Switching Feed

[Cdb235]

We currently have a flock of five chickens ranging in age from 8-13 weeks. We’re getting to the point where we’re going to stop the purina non-medicated starter feed and give them our home made feed consisting of black oil sunflower seeds, whole corn, whole oats, flax seed, and white millet. My question is, do y’all think this new homemade feed will be okay to give the youngest chick, which is currently 8 weeks (by the time we start the new feed she’ll be 11 weeks)? Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@U_Stormcrow

 

[Brooks_]

Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

I would advise to stick with commercial feed. It is unlikely that your home made feed will come close nutritionally or cost.

 

[EddieSalita]

They might survive. But they won't thrive, and they will likely develop significant deficiencies prior to maturity.....if that's the entirety of what you will be feeding them.
Save yourself money, and your chickens health. Feed them a good pullet grower with some shell grit in a separate container until they start laying. Then switch to a layer feed. Assuming they are laying birds. That way they will get the micro and macro nutrients that decades of experience and research has determined gives the best outcome for the health and productivity of your birds.

If you want to do something good for them. Grow them some fodder plants, mealworms etc.... but those few grains are inadequate to say the least. As for why that is, this forum is a gold mine on the nutritional needs of chickens, and why scratch grains are not food. Why not do a bit of reading on the extensive catalogue of articles and posts.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

We currently have a flock of five chickens ranging in age from 8-13 weeks. We’re getting to the point where we’re going to stop the purina non-medicated starter feed and give them our home made feed consisting of black oil sunflower seeds, whole corn, whole oats, flax seed, and white millet. My question is, do y’all think this new homemade feed will be okay to give the youngest chick, which is currently 8 weeks (by the time we start the new feed she’ll be 11 weeks)? Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

Honestly, I don't think your homemade feed is ok to give any of your birds.

Its not cheaper than a commercial blend, either. Have you looked at the cost of flax and white millet lately?

If you have an actual recipe, not an ingredient list, I'd be happy to run it through a calculator, but klnowing the base values for those ingredietns, I don't see how you can effectively combine them into even a minimiallly nutritious feed.