Chick starter recipe

[Kimberly4403]

Ok so ive decided to maybe do the first recipe listed on the site with a few changes as it will have more amino acids due to the fish meal.

7 cups oats
5 cups wheat
3vcups red split lentils
1 cup BOSS or hulled sunflower seeds
1.5 cups fish meal
2tbs molasses
1/4 cup kelp
2 tbs nutritional yeast (has a higher B vitamins then brewers yeast)

To add in a bit more animal protein i was thinking of swapping out 1 cup of lentils for 1 cup ground mealworms it shouldnt change protein content too much..id like to add in some flax or sesame seeds and possibly some oregano and cayenne. I will mix in some cod liver oil daily

 

[ShanandGem]

Ok so ive decided to maybe do the first recipe listed on the site with a few changes as it will have more amino acids due to the fish meal.

7 cups oats
5 cups wheat
3vcups red split lentils
1 cup BOSS or hulled sunflower seeds
1.5 cups fish meal
2tbs molasses
1/4 cup kelp
2 tbs nutritional yeast (has a higher B vitamins then brewers yeast)

To add in a bit more animal protein i was thinking of swapping out 1 cup of lentils for 1 cup ground mealworms it shouldnt change protein content too much..id like to add in some flax or sesame seeds and possibly some oregano and cayenne. I will mix in some cod liver oil dail

Sesame is an excellent choice, as is pumpkin seeds. I grind my pumpkin seeds in a blender first so they're not so big. Both are good sources of methionine and lysine, which are hard to find in vegetarian sources.
Too much cod liver oil can cause vitamin a toxicity, which is as dangerous as too little. I used the highly scientific method of standing on my bathroom scale first without my bucket of feed and then with it to get an accurate weight.

And I would still recommend grinding the whole mix in a blender to make the bits small for chicks.

 

[Kimberly4403]

Sesame is an excellent choice, as is pumpkin seeds.  I grind my pumpkin seeds in a blender first so they're not so big.  Both are good sources of methionine and lysine, which are hard to find in vegetarian sources.
Too much cod liver oil can cause vitamin a toxicity, which is as dangerous as too little.  I used the highly scientific method of standing on my bathroom scale first without my bucket of feed and then with it to get an accurate weight. 

And I would still recommend grinding the whole mix in a blender to make the bits small for chicks.

Yes i read that about cod liver oili want to add it fresh though rather than mix it through my whole grain mix how much would i add just a couple of drops a small drizzle, teaspoon full? And would i add it daily or every other day, twice a week?

And yes i will be grinding it all down and may even soak or ferment it too to increase vitamin and mineral availability and uptake.

Ok what about this recipe can someone tell me if my amino acid levels etc protein and ratios are good:

7 cups oats
5 cups wheat
2 cups red split lentils
1 cup BOSS or sunflower seeds
1.5 cups fish meal
2tbs molasses
1/4 cup kelp
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs cayenne
1 cup ground dried mealworms
1 cup flax seed
1 cup sesame
1 cup pumpkin seeds

Im pritty sure my protein levels are still around 20-22% but not sure if my fat and calcium levels are too high can anyone help me with that? All these ingredients will be organic GMO free and I have most of these in bulk already as i use these seeds and grains etc daily

 

[Weehopper]

Umm, not meaning to be disrespectful, but just s you know, Feed with GMO ingredients (usually corn) has never, ever been scientifically proven to do any harm to either animals or humans. If it did, we'd have a whole bunch of dead people, and animals on our hands. You would probably be very hard put to find any non GMO corn, or rice. Also, the word, organic, is basically, meaningless. You can specify no preservatives, and no antibiotics, etc. anyway, unless you are a feed Specialest, you are far better off feeding a well balanced commercial chicken food. You can specify no medication, preservatives, and the like.

 

[Kimberly4403]

Umm, not meaning to be disrespectful, but just s you know, Feed with GMO ingredients (usually corn) has never, ever been scientifically proven to do any harm to either animals or humans. If it did, we'd have a whole bunch of dead people, and animals on our hands. You would probably be very hard put to find any non GMO corn, or rice. Also, the word, organic, is basically, meaningless. You can specify no preservatives, and no antibiotics, etc. anyway, unless you are a feed Specialest, you are far better off feeding a well balanced commercial chicken food. You can specify no medication, preservatives, and the like.

Its ok and your probably true but we dont eat corn or soy products as we have an intolerance to it and im not wanting to eat genetically modified foods.. We grow our own vegetables pesticide, preservative etc free and i dont want to feed my chooks this either hence the need to make my own mix. Ive read a lot of different recipes on this forum and lots do make there own feeds so thats what i would like to do and thats why im asking for advice before i make it and before i get my chicks

 

[Weehopper]

I hear ya. Well, you couldn't be in a better place to find out about feeds and feeding. These folks here know their stuff. Keep us informed as to how it's working for you. Good luck.

 

[ShanandGem]

Yes i read that about cod liver oili want to add it fresh though rather than mix it through my whole grain mix how much would i add just a couple of drops a small drizzle, teaspoon full? And would i add it daily or every other day, twice a week?

And yes i will be grinding it all down and may even soak or ferment it too to increase vitamin and mineral availability and uptake.

Ok what about this recipe can someone tell me if my amino acid levels etc protein and ratios are good:

7 cups oats
5 cups wheat
2 cups red split lentils
1 cup BOSS or sunflower seeds
1.5 cups fish meal
2tbs molasses
1/4 cup kelp
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs cayenne
1 cup ground dried mealworms
1 cup flax seed
1 cup sesame
1 cup pumpkin seeds

Im pritty sure my protein levels are still around 20-22% but not sure if my fat and calcium levels are too high can anyone help me with that? All these ingredients will be organic GMO free and I have most of these in bulk already as i use these seeds and grains etc daily

Once you buy the cod liver oil, read the label to see how many IU (International units) of vitamin A it contains per teaspoon. Each brand is a little different.
If you plan on adding it daily, you need to know how much feed you are going to feed each day. You want it to contain 3000-4000 IU per lb. That's a perfect supplementation rate.
I mix my dry feed up to 3 days ahead of time and add the cod liver oil when I make it. I keep it in a sealed plastic container and I don't think it's going to degrade much in just a few days. I mix the same amount of feed each time and I know it weighs 14 lbs, so I know how much cod liver oil to add. It takes a little trial and error but you'll get the hang of it.

 

[Kimberly4403]

That makes it so much easier to understand thanks so do you think my recipe is lacking or has too mucg of something? Id be happy mixing 3 days supply but it will be hard to determine how much they will eat to start with

 

[ShanandGem]

That makes it so much easier to understand thanks so do you think my recipe is lacking or has too mucg of something? Id be happy mixing 3 days supply but it will be hard to determine how much they will eat to start with

I actually really like your recipe, I think you've done a good job. You may find alfalfa pellets are cheaper than the kelp. And I would leave out the mealwoms so you can feed them as a treat to bond with your birds.
I put about 1/2- 3/4 tsp sea salt in a similar amount of dry feed.

 

[Kimberly4403]

Would Himalayan pinm rock salt work too?