Corn, Wheat/Gluten Free DIY feed

[aseatmon]

I’m just getting into the whole BYC world because my wife wants chickens for Valentine’s Day. This isn’t a “Christmas puppy” situation—we understand it’s a long‑term commitment.

I know this has been asked before, but I haven’t found an answer I really understand, so I’m asking again. My wife wants to feed a corn‑free diet because of something she read about our son’s corn allergy and corn proteins showing up in eggs. I don’t fully understand the science, but she is 100% committed to this.

On top of that, my wife and daughter both have Celiac and can get very sick from any wheat exposure. Our entire house is gluten‑free because I’m not willing to risk it. I’ve realized there really isn’t a commercial feed that meets those criteria, so I’m planning to mix my own. The problem is, almost every DIY recipe I find uses corn, wheat, or both as the main ingredient, which I assume is mostly for cost and availability.

I’ve seen people say “do your research and use a calculator,” but I’m honestly overwhelmed by the information out there, especially since nearly everything starts from a corn or wheat base. I’m hoping I can lean on the collective wisdom of this forum to help point me in the right direction.

Requirements:

• No corn, wheat, or barley
• Cost isn’t the main driver, but it does matter
• Ingredients need to be reasonably easy to source in Central Florida

Note: I know things like oats are often processed on shared equipment and might not be certified gluten‑free. My goal is to reduce the risk enough that my daughter can safely help care for the birds. There’s a big difference between “processed on shared equipment” and having wheat dust all over the place.

 

[nuthatched]

@U_Stormcrow
This is your neck of the woods, literally.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I’m just getting into the whole BYC world because my wife wants chickens for Valentine’s Day. This isn’t a “Christmas puppy” situation—we understand it’s a long‑term commitment.

I know this has been asked before, but I haven’t found an answer I really understand, so I’m asking again. My wife wants to feed a corn‑free diet because of something she read about our son’s corn allergy and corn proteins showing up in eggs. I don’t fully understand the science, but she is 100% committed to this.

On top of that, my wife and daughter both have Celiac and can get very sick from any wheat exposure. Our entire house is gluten‑free because I’m not willing to risk it. I’ve realized there really isn’t a commercial feed that meets those criteria, so I’m planning to mix my own. The problem is, almost every DIY recipe I find uses corn, wheat, or both as the main ingredient, which I assume is mostly for cost and availability.

I’ve seen people say “do your research and use a calculator,” but I’m honestly overwhelmed by the information out there, especially since nearly everything starts from a corn or wheat base. I’m hoping I can lean on the collective wisdom of this forum to help point me in the right direction.

Requirements:

• No corn, wheat, or barley
• Cost isn’t the main driver, but it does matter
• Ingredients need to be reasonably easy to source in Central Florida

Note: I know things like oats are often processed on shared equipment and might not be certified gluten‑free. My goal is to reduce the risk enough that my daughter can safely help care for the birds. There’s a big difference between “processed on shared equipment” and having wheat dust all over the place.

@aseatmon Welcome to BYC and GOOD LUCK on your chicken keeping journey. I am NOT an expert, this is NOT my day job. I am, however, paged to these sorts of questions because I've done some reading and actually built a calculator from scratch as a way of testing (some) of my understandings.

I work in an office, we'll call that work "law-adjacent". That means I have to start by being a downer.

1) The more I understand about feeding birds appropriately, the more I'm convinced "home brewing" recipes is not the way to go.
2) "Home brewing" involves accepting that "you just don't know". When I go to the store, I can look at a feed bag and be reasonably confident the contents meet or exceed the label disclosures. You can't do that with make at home.
3) Make at home is always more expensive - you don't enjoy the economies of scale that commercial producers do. The smaller your flock, the more that cost disparity becomes evident.
4) Central Florida is not, unfortunately, "chicken country" - while its not a desert, you don't have major chicken ops, or major mills close to you. That will affect (greatly limit) feed ingredient options.
5) I usually suggest those w/ serious gluten allergies (the sort that dust becomes a concern) simply not keep chickens - because it is so ubiquitous in feed.

Now, if you are still convinced this is the thing to do, become I can think about helping, I need to know a few more things...

How many birds?
What breed/breeds? (or what purpose)
Just hens, or roos too?
What ages? (only adult birds, raising hatchlings, mixed - and do you intend to hatch replacements?)
What farm/feed stores are near you??? or are you sourcing from Amazon and the Grocery Market?
Organic, non-GMO, or no particular requirement?
How do you feel about Soy?
How do you feel about animal proteins?
anything else I need to consider???
Free range? Caged?
What grains CAN you eat/tolerate??? (I have a so so understanding of Celiac's, you are the expert)

and yes, this isn't rocket science (I've done that too - see my Sig), but as you've already found, its not for novices, either. I'll try to find some time this weekend to whip something up. and yes, I think t here is a commercial option you could ship in which is both corn and wheat free, not sure if its barley free as well (I think so), but its also not very good nutritioally and quite expensive, even before shipping.

Will try and find some time this weekend.