Combo of Whole Grains or Feed

[19disbre]

So i just thought up an idea, I was thinking of fermenting 4 or 5 different type of whole grains instead of feed, how would this compare price wise whole grains should be cheaper than feed correct? Would this work, if not what nutrient would I be deficient in, they will be moved often in tractors and if I must I will feed mealwroms to get extra protein.

 

[matt44644]

Other than corn,the whole grains would cost more per/lb than feed.

 

[glib]

The diet will be good, specially if you also sprout a fraction of the corn for extra vitamins, and they also get grass and mealworms. Good for everything except methionine and lysine, unless you feed a whole lot of worms, or your grass has a lot of legumes in it. Methionine is always a problem, if you can give them back egg whites (I only eat the yolks, which have all the minerals and vitamins, and none of the lectins) it will help, but typically there are only three sources: meat of any sort, legume leaves, and egg whites. Methionine does a lot to stimulate growth, adult humans should avoid it, but for youngsters of any species it is the ticket.

 

[19disbre]

oops forgot to mention they're meat birds, but they really are more expensive than feed? hmm

 

[1muttsfan]

It would be best if you thoroughly researched which grains to use in the mix, and what additional feed you will have to give them to balance their diet, as no whole grain mix alone is going to supply all of their nutritional needs. Here is a place to start -

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/645057/fermented-feeds-anyone-using-them

 

[pdirt]

It's largely about volume. Feed companies can sell at the prices they do because they buy the base ingredients tons at a time. If you go into a feed store and buy a few hundred pounds, you're simply going to pay a higher price. The only reason I see for formulating your own feed is to produce a feed you can't buy.

 

[glib]

But when you really get down to the basics, corn and alfalfa alone are very close to a complete diet, if the corn is available both fermented and sprouted. A bit of grass and a bit of worms, and you got everything covered. specially the worms, they don't do well on a vegan diet.

 

[Chris09]

But when you really get down to the basics, corn and alfalfa alone are very close to a complete diet, if the corn is available both fermented and sprouted. A bit of grass and a bit of worms, and you got everything covered. specially the worms, they don't do well on a vegan diet.

Not really.

Chickens have a had time digesting tough fibrous material like alfalfa and don't get a lot of nutrition out of it.
Most available alfalfa meal is 17% protein, corn 8% and worm 12% protein your end feed is going to be a low protein mix that will be less than ideal for poultry and far from a complete diet.

 

[glib]

Then replace alfalfa with something less fibrous, like clover.

 

[glib]

PS. I had no idea that mealworms are only 12% proteins though, and I was thinking in terms of fresh food (alfalfa live plants), not meal. BSF larvae are 40% proteins dry weight and I assumed mealworms are too.