100 pounds of flax seeds - Now what do I do???

[PurpleChicken]

My feed store had 300 pounds of Canadian brown whole flax seeds. Someone ordered them and never picked them up so the owner gave me 100 pounds for $24, a price well below her cost.

I've got 6 white breasted turkeys living with my 4 hens and they all eat layer feed, scratch, vegie scraps, rice, & whatever unsuspecting creature wanders into their run.

How much should I mix into their feed? Any other suggestions appreciated.

 

[kelliepulido]

wow what a deal!!I would say toss it in maybe 25lbs into your mix of 100lbs. I have flax seed that I toss in but sparingly since I pay so much for it at the super market.So each bowl of food I throw in about 4 tablespoons of flax that I mix with oatmeal and cornmeal and wheat germ and canola oil all into the layer mash bowl add water and the gang loves it some times I add a can of cat food too

 

[canada-goose]

IF this link worked (I typed it in by hand) it should take you to my favorite feed recipe. It should give you some ideas about proportions.
www.greenerpasturesfarm.com/ChickenFeedRecipe.html

 

[Akane]

Too much flaxseed results in odd to bad tasting eggs. 1/4th or 25lbs into 100 would be waaaaaaay too much. They'd probably eat around most of it at that rate anyway. The recipe on the site linked to it is only 1/2 part out of 19 parts total so 2% of the diet. That's 2lbs per 100lbs of feed.

I wonder if flaxseed could be offered free choice without the eggs tasting bad. Chickens do a pretty good job of selecting what they need when things are offered seperate from their feed. Maybe it doesn't even need mixed in.... I probably wouldn't mix it even if they did over eat free choice. I'd probably measure out what was needed daily and throw x number of cups into an extra feeder or I use those plastic pans for rabbit cages to put treats and feeders on. It would probably go well with the sunflower seeds I throw out every day in winter like that.

 

[cw]

you could sprout some as well

 

[Amyable]

We grind up flaxseed and put it in smoothies, breads, on roasts...not just for critters. It's very healthy. Are there different "grades" of flaxseed, though? Like human-grade and livestock-grade?

 

[Imp]

Flax seed can be sensitive to heat and light. Should be stored in a cool dark place, preferably a fridge. If you grind best to store in a feezer.

Imp- 100# Wow that's a lot. you're gonna have some heart healthy chickens

 

[AHappychick]

 

[PurpleChicken]

Hmm, good stuff.

It's livestock grade but isn't labeled as anything so I'm just assuming.

Bad tasting eggs? Glad you mentioned that.

Imp, I suppose I could plug the chest freezer back in and freeze all my food. I've got the 100 pounds of flax, 110 pounds of layer, and 40 of scratch.