Everyone, post your best homemade chicken feed recipes!

[MeepBeep]

I have created an all purpose feed that the goats cows ducks and chickens eat the feed mill specially mixes it for me and I pick up 500 lbs at a time less than 100.00 it's non gmo cracked corn whole oats wheat bran molasses and split peas

You might want to research limiting amino acids, especially when using vegan based feeds, and cross reference it to the different animals you feed as it varies by species...

Most commercial poultry feeds have Lysine in about the 0.7% - 0.9% range and Methionine in around the 0.3% - 0.4% as those are the two common limiting amino acids in poultry, and those ranges are sweet spots for optimal performance based on a 16-18% protein diet...

Now, I did not double check the values below they are just quick Google resutls, but I see nothing in your feed that will get you in those proper amino acids ranges for the limiting amino acids in regards to poultry... This shortage of amino acids is very common in 'vegan' feeds thus the reason synthetic amino acids are almost always added to vegan feeds... You might want to consider adding some animal proteins or a synthetic amino acid supplement to your mix to bump up the Lysine and Methionine for the birds... I suspect the diet is much better suited to the goats and cows, as they don't need the higher levels of those two amino acids...

cracked corn --- Lysine = 0.26% Methionine = 0.18%
whole oats --- Lysine = 0.40% Methionine = 0.20%
wheat bran --- Lysine = 0.50% Methionine = 0.20%
split peas --- Lysine = 0.60% Methionine = 0.08%

 

[ladyearth]

so MeepBeep those foods have too much amino acids?
thanks

 

[MeepBeep]

so MeepBeep those foods have too much amino acids?
thanks

No those foods do no have high enough levels of the two primary and known limiting amino acids for poultry...

As I said look up and study "limiting amino acids" the short of it as that no matter how much overall protein is in the food they eat if there isn't enough of any particular and necessary amino acid or an improper balance of amino acids in that protein then the animal can not properly use all the available protein and it starts being wasteful and possibly insufficient...

Not all protein is created equal, the ratios of the amino acids in the protein vary by ingredient, when we say a chicken needs a 16% protein feed what we should really be saying is that chicken need a properly balanced (proper amino acid ratio) 16% protein feed, not just a generic 16% protein feed, it makes a difference as not all proteins are equal...

For example even if a feed has 30% overall protein if it doesn't have enough Lysine and Methionine (the two common limiting amino acids for poultry) in that protein, then the birds will fail to use all the protein in the feed when the limiting amino acid(s) run out, and thus the feed is not nutritionally balanced and wasteful... On the other hand (as is the case with most commercial feeds) the 16% protein has the proper balance of amino acids so the poultry utilize all of the protein in the feed, with little waste...

Commercial feeds today are optimized and balanced thanks to study and the availability of synthetic amino acids, back in the day it was not uncommon for people to feed poultry all grain feeds in excess of 30% protein just to compensate for the lack of limiting amino acids (Lysine and Methionine) in those all grain feeds...

This 'limiting amino acid" varies by animal, you can't really make a cross species feed for cows, goats and poultry as they all have different amino acid requirement levels... You can make a 'base' feed that will work across many species (as many mills do) but then when they 'bag it up' for sale they supplement it with a properly balanced vitamin, mineral and amino acid supplement for the specific species...

As I said for anyone making their own feed they should study up on limiting amino acids and get a grasp of what it means and why it's important, lots to be found in Google searches...

The short of it a 16% protein feed is not equal to a 16% protein feed unless the amino acids are also the exact same balance, and a 16% pig feed is not the same as a 16% poultry feed the percent of protein is only one factor, the type of protein (the amino acids ratios) are also just as important and those need amino acid ratios vary by species...

 

[chickengr]

when I was a kid I heard the proverb: the more stupid the farmer is he grows better potatoes. I laughed but when I started a small vegetable garden I did research in internet and made a science of it. the results were poor, I had almost nothing in my garden.

the same thing happened with chickens. I take so much care of them and fight worms and diseases while someone in my neighborhood feeds chickens corn, wheat and barley and has healthy chickens who lay almost every day. those chickens sleep on the tree, there is no coop or shelter for them.

 

[MeepBeep]

I take so much care of them and fight worms and diseases

Constantly fighting worms and disease is not normal and generally indicates one of the following to be true, improper cleaning/sanitation, improper housing design, disease ridden ranging area, or weak breeding stock...

