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

[TooCheep]

On duckweed: I'm a little ahead of some of you, but definitely still on the learning curve. I found out about duckweed about a year ago when a lot of people started talking about alternate ways to feed chickens instead of commercial feed as the supply chains were struggling.

Duckweed (and Azola- another small water plant) both came up as high-protein plants that some people feed to chickens and ducks. In all cases, it is only used as part of the feed, not a sole or even primary feed ingredient.

I purchased 1 tablespoon of pure Lemna Minor (smallest form of duckweed) from eBay and grew it in my aquarium. Duckweed in the wild or even from many sellers is often mixed types, which is fine, but I read one report that said that this variety had the best nutrition profile. Not enough difference to worry about if you have a mixed colony available in a local pond.

Duckweed needs still water to thrive, so it grows much better naturally in ponds than in streams. In my aquarium, it grows best away from the turbulence coming from my water filter. Duckweed grows by division, so there is no flowering/seed phase to reproduction.

Two days ago, I decided it was time to try giving some to my chickens for the first time as that 1 tbsp had grown to cover almost the entire aquarium. So I scooped most of it out and have been drying it. Based on today's comments, I decided to give some to the chickens and see what they thought. I'd call it partially dried at this point, but wanted to see what they thought.

Very early result: I give my chickens sprouted fodder greens as a supplement in fall/winter when fresh greens aren't as available and they've been happily eating that for the last two weeks. This morning, I gave them the mostly dried duckweed instead. One nibbled, one seemed to like it and the other five looked at it and didn't even try it.

I added the fodder on top of the duckweed and the nibbler ate some more, but the others mostly ignored the duckweed. Introducing new foods can be problematic, so I'm definitely not deterred. I'll be looking for more ways to mix the duckweed into their food to see if I can find a way that they will accept.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

I have found that adding a little dried milk powder to the milk at the early stages of making yogurt gives the finished product a nice, firm texture.

Great to know. I have both and will have to try this.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

On duckweed: I'm a little ahead of some of you, but definitely still on the learning curve. I found out about duckweed about a year ago when a lot of people started talking about alternate ways to feed chickens instead of commercial feed as the supply chains were struggling.

Duckweed (and Azola- another small water plant) both came up as high-protein plants that some people feed to chickens and ducks. In all cases, it is only used as part of the feed, not a sole or even primary feed ingredient.

I purchased 1 tablespoon of pure Lemna Minor (smallest form of duckweed) from eBay and grew it in my aquarium. Duckweed in the wild or even from many sellers is often mixed types, which is fine, but I read one report that said that this variety had the best nutrition profile. Not enough difference to worry about if you have a mixed colony available in a local pond.

Duckweed needs still water to thrive, so it grows much better naturally in ponds than in streams. In my aquarium, it grows best away from the turbulence coming from my water filter. Duckweed grows by division, so there is no flowering/seed phase to reproduction.

Two days ago, I decided it was time to try giving some to my chickens for the first time as that 1 tbsp had grown to cover almost the entire aquarium. So I scooped most of it out and have been drying it. Based on today's comments, I decided to give some to the chickens and see what they thought. I'd call it partially dried at this point, but wanted to see what they thought.

Very early result: I give my chickens sprouted fodder greens as a supplement in fall/winter when fresh greens aren't as available and they've been happily eating that for the last two weeks. This morning, I gave them the mostly dried duckweed instead. One nibbled, one seemed to like it and the other five looked at it and didn't even try it.

I added the fodder on top of the duckweed and the nibbler ate some more, but the others mostly ignored the duckweed. Introducing new foods can be problematic, so I'm definitely not deterred. I'll be looking for more ways to mix the duckweed into their food to see if I can find a way that they will accept.

Off the top of my head, and what little reading I’ve done so far, it strikes me the same as alfalfa. Great added to a more complete feed. I really wonder about the fiber? Does it push it too high to feed in any large portions? I’m looking into that. I find it interesting that is has such high protein but test show no weight gain. I’m wondering can they access all of the protein? Still seems like a promising addition.

I’m glad you tried and thanks for showing that. Can you keep us posted on progress? If you get your chickens to eat it, like it, how it goes?

