Everyone, post your best homemade chicken feed recipes!

[jcbydesign]

What is do the initials boss mean?

 

[HeritageHens]

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

 

[jcbydesign]

OH, thanks!

I live in Portland and my chicks are still on grower feed but I understand that it's basically the same with oyster shell added but you'd have to check. This feed is new by Cascade Growers and is all organic:
Peas, Triciale, wheat, barley, crab meal, fish meal, dicalcium phosphate, seaweed meal, salt, wheat middlings, plus supplements: vitamin d3, vit e, menadion nicotinamide bisulfite complex, riboflavin, choline chloride, vit b13, folic acid, thiamine, pyridoxine, biotin, manganese, ferrous sulfate, calcium iodate, zinc, coppe, sodium selenite, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, saccharomyces cerevisiae, dried fermentation products: lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus casei, lactobacillus plantarum, enterococcufaecium, bacillus coagulans, bacillus licheniformis, bacillus subtils, aspergillus niger fermentation extract.

crude protein 16%, crude fat 4.77%, crude fiber 5.28%, calcium 1.65%-1.83%

What do you guys think? The local Urban Farm Store sells it.

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
I can not say what your range is like in winter. But I can say that most feed mixes are formulated for a certain percent protein. Most treats are low protein. I love the treats you feed but none of them raise protein. At best the BOSS is 16% protein the same as your layer feed. Pepper I do not know, but lots of other good stuff for the birds... Corn is low protein, at 9%, it really waters down the "formulated feed"
ON

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
It sounds like a nice formulated feed... I like anything with peas in it....

I suspect many people would love to get a hold of a feed like that! Many do not have the option to get organic let alone soy and corn free..


aspergillus niger fermentation extract.
I find this ingredient very interesting.. I gotta love they way you PNW folks push the envelope.

ON

 

[HeritageHens]

jcbydesign, a number of us get the Cascade food from Urban Farm Store.

Magill Ranch occasionally posts here and their food is very good.

ON, I'm glad you think this is a good mix! What appeals to you about aspergillus niger fermentation extract?

My girls seem to really love it. I am in the process of switching over from the starter to the grower and I was blown away by how much of the grower they ate yesterday! I will probably keep them on grower permanently and just feed oyster shell on the side - and ground up eggshell when they finally bestow them on me.

 

[HeritageHens]

Just fyi. For you Portlander's out there:

Urban Farm Store is having its first annual day after Thanksgiving sale! Actually, it will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday (regular hours)....

* 25lb bags or buckets of Cascade Layer (corn and soy free feed) 10% off (limit 2 per customer)

I was going to keep them on grower once they start laying and feed oyster shell on the side but this temps me.

 

[dsc6]

If I could get the Magill Farms mix, I would stop making my own in a NY minute.

That aspergillus extract stuff sounds scary, having cared for a few patients dying with aspergillus super infections......ugh <shudders>,

Can any one explain that?

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
A quick look at it and a fermented extract appears to be deemed safe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergillus_niger#Other_uses


What interests me is the way PNW folks find beneficial uses for bacteria and fungus. A. niger is found everywhere, perhaps the fermented extract helps chickens with what they might be missing in a free range environment.?

I would be interested in what Cascade has to say...

It is my opinion we are all frequently exposed to A. Niger.. One must have a underlying weakness/health imbalance to get sick from it.. One can not win a war against the microbial world... So if you can not beat them join them... Hence the reason I am a Probiotic/live food nut case..

ON

 

[Magill Ranch]

Aspergillus niger fermentation extract is an ingredient in the Fertrells Organic Nutri-Balancer we put in the feed for proper nutrition. I have contacted my rep to get the low down and I will let you know what I find out as soon as I hear from him. Thank you everyone for your interest in our feed.