The fact is nearly 52 billion chickens are raised globally for meat and many 100s of millions more are raised for eggs, the science of their nutritional needs is well understood and to argue a solid well proven and studied fact like 'limiting amino acids' is just silly as it's been studied extensively not only in chickens but in many other animal species including humans... There are chemical processes that animals use to convert 'food' into their own living tissue and energy, these processes require the correct 'ingredients' in the correct ratios to work, this is a fact... Animals can adjust to inferior diets and survive sometimes, but they will not thrive unless provided a nutritionally balanced diet...

 

[runoyster]

Let's try to come up with an inexpensive way to feed our chickens, that way, the feed companies will have to lower their prices to increase sales again /img/smilies/big_smile.png. If you have any organic recipes, that would be awesome!

 

[runoyster]

I am working with a custom feed mill for bulk feed. Please let me know if you would like to be a part of my orders. I plan on ordering 2 tons at a time

OK, here goes:

I've been doing an lot of reading over the past few months on this, and I am sure I am probably doing something wrong, so those of you with more knowledge, correct me please.

I want to provide a 1:1 ratio of mash:scratch. The layer mash I get has 18% protein.

In any ratio of mash to scratch, the minimum to maintain is 15% protein. I am going for 22-24% protein.

A scratch mixture of at least two grains is usually best for the laying hen, so I've overdone it and am using four. Each has a varying degree of energy content and benefits. You don't want any grain to be more than 50% of the scratch feed. Also, I've read that it is best usually fed in late afternoon and that overfeeding of the scratch will lower the feed intake of the mash and decrease their protein intake.

I am aware that summer/winter seasons will make a difference in the feed ratios, and that wether or not hens free-range also makes a difference.

So this mix is based on the fact that my hens do not free-range, get veggie/leafy greens in AM, and this mash/scratch mix in afternoon beginning in July of this year (when my pullets will be 19 wks old.)

100# Layer Mash:Scratch mix =


50# Layer Mash

.75# cracked corn

.25# whole oats

.50# soft shell wheat

.50# rice bran

1#    sunflower

1#    millet mix

.50# flax

.25# granulated garlic

.25# brewer's yeast


Final cost breakdown is $1.45/lb.  So... I've mentioned before that my girls are the Paris Hiltons of the poultry world, haven't I?  /img/smilies/lau.gif


So I'm waiting for your suggestions and comments...right off, I can answer a few of them....

-I'm not sure what I'm doing, most of this info has come from reading several thoughts, theories and weighing out the plusses and minuses of each of the items listed.

-I want to provide a high omega3 diet to decrease cholesterol content in the eggs.

-granulated garlic is used to reduce smell in coop.

 

[weidnercharm]

Variety is the spice of life. My homemade recipe provides not only different foods, but a ballence of all nutrients. With added mealworms and free ranging, my hens are healthy as can be.

My whole drive behind going homemade is the lack of commercial foods that are GMO"s or soy free.

By fermenting my feed, it unlocks more of the materials available, providing increased digestability of proteins, vitamines and minerals. It also provides aditional probiotics for increased balance in their guts.

 

[chickengr]

Constantly fighting worms and disease is not normal and generally indicates one of the following to be true, improper cleaning/sanitation, improper housing design, disease ridden ranging area, or weak breeding stock...

too many rats in my area and no medication for tapeworm in chickens (a pill for 600 kg horses does not help). I found in internet that only praziquantel kills minute tapeworms and they don't sell it that I might use it for chickens. I tried human vermox and panacur. I use wormwood, hot pepper, pumpkin seeds and whole oats and that helps to expel them. especially whole oats as their poop looks a bit like horse's and it seems that they scratch their intestines and pull worms out.

 

[MeepBeep]

Constantly fighting worms and disease is not normal and generally indicates one of the following to be true, improper cleaning/sanitation, improper housing design, disease ridden ranging area, or weak breeding stock...


 

too many rats in my area and no medication for tapeworm in chickens (a pill for 600 kg horses does not help). I found in internet that only praziquantel kills minute tapeworms and they don't sell it that I might use it for chickens. I tried human vermox and panacur. I use wormwood, hot pepper, pumpkin seeds and whole oats and that helps to expel them. especially whole oats as their poop looks a bit like horse's and it seems that they scratch their intestines and pull worms out.

If the cause it too many rats in the area, that doesn't explain why your neighbor doesn't have the same health issues as you implied...