Homemade feed questions?

[LindaB220]

I make up a batch (which includes our leftover table scraps so variations on the theme does exist) and keep it refrigerated till all gone 3 to 5 days depending, I suppose, on what they scratch up for themselves whilst free ranging all day for great big palmetto bugs and sundry beetles etc. I feed them at dawn around 7.00AM, and dusk just before sunset. They certainly seem to prefer the mix over straight pellets or scratch grains. I have the time to indulge my pets (5 chickens and 3 goats) I am relatively new at chicken care ,is there anything in my recipe that one should not feed chickens? They look very healthy and are lively and very friendly. My 2 Cinnamon Queens often jump up on my lap where we cluck at each other, just being chatty

1 .5 lbs Nutrena 'layer' chicken pellets
1/2 pint mixed grains Nutrena All Grain (horse food)
1 large grated potato
2 med grated carrots
1 large finely chopped onion
1 stalk chopped celery
1 chopped green bell pepper
1/2 pint cut with scissors(about 1/2 inch lengths) grass
1/2 pint bread crumbs (from my stale bread)
6 chopped up seedless grapes
8 oz bag thawed blueberries (skins too tough for human consumption)
4 oz grated suet
6-8 oz chopped or ground chicken, suet, beef, kielbasa, ham etc

That's a lot of effort that you put into feeding your babies. You must really love them.

Let us know how they thrive. Usually adding a lot of veggies lowers the protein % too low, but I see you have kept it up by adding your meat protein. Mine are not able to free range because to too many predators and I do ferment their feed so that helps a lot. I do give them meat and veggies about 2 x a week. Good luck.

 

[Noobie farmer]

I make up a batch (which includes our leftover table scraps so variations on the theme does exist) and keep it refrigerated till all gone 3 to 5 days depending, I suppose, on what they scratch up for themselves whilst free ranging all day for great big palmetto bugs and sundry beetles etc. I feed them at dawn around 7.00AM, and dusk just before sunset. They certainly seem to prefer the mix over straight pellets or scratch grains. I have the time to indulge my pets (5 chickens and 3 goats) I am relatively new at chicken care ,is there anything in my recipe that one should not feed chickens? They look very healthy and are lively and very friendly. My 2 Cinnamon Queens often jump up on my lap where we cluck at each other, just being chatty

1 .5 lbs Nutrena 'layer' chicken pellets
1/2 pint mixed grains Nutrena All Grain (horse food)
1 large grated potato
2 med grated carrots
1 large finely chopped onion
1 stalk chopped celery
1 chopped green bell pepper
1/2 pint cut with scissors(about 1/2 inch lengths) grass
1/2 pint bread crumbs (from my stale bread)
6 chopped up seedless grapes
8 oz bag thawed blueberries (skins too tough for human consumption)
4 oz grated suet
6-8 oz chopped or ground chicken, suet, beef, kielbasa, ham etc

I hear stuff like onions can make eggs taste gamey.

 

[Noobie farmer]

I also feed mine a lot of wild grapes, wild strawberries, blueberries from my garden, table scraps, clover flowers, june bugs, carpenter bees, etc. etc. I also harvest handfuls every day of Yellow woodsorrel. This stuff, they LOVE it, especially with fruits:






https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalis_stricta

 

[chick n goat ma]

I hear stuff like onions can make eggs taste gamey.

I wouldn't know about that (yet) as they are just 16 weeks old and haven't blessed me with an egg yet. I'm a noobie too as far as keeping chicken's is concerned. If they do turn out gamy I'll be sure to post it here

 

[SavageDestiny]

I wouldn't know about that (yet) as they are just 16 weeks old and haven't blessed me with an egg yet. I'm a noobie too as far as keeping chicken's is concerned. If they do turn out gamy I'll be sure to post it here

The problem with onions is that they cause anemia. Please stop feeding them to your chickens.

 

[Chris09]

All members of the Allium family can cause Anemia in many animals if overly feed.

*Allium family include Onions, Garlic, Chives etc.

I would also take out the Potatoes, Celery, Peppers, Suet and Kielbasa.

 

[chick n goat ma]

All members of the Allium family can cause Anemia in many animals if overly feed.



*Allium family include Onions, Garlic, Chives etc.



I would also take out the Potatoes, Celery, Peppers, Suet and Kielbasa.

Why would you not feed potatoes, celery etc? I add one chopped onion to feed for 5 chickens spread over 3- 5 days, do you think that is too much

 

[Chris09]

Why would you not feed potatoes, celery etc? I add one chopped onion to feed for 5 chickens spread over 3- 5 days, do you think that is too much

Most are brining down the nutritional value of the over all feed.

The suet, is just a fat product that chickens don't really need.
Kielbasa sold at most stores is just a mix of meat, fat, seasoning, and preservatives. It is also high in salt.
The celery and peppers have a lot of fiber that is hard to digest and some is untestable.
Potatoes in there undried form are high in starch and also hard to digest.

 

[chick n goat ma]

Thanks Chris09 , I will take the information you give under consideration. I do notice tho' how my chickens are much more enthusiastic about the food I make up for them than when I was feeding them straight layer pellets/ They finish it all now so are still getting the same amount of pellets plus the other stuff I add..the major ingredient is still the pellets, I am getting conflicting information from different chicken keepers and being as I am a novice I find it quite confusing..

 

[Chris09]

Thanks Chris09 , I will take the information you give under consideration. I do notice tho' how my chickens are much more enthusiastic about the food I make up for them than when I was feeding them straight layer pellets/ They finish it all now so are still getting the same amount of pellets plus the other stuff I add..the major ingredient is still the pellets, I am getting conflicting information from different chicken keepers and being as I am a novice I find it quite confusing..

What conflicting information.
I know that there is a ton of information out there some good and some not so good. The one thing that a lot of people forget or just don't know is that chickens eat to fill there caloric needs meaning when that need is met there eating stops weather or not they get all there nutritional needs.

Now before someone comes on and says that I'm downing a homemade feed mix, I'm not.
I'v had poultry and livestock for 30+ years and within those years I have done my fare share of mixing feed from scratch and having a home mix.