I’m at a real disadvantage with my flock. I guess why I’m spending so much time researching before I try anything. Half of them have some issue or another. It’s like their health has to be optimal or they react really badly. The MG, the infections. I have one hen who starts feather picking if her diet is off at all. I feel like I can’t make any errors. They are so sensitive. I’m probably crazy for going to so much trouble, but I really enjoy each one of them.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

I have found an old thread about this in case anyone else hadn’t read it:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/feeding-duckweed-to-layers.336934/

From what I can find it has low fiber and little non digestible nutrients.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I’m at a real disadvantage with my flock. I guess why I’m spending so much time researching before I try anything. Half of them have some issue or another. It’s like their health has to be optimal or they react really badly. The MG, the infections. I have one hen who starts feather picking if her diet is off at all. I feel like I can’t make any errors. They are so sensitive. I’m probably crazy for going to so much trouble, but I really enjoy each one of them.

A suggestion. Put out any new feed, or altered feed, free choice alongside their regular feed. Experiments done in the 40's and 50's show that given free choice of all ingredients, chicks will eat as much as they need of each. Not treat stuff, but regular feed. I wouldn't try this with corn or mealworms, for example.

People make the assumption that all birds are the same, but just like people they have different genetics and dietary needs. The highly inbred groups are probably pretty homogeneous, but we still have to let their needs dictate. The production breeds need higher amounts of some nutrients, the full feathered breeds, the jungle fowl, and so on.

Along with their regular feed put out a certain ingredient free choice. After a couple weeks, when the novelty wears off, see how much has been eaten. Let them regulate their own diet to the extent possible.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

A suggestion. Put out any new feed, or altered feed, free choice alongside their regular feed. Experiments done in the 40's and 50's show that given free choice of all ingredients, chicks will eat as much as they need of each. Not treat stuff, but regular feed. I wouldn't try this with corn or mealworms, for example.

People make the assumption that all birds are the same, but just like people they have different genetics and dietary needs. The highly inbred groups are probably pretty homogeneous, but we still have to let their needs dictate. The production breeds need higher amount of some nutrients, the full feathered breeds, the jungle fowl, and so on.

Along with their regular feed put out a certain ingredient free choice. After a couple weeks, when the novelty wears off, see how much has been eaten. Let them regulate their own diet to the extent possible.

Thank you, that is a good idea.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you, that is a good idea.

It is a good idea but for me it raises a question. You'll only know how much of a food item the flock is eating, but not how much any individual bird is eating. Would this matter to you?

 

[Chickeeaholic]

It is a good idea but for me it raises a question. You'll only know how much of a food item the flock is eating, but not how much any individual bird is eating. Would this matter to you?

Yes it would matter. I was thinking of this too. Certain food items some will eat too much. The fish meal is something I put out a few times in a small quantity durning molt to see what they thought. The head hen dominated the tray and gobbled it up. When she’s done she’ll move on and others can have some but I can see a problem.

I use to have one who ate way too much corn. I give it before roost time in winter. It was obvious she was eating too much.

I do see both sides. I have witnessed them just taking what they need then leaving it alone. Oyster shells are a great example of this. It’s something I’m considering.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I do see both sides. I have witnessed them just taking what they need then leaving it alone. Oyster shells are a great example of this. It’s something I’m considering.

Which is why I suggested a trial period of two weeks. Give them a chance to get past the novelty. Once they don't see it as a special thing any longer, true evaluations can be made.

 

[TooCheep]

I do see both sides. I have witnessed them just taking what they need then leaving it alone. Oyster shells are a great example of this. It’s something I’m considering.

Which is why I suggested a trial period of two weeks. Give them a chance to get past the novelty. Once they don't see it as a special thing any longer, true evaluations can be made.

Sounds like a good setup. Some foods are more like candy (tasty, high calories, but little nutrition) and may need external moderation. I believe most other things that are higher in important nutrients, but not exceptionally tasty, will be more likely to be eaten as their bodies require it.

And yes @Chickeeaholic, I'll keep people posted on how I'm progressing with duckweed. I did my research about a year ago, but as I recall no one used it for more than 10% of their overall feed. I have no idea how they mixed their feeds, so that's why I started with direct feeding. I'm sure not everything in commercial pellet feed would be desired by chickens if offered straight up, but are only included to balance nutrients.

I was interested in duckweed because when you try to feed your chickens outside of commercial feed, protein (and in particular Lysine and Methionine amino acids) is harder to come by and duckweed, azolla, mealworms and black soldier fly larva were some of the easier sources that you could produce at home.

I'll go back out and re-search for some of those research links and drop them in this thread for anyone interested.