Chicken Feed Ideas

[DaisyDaGuicken]

So for when I go and feed my chickens, I feed then rice, and corn and some egg maker's feed. I mainly feed rice, and corn is just like a treat sometimes. The chickens usually lay eggs when I feed rice, but is there like any other food that I can feed my chickens with? I know one of my chickens is picky, and only takes a few bits of rice and then goes digging. I try to out some corn inside some rice, but she just ends up picking the corn out and not touching the rice. She is very skinny and I hope to see her grow stronger because she is also one of our egg makers. What do ya'll usually feed?

 

[RebeccaRN]

I feed this its a micro pellet and grain mix. I get it from my local feed store

 

[333113]

Purina Layena pellets or crumble, plus occasional access to pasture (I probably don't want to know everything they eat there!)
.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Pullets seven to eighteen weeks of age should be fed 17% to 18% protein. After nineteen weeks of age and throughout their egg-laying cycle, hens need about 16% protein. When molting, the protein should be increased to about 20%.

While I appreciate your desire to reduce the cost of feeding your flock, in the long run the plan backfires.

Rice is less than 3% protein.
Corn is typically about 7% protein.
As you can see, both of these grains negatively affect the perfectly balanced for chickens "egg maker's feed". Over time this will be detrimental to your flock, in their growth, health, and the viability of hatching eggs. A hen cannot put more life-giving nutrition into an egg than she herself possesses. It's great that you are able to supplement them with free ranging. You need to limit (read that as severely limit) low protein additions to their diet (the rice and corn and any other treats) to less than 10% of their overall diet to avoid the complications that can arise from it.

Your picky hen realizes she's not getting enough protein and is only interested in eating the highest protein items that are on offer.

 

[NatJ]

So for when I go and feed my chickens, I feed then rice, and corn and some egg maker's feed.

What country do you live in?
I live in the USA, and here it's common to just buy a bag of feed labeled "layer feed" and give the chickens only that, plus water.

I know one of my chickens is picky, and only takes a few bits of rice and then goes digging. I try to out some corn inside some rice, but she just ends up picking the corn out and not touching the rice. She is very skinny and I hope to see her grow stronger because she is also one of our egg makers.

She might be digging for worms or bugs, which are also good for chickens to eat. Bugs and worms have more protein than rice or corn, and chickens need lots of protein to make eggs (because eggs have a lot of protein).

About her being skinny--some chickens just are that way. The best egg layers often are skinny. So I don't know if she needs more food or not.

 

[DaisyDaGuicken]

What country do you live in?
I live in the USA, and here it's common to just buy a bag of feed labeled "layer feed" and give the chickens only that, plus water.



She might be digging for worms or bugs, which are also good for chickens to eat. Bugs and worms have more protein than rice or corn, and chickens need lots of protein to make eggs (because eggs have a lot of protein).

About her being skinny--some chickens just are that way. The best egg layers often are skinny. So I don't know if she needs more food or not.

Thanks! My chickens don't enjoy to eat the layer feed and I'm also in the USA, and I'm still trying to find out what foods are good for them.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Thanks! My chickens don't enjoy to eat the layer feed and I'm also in the USA, and I'm still trying to find out what foods are good for them.

What type of layer feed have you given them? Crumble (pellets which were crushed), mash (all the feed blended together in a soft almost powder-like consistency), mini pellets, full-sized pellets, or whole grain? My birds certainly prefer pellets, but I can assure you with 100% certainty that there is no chicken on this planet that will refuse to eat their food and starve themselves. If you provide the feed for them and don't give them treats, they will eat the feed, it may just take them time to get used to something new.

 

[DaisyDaGuicken]

Pullets seven to eighteen weeks of age should be fed 17% to 18% protein. After nineteen weeks of age and throughout their egg-laying cycle, hens need about 16% protein. When molting, the protein should be increased to about 20%.

While I appreciate your desire to reduce the cost of feeding your flock, in the long run the plan backfires.

Rice is less than 3% protein.
Corn is typically about 7% protein.
As you can see, both of these grains negatively affect the perfectly balanced for chickens "egg maker's feed". Over time this will be detrimental to your flock, in their growth, health, and the viability of hatching eggs. A hen cannot put more life-giving nutrition into an egg than she herself possesses. It's great that you are able to supplement them with free ranging. You need to limit (read that as severely limit) low protein additions to their diet (the rice and corn and any other treats) to less than 10% of their overall diet to avoid the complications that can arise from it.

Your picky hen realizes she's not getting enough protein and is only interested in eating the highest protein items that are on offer.

Thanks for the advice! I will try to find foods that are rich in protein that may help my hen. I'm planning on giving them some mealworms each day, and maybe some fish and other meat as well. I'll try to introduce some other grains to them once I get my hands on some more.

 

[DaisyDaGuicken]

What type of layer feed have you given them? Crumble (pellets which were crushed), mash (all the feed blended together in a soft almost powder-like consistency), mini pellets, full-sized pellets, or whole grain? My birds certainly prefer pellets, but I can assure you with 100% certainty that there is no chicken on this planet that will refuse to eat their food and starve themselves. If you provide the feed for them and don't give them treats, they will eat the feed, it may just take them time to get used to something new.

I usually give crumble, I will try to feed them just layer feed. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Tonyroo]

This is to give a variety of whole foods and is ONLY for treats, there regular daily food should be high protein chicken pellets or crumbles.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...—the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens.47738/