clean water. Offer milk in a seperate dish. If they drink it, its mostly water, but has some crude protein, calcium, phos, some vitamins. All good things. If they don't? You are out a 5 spot for a gallon of milk.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

If you would rather offer concentrated milk, I recommend plain yogurt. You could also use dry milk powder, but milk and yogurt are easier to repurpose than dry milk powder.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

If you would rather offer concentrated milk, I recommend plain yogurt. You could also use dry milk powder, but milk and yogurt are easier to repurpose than dry milk powder.

I’ve tried the yogurt for treats, they love it! Haven’t tried milk yet though.

Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge on this site. It was reading your posts that made me realize I needed to make sure I had this right before relying on it. Otherwise I see how it can really be damaging.

 

[Penpal]

If you want to consider milk, consider kefir. It is full of probiotics, much more so than yogurt. It would give your birds a fresh digestive track, so to speak. Once you have kefir (for a real person, not store bought), you just keep adding milk to keep it going.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

If you want to consider milk, consider kefir. It is full of probiotics, much more so than yogurt. It would give your birds a fresh digestive track, so to speak. Once you have kefir (for a real person, not store bought), you just keep adding milk to keep it going.

That is a really good idea. Thanks.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I really should look at more research outside the U.S.. homemade kefir is a very good alternative. TY @Penpal for thinking of it

 

[LaurenRitz]

Something to consider. Duckweed is high in protein, lysine and methionine. If a pond near you is infested, you could get it free.

Fermentation can increase bioavailability, but the studies are split on how much.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

Something to consider. Duckweed is high in protein, lysine and methionine. If a pond near you is infested, you could get it free.

Fermentation can increase bioavailability, but the studies are split on how much.

That is great to know, thank you. I never would have thought to look at duckweed. It does grow in ponds near by.

 

[LaurenRitz]

As I remember, protein in the dried form was between 35 and 65% depending on the variety.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

As I remember, protein in the dried form was between 35 and 65% depending on the variety.

I had not heard of feeding it to chickens. It takes over ponds and lakes around here. Since you told me I’m reading about it now.

It’s being praised as a miracle food. Full of minerals, vitamins and protein.
Average 40% protein it looks like. I’m going to look into it. It looks like there are a lot of studies on it for broiler chickens. They were trying to increase weight. It doesn’t look like it did. It would be great to find lacking peas it could possibly be added along with other things to compensate?

I was going to look into alfalfa benefits/protein too but I’m concerned about the fiber. Not sure if it’s something to watch on the duck weed too? It’s great to know.