Everyone, post your best homemade chicken feed recipes!

[Magill Ranch]

So Fertrells got back to me already. They said, The aspergillus fermentation extracts are beneficial microbials. These are grown in a specific way on controlled substrates to form specialized enzymes formations. The enzymes are then extracted and concentrated. I hope this answers everyones questions.

 

[geebs]

Hey Oregon... The rains are here!! I had heard that adding Tumeric to the diet for the babies had benefits such as staving off cocci or even treating it... I can tell you from experience that it is true... As the rains come and cocci is on the rise... it is a great benefit to add it to any existing feeding program...I must admit also that I added feed through DE at the same time...so that may foul the results.. but regardless...I have had no cocci issues since using those two supplements in my feed... Since we all share the same climate...I thought you may benefit from this information...

 

[dsc6]

Magill Ranch,

When is it going to be possible for those of us living in the eastern part of the US to get your feed? Ever?

 

[sydney13]

well here is my feed mix
25lbs. boss
50 lbs. scratch grains
5lbs. whole flax seed
4lbs. alfalfa meal
2 lbs. bone meal
4lbs. fish meal
2lbs. grit
2lbs oyster shells
1 lbs. yeast
2 lbs. kelp
2 lbs. garlic powder
2lbs. de
comes to 16% protein and around 55 cents per lb.
most of the recipes ive seen either have kelp or nutri-balancer in them. right now im using the kelp but i was wondering, would nutri-balancer be a better choice seeing that is contains kelp and other supplements. Some recipes ive seen contain fish meal for chick starter and grow but not layer. is it just because fish meal may alter the taste in the eggs or is it because of something else?

 

[Erica]

Note: I've edited my post here because I've changed my approach... Lupins are widely suggested to be safe up to 30% but I've found they simply aren't. Hope nobody followed my lead!
-----------------------------
What a terrific thread.

This is my layer mix. Birds are currently laying very well.

Wheat sprouted 50%
Corn sprouted 7%
Peas sprouted 5%
Meat meal 