Everyone, post your best homemade chicken feed recipes!

[kada6305]

What does everyone think of this recipe? If I did my math right protein is 17.44% They will also be getting free choice oyster shells. And free ranging on 5 acres.

25 lbs black oil sunflower seeds
20 lbs Alfalfa pellets
25lbs Whole Oats
25 lbs Cracked Corn
20 lbs Beat Pulp
10 lbs barely

 

[ShanandGem]

As someone who just lost a 4 week old cockerel and is probably going to lose another (while nursing a pullet back to health, touch wood) from spoiled commercial feed that looked and smelled perfectly fine, I can say with some certainty it will be some time before I buy a bag of feed store feed for my chickens again. I sprout wheat and grind my own feed (recipe varies per batch) with human grade ingredients. I won't ever have more than a couple dozen chickens so cost isn't really a big issue, and I have acres of grass for them to scratch in at least 6 months of the year.
I also recently started a mealworm farm, although it will be several months before that turns into anything.

 

[chickengr]

As someone who just lost a 4 week old cockerel and is probably going to lose another (while nursing a pullet back to health, touch wood) from spoiled commercial feed that looked and smelled perfectly fine, I can say with some certainty it will be some time before I buy a bag of feed store feed for my chickens again. I sprout wheat and grind my own feed (recipe varies per batch) with human grade ingredients. I won't ever have more than a couple dozen chickens so cost isn't really a big issue, and I have acres of grass for them to scratch in at least 6 months of the year.
I also recently started a mealworm farm, although it will be several months before that turns into anything.

sorry for your loss.

I soak whole corn when the chicks are about 2 months old so they learn to eat it. I also sprout wheat and barly and for proteins they eat bugs, worms etc and sometimes I boil eggs. a lot of greens (grass, weeds, veggies) as well. they are happy with that.

 

[tobystevensonjr]

For all of you trying to figure protein levels in your feed.
Do some research on Parsons Table. Its the only way to properly figure protein levels. All animal food goods are done using the table.
Protein and grains
Corn,wheat,oats,Milo are 4 grown in my area. The average protein of these mixed are 10%. You have to have a protein supplement. Sunflower,soymeal,field peas,flax seed. Parsons Table will tell you how to estimate the mixed amounts. I posted last May a mix I use for Cornish cross.

 

[Chris09]

For all of you trying to figure protein levels in your feed.
Do some research on Parsons Table. Its the only way to properly figure protein levels. All animal food goods are done using the table.
Protein and grains
Corn,wheat,oats,Milo are 4 grown in my area. The average protein of these mixed are 10%. You have to have a protein supplement. Sunflower,soymeal,field peas,flax seed. Parsons Table will tell you how to estimate the mixed amounts. I posted last May a mix I use for Cornish cross.

I don't know about where your at but most all bigger feed mfg.'s that I know use a software to figure a set batch of feed.
Also I believe your referring to the Parson's Square not Parson's Table and Sunflower Meal or Sunflower Expeller that is between 22% - 42% protein and not just plain Sunflowers (Black Oil Sunflower Seed or Striped Sunflower Seed) which has a protein amount of 15 to 18 percent.

The system that I use is simple, easy and used by some of the local mills that don't us a software plus you can use the same figuring for all relating to a set batch of feed (Proteins, Amino Acids, Fat, Energy, Vitamins, Minerals, etc..).

Example,
For example lets say your mixing 25 lbs. of Soybean meal and 75 lbs. Corn together and you want to know the ending protein amount.
(corn protein amount being 7.5% protein per 100 lbs. and the soybean meal protein amount being 48% protein per 100 lbs.)

Corn -
7.5% protein ÷ 100 lbs. = 0.075% protein per pound
0.075% per pound protein x 75 lbs. = 5.625% proteins

Soybean Meal -
48% protein ÷ 100 lbs. = 0.48% protein per pound
0.48% per pound protein x 25 lbs. = 12% proteins

5.625% proteins + 12% protein = 17.625 Total proteins...

 

[ShanandGem]

If corn is 7.5% protein, wouldn't it be 7.5% no matter if you ground one pound or one hundred? The math doesn't make sense.

 

[chickengr]

corn should have at least 9 % protein.

 

[Chris09]

If corn is 7.5% protein, wouldn't it be 7.5% no matter if you ground one pound or one hundred? The math doesn't make sense.

No because there is 7.5% protein per 100 lbs. of feed.
A chicken has to eat 100 lbs. of corn in order to get 7.5% protein.

Just the same if your feeding a 16% protein poultry feed, a chicken has to eat 100 lbs. of that poultry feed to receive 16% protein.

 

[ShanandGem]

No because there is 7.5% protein per 100 lbs. of feed.
A chicken has to eat 100 lbs. of corn in order to get 7.5% protein.

Just the same if your feeding a 16% protein poultry feed, a chicken has to eat 100 lbs. of that poultry feed to receive 16% protein.

...and if a chicken ate one pound of 16% protein poultry feed, they would still be consuming 16% protein'. The volume doesn't matter.

At one pound consumed, the chicken would have eaten 2.56 oz of protein. At 100 lbs consumed it would be 16 lbs. Either way, it's 16 %.

 

[Chris09]

corn should have at least 9 % protein.

According to Feedstuffs Analysis Table 2014
feedstuffs.com/.../10/Feedstuffs_RIBG_IngredientAnalysisTable2014.pdf

Corn, yellow, grain - 7.5% protein
Corn, high oil, grain - 8.4% protein