Everyone, post your best homemade chicken feed recipes!

[arabookworm]

I found this site with various recipes for mash or feed

http://www.birdfarm.bravepages.com/starterx.html

 

[wvsheila]

I have a question. Why is everyone going soy free? I was always told its a great protein source...

 

[digitS']

Quote:
I would also be curious to know if anyone tried this formula sometime during the last 2 and a half years. How they dealt with the fact that it does not add up to 100 pounds. And, what they thought of spending $1.45/lb.

Steve

 

[mudhen]

You're right! I didn't realize I'd put the wrong measurements in there.
The decimal place should be over one to the right!

50# Layer Mash
7.5# cracked corn
2.5# whole oats
5# soft shell wheat
5# rice bran
10# sunflower
10# millet mix
5# flax
2.5# granulated garlic
2.5# brewer's yeast

I've actually modified it slightly last year by reducing the millet mix to 9.5#, and added .5# of DE.

Anyway, I've been using the mixture since May of 2007 and the girls are all doing really well. They average about a dozen eggs a day (18 hens).
The cost is actually about $1.12/lb now and they eat around six pounds a day, plus treats such as lettuce, veggies, grapes, and/or cooked oatmeal.
All in all, I figure about $9 per week to feed them.

 

[damselfish]

OK, I'm lost. 6 lbs per day * $1.12 per pound * 7 days in a week = about $47 per week, right?

Am I missing something here?

Interesting topic, though. I'm off to search for a "why no soy" thread...I know there was one around a couple of weeks ago.

 

[sydney13]

Quote:
i really like the idea of using garlic in the feed to reduce smells. do you notice a difference in the smell when you use it? does any one else use garlic to get rid of smells and do you have good results ?

 

[digitS']

Despite this thread being around since before I signed up for BYC, I have continued to feed my chickens primarily Flock Raiser, oyster shell, and a few garden veggies and kitchen scraps.

I have, however, added about 1/4 teaspoon of powdered garlic per cup of Flock Raiser.

The hens actually smell a little of garlic if you pick them up and sniff at them . . . We would all probably smell of garlic if 1/4 teaspoon of powdered garlic (not garlic salt) went into every cup of our food. I notice no garlic flavor to their eggs but the coop smells a little of garlic.

There are quite a lot of different mints that grow in my backyard. I cut some of that during the hot weather and toss it in the coop. The chickens pretty much leave the plants alone in the coop or out foraging in the yard. Between the garlic, mint and wood shavings -- the coop doesn't smell too bad even during the heat of summer. That's good because I sited the thing right beside the fence. The neighbor keeps his garbage cans on the other side. The location of the coop wouldn't be legal with a new 2006 ordinance but I built the it about 12 years ago.

Steve

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Cool! Thanks! Haa haa, my initials are jkm too!

 

[mispollitos]

I made my own chick feed this a.m. My husband thinks it's better than what they were getting at the place we purchased them. Plus, rather than being caged, they are now living in a nice tractor w/fresh grass and bugs.

Mis 5 pollitos are only a few weeks old at most and we still aren't sure if they're a Barred Rock mix or I hope not black sex link & all male but anyway, if you make your own organic type feed and can see something is desperately missing from mine, please let me know. All ingredients are not readily available in my area...Mexico...I'd love to buy diatramatrus earth...so if anyone familiar with Guadalajara knows where I could purchase a food grade, I'd so appreciate it!!! Also, I'm wanting to know if I ground up egg shells, if baby chicks need that?

here's my chick feed recipe:

2 Cups corn meal
3 Cups soft white wheat(can't find hard red wheat berry)
1 Cup oat groats
2 Cups sunflower seeds
1 Cup split peas
1 Cup lentils
1 Cup sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 Cup brewer's yeast
1/2 Cup flax seed

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
Lets see
2X9=18
3x14=42
1x13=13
2x16=32
1x24=24
1x24=24
1x24=24
.25x45=11.25
.5x34=17

Total=205.25
divided by 11.75=17.46% protein...

Nice work.....

I personally like kelp and alfafa. The alfalfa for when I do not have green on the range.

ON