Everyone, post your best homemade chicken feed recipes!

[angidee]

I have mixed whole grain feed for my chickens as per a recipe, but I worry that I am not giving them a complete feed-one that contains all the vitamins and minerals necessary. They LOVED what I made them and I did find that by weight they eat less and wasted nothing! They do free range, but I remember when selecting my chickens some were listed as good foragers and some content with confinement (makes me wonder if their foraging skills are less than the others). So even with free ranging I wonder if they are getting everything they need -making a complete diet all the more necessary. I could be totally over worried, but after reading some of these forums it sounds like rocket science at times!

 

[Robotponys]

2 Cups corn meal
3 Cups soft white wheat/hard red wheat berry
1 Cup oat groats
1 Cup lentils
1 Cup dried seaweed
1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
1/4 Cup brewer's yeast
1/4 Cup Omega 3 supplements

This is untested so could someone tell me if it needs anything? It would be supplemented at the right times with crickets, mealworms, millet spray, kale (could the kale replace oyster shell if given daily?), grit, and other leftovers
Yes, i know this is a fairly old topic, but i need some help.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
I for one am very against artificial vitamins, but I love to feed kelp meal since there are some minerals/salt in there that I believe to be beneficial. Giving them greens too (like grass clippings VERY short, clover, alfalfa, and dandelion leaves) is very important with a homemixed diet I believe.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Opinions abound! But mine is that lentils should be sprouted or cooked before giving to poultry. I feed raw split peas, as they are supposed to have fewer anti-nutrients. I know some do feed lentils raw. This is just my personal opinion...I don't know what the experts say.

If you would like to see what I do, you can see my BYC page. If you can get ingredients at the feed store it is usually cheaper...might be worth it for you to see what they will special order for you!

If you are using fish meal and/or flax (?omega supplements) in great enough quantities it can make your eggs taste fishy. So you can feed them and see if your eggs taste good, lol!! Then you will know if you are using too much.

Here are some pro-peas websites:
http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2010/...ns-to-play-bigger-role-in-poultry-rations.htm
http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/poultry/bba01s21.html

Split peas are similar in price to lentils.

I am not familiar with feeding poultry brewers' yeast, and so don't have a comment.

You might be able to save some money by feeding cracked corn (available in organic version where I live) rather than corn meal. Also some folks buy scratch grains with 11 different grains in them. Millet is higher in protein than corn (I feed both) 11% rather than 8% or so for corn. Millet is birdseed (the little golden balls) and Black Oil Sunflower seed is the dark large seeds in them. BOSS is very good for poultry- they eat it whole.

 

[Citron_d'uccle]

All of these are 100% Organic. Mix it myself. LOVE IT! USE IT! LOL.

For myself I use a mix of the following:
19% Broiler Grower:
1015 lb. Shelled Corn
625 lb. Roasted Soybeans
100 lb. Oats
100 lb. Alfalfa Meal
75 lb. Fish Meal, 60%
25 lb. Aragonite(calcium)
60 lb. Poultry Nutri-Balancer
Makes 2000 lb.

17% Pullet Grower:
1215 lb. Shelled Corn
450 lb. Roasted Soybeans
100 lb. Oats
100 lb. Alfalfa Meal
25 lb. Aragonite(calcium)
50 lb. Fish Meal, 60%
60 lb. Poultry Nutri-Balancer
2000 lb.

17% Layer Ration:
965 lb. Shelled Corn
600 lb. Roasted Soybeans
100 lb. Oats
100 lb. Alfalfa Meal
175 lb.Aragonite(calcium)
60 lb. Poultry Nutri-Balancer
2000 lb.

All Rations should be Medium ground or rolled.
The Chick Starter Ration may be slightly altered to feed other species of fowl. You may add 2lb. of fishmeal to 20lb. (5gal. Pail) of Broiler Grower 19%. This addition will provide a 21% protein mix for Chick Starter. This would be for chicks while in the brooder. You may add 4lb. of fishmeal to 20lb. (5gal. Pail) to Broiler Grower 19%. This addition will provide a 26% protein mix for turkey and game bird starter. To be fed from day 1 thru day 28. You may add 2lb. of fishmeal to 20lb. (5gal. Pail) of Broiler Grower 19%. This addition will provide a 21% protein mix for Turkey Grower #1. To be fed from day 29 thru day 56. Once Turkeys are out on pasture they should receive regular broiler grower until slaughter.

No Alfalfa Rations

19% Broiler Grower:
1015 lb.
Shelled Corn
625 lb. Roasted Soybeans
200 lb. Oats
75 lb. Fish Meal, 60%
25 lb. Aragonite(calcium)
60 lb. Poultry Nutri-Balancer
2000 lb.

16% Pullet Grower:
1215 lb. Shelled Corn
450 lb. Roasted Soybeans
200 lb. Oats
25 lb. Aragonite(calcium)
50 lb. Fish Meal, 60%
60 lb. Poultry Nutri-Balancer
2000 lb.

17% Layer Ration:
965 lb. Shelled Corn
600 lb. Roasted Soybeans
200 lb. Oats
175 lb. Aragonite(calcium)
60 lb. Poultry Nutri-Balancer2000 lb.

I also add black oil sunflower seeds, millet, and food grade diatomaceus earth to ALL my mixes. I sometimes add barley, wheat, rye, and other grains as well.

 

[catzinthehouse]

I love the simplicity of few grains in the above recipe by Citron_d'uccle. We have so few single grains available in bulk at reasonable prices. However, I was wondering since we are soy free what I could substitute the soy with and keep protein levels up. We also give our gals a healthy dose of raw milk twice a day but not sure that would equal soy protein and wouldn't be available when cow is drying up in December and January so not a consistent source.

 

[Mama_Bear]

I read this as "Everyone, post your best homemade chicken FEET recipes!" -- and thought to myself -- that is going to be an entertaining thread!

 

[jlasuzi]

I mixed my chickens a custom blend of grains and give them 3 to 1 of it with their regular feed. That is 3 parts grower, to 1 the part custom mix. They love the mix.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
I have mixed powdered milk in for my girls before and they love it. There is a max. recommended dose for that - I found it when googling but don't remember...maybe 1 lb. per 50 lb feed or something similar????

 

[Citron_d'uccle]

May be a little strange, but a CHEAP can of baby formula mixed into 100 lbs of feed is an excellent source of protien and other nutrients. I also occasionally add dried kelp and fish meal. I buy the formula on craigslist, and I buy 'bonito flakes' and 'Wakame' at asian supermarkets. I think its like $4 for 5 lb. of 'bonito flakes' and like $5 for 5 lbs of 'Wakame.