corn-free feed recipe?

[brendapa]

Chris09- Thanks for the suggestion on the pigeon feed. I was able to find the clean breeder/conditioner. I'm hoping to use this instead of scratch but the little buggers won't eat it. I guess if they get hungry enough they will try it.
Do your chickens eat the peas? Mine kinda looked at them and walked away. Maybe crush them up? I'll probaly have to wean them off the corn scratch gradually.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
I have some that eat it and some that will let it in the feeder.
If there is any of the peas left from the morning feeding I skip there night feeding and by morning it is all gone.
Give them some time they will get use to it...
(the pea's are where all the protein's are at)

Chris

 

[greathorse]

I have a question regarding feeding with whole or cracked grains. Does that mean one is not able to feed free choice but needs to have the birds clean up the feed daily or twice a day? It seems the birds would select the grain most suitable to their palate and perhaps not get the balanced diet they need?

thanks

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
I myself don't feed a "all grain" feed. What I feed for the most part is a mix of Game bird feed (22% protein) and Pigeon Grain Mix (14% protein) at 70% Game bird feed 30% Pigeon Grain Mix that puts me at a 19% protein feed mix.
I soak the Pigeon Grain Mix over night then I drain the water then add the Game bird feed and mix it well then fill there feeder up with what will/ should last them until that night when I re-feed. If there is any Grain or feed left in the feeder at night I don't give any more feed till the next day and if it is all gone I will top off there feeder.

If I was to feed a "All Grain" diet I wouldn't full feed because like you said a bird could/ will pick out all the grains it likes and may not eat the grains it needs to...

*(Note after I do morning feeding I start soaking the grain that I will need for night feeding)*

Chris

 

[greathorse]

That is why your birds look so good. I may be too lazy for that regimen. I know it only takes a minute or two but one must also be organized. I am anything but that.

Maybe next year if I start to do some conditioning for shows. Thanks

 

[Organics North]

Peas,
I started out sprouting the whole field peas. Birds were leaving to many behind. So know I grind them up and mix them with the other small "powdery" ingredients.

I overnight soak or sprout their favorite whole grains (wheat, oats and BOSS) and mix it in with the powdery ingredients. The powdery then stick to the damp grains. This way the birds eat their peas..

(It sounds as if I am doing something similar to Chris, as a way to get the birds to eat the finner ingredients.)

I feed this dampened mix in a trough, morning and night, in limited amounts so they clean most of it up. The birds also have a dry 100% ground mix 24x7 in bulk feeders.

ON