Anyone NOT feeding commercial pelleted/mash feed to your layers?

[shortstaque]

Quote:
What is the reason for doing this? I can understand it if the birds are allowed to free range though.

I'm not sure, but I think this might be the statement by Resolution to which dsc6 refers:

"I end up putting out only as much feed as the birds can eat in a few hours twice a day. This can also be accomplished by putting food out after dark so that the birds eat first thing in the morning and again a few hours later when you get up. If there is any feed left in the foraging table trays - don't feed anything else, unless its something like cooked sweet potatoes, kitchen trimmings and more of the same." https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=414059&p=2

 

[HeritageHens]

Thank you for pointing me to the original material.

I'm with you, ON.

 

[Organics North]

shortstaque,
Interesting thread.. Thanks for the link.

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Feeding dog food and scratch..only twice a day... The chicken pictured is free ranging. I personally would not limit feed to birds that are not free ranging. Chickens eat that is what they do.!
I am sure they poop less, and I 100% agree the garbage in some commercial feeds makes for lots of gross poop!

Yes I do find a more natural grain diet high in soy free protein does make for less poop that is more solid and less smelly.

My winter flock is 26 birds. I use poop boards. I scrape up 1 dust pan full of poop in the AM.

Yes food to egg conversion and efficiency is a priority to me.. But I would never want to sacrifice egg production for the sake of saving feed!

ON

 

[shortstaque]

HeritageHens and ON, thanks for your input.

I agree that I want my girls to have everything they need available to them when they need it. The whole point for me is that I want them to be able to use what I am feeding them. By that I mean I want there to be real nutrients and not fillers going into their bodies. I think that soy is being fed because it is cheap and we are told that it is a high quality protein.

Lots of this IMO is propaganda shoved down our throats, by the big agrabusinesses who are trying to make a profit at the small farmer's and the American public's expense (via subsidies). I could go on but I think its a topic for a different thread. I just watched The Future of Food last night, so I'm still hot on the subject. The Montsantos of this world make me sick.

Back to my original point, soy is used as a cheap protein source, that is not necesarily good for chickens. At this point so much research is being funded by those that stand to benefit, that I don't trust the research anymore. (oops there I go again, down off my soapbox

) So ON, I believe your personal testimony that your birds are thriving on freshly ground grains and sprouted grains, more than I can swallow scientific liturature funded by the big guns telling me that the pelleted ration is the perfect food for my chickens.

 

[Organics North]

agreed! 100%

I have learned a lot from the good folks of BYC... This forum is a good medium to share ideas, successes and mistakes..

ON

 

[Cindy in PA]

Quote:
Great info, thanks. I'd be interested to hear how your chickens do over time on the whole grains and legumes. Do you now, or are you looking into sprouting any of their ration in the future? Do you find that they pick out some things and leave others behind?

Ultimately I'd like to grow a good bit of their feed grains, seeds, and legumes myself, but in the meantime I'd like to find more local sources.

Yes, the birds do have favorites in the seeds! Originally my LF cleaned up everything I put out. After 2 weeks they started leaving some peas & I started to get worried. Now after 4 weeks they seem to eat most everything, but do leave some peas from time to time. I just don't fill up the feeder as fast & the peas disappear eventually. I feed all my seeds whole right now. I am not opposed to grinding the peas, but it shouldn't be necessary. My bantams seem to not eat any peas, so right now they are finishing up the no soy feed from the farmer. They are the ones that had peas in the past, my LF did not. I am only feeding corn with my 4 grain scratch, as the cracked corn seems to be their least favorite. When using the ready made no soy mash I would find tons of corn under the feeders in both coops. I have sprouted wheat in the past & have thought of sprouting some peas, but haven't gotten to it yet this year. As far as co-ops in the area, can't think of any off hand.

 

[kduncan51]

This is all very interesting! I am trying to get my chickens off the ready made pellets and crumble. I bought a bag of oats, and also one of rolled oats. I don't know which is better.

I have also purchased a bag of BOSS and my chickens have learned to love them! They love chicken scratch, and also fruit and veggies. They will also eat fresh fish as well as chicken soup!

The crazy canabals!

Instead of oyster shells I give them their own egg shells and stomp on the shells so that they crush. Not sure if I am doing right by them, but I am learning, and appriciate any feed back. I also give them Bil-Jac dog food sometimes which is mostly chicken and corn.

I do not see why you would feed them peas, though. Isn't that just a protein source? And wouldn't they be getting that from the fish meal? Thanks for any advice!

 

[shortstaque]

Quote:
This is all just based on my layman's understanding of the topic. I think the important thing is to feed them a diverse ration. The more different kinds of grains, seeds, legumes and other protein sources that they eat, the better the chance that they are getting all of the required nutrients. As far as legumes vs. fish meal for protein, it is very important that they get all the amino acids (protein building blocks) in a large enough quantity. Just like humans, chickens require a specified amount of protein daily to ensure the proper growth and maintainance of muscle mass, additionally they require the protein needed to go into their daily egg. Where the protein comes from is less important than making sure the combination of your sources fulfills their requirements in this regard. (That said some sources may have other drawbacks, soy comes to mind) In my case, I'm trying to keep my sources local, and grow my own if I can. I'd consider growing non-GMO seeds, grains, and legumes, but I'm not prepared at this time to grow fish. I have no problems feeding fish to chickens, they are omnivores, but how many chickens do you know would catch and eat a fish, vs. how many chickens do you know that would glean the beans, grains and seeds out of your garden or a field? That's just my opinion. I may very well end up feeding fishmeal as a portion of my ration who knows. I'm still in the research stage myself. Sometimes I tend to overthink things.

 

[kduncan51]

I see . Well then I guess bugs, slugs, small amphibians and small rodents would be the best protein sources. And I suppose they would be in abundant quantities in the natural habitat that the chicken originated from.

 

[SeattleChickenHead]

SHORTSTAQUE:: congrats on your FUTURE OF FOOD viewing, it can be a life changing movie to watch.....5 yrs ago I saw it for the first time on a full stomach of conventional "hamburger helper"....No details but I got very physicall ill half way thru! And I love(d) hamburger helper!

This movie along with a few other documentaries from this past decade I can think of should be handed out freely! because of how the system works most people havent even heard of this movie! Thats what happens when the FDA, mosanto, the CFR, the trilateral commision, reuters, the associated press, paramount, sony, citibank, goldman-sax, and a LONG laundry list of other crooks are all in profit sharing- bed together....most people dont realize the USA has been in debt since the "war" of 1812 either!

3 other good movies nobody knows about:: KING KORN, FOOD INC., WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE THEY SPRAYING? i think they are all on youtube in parts

free your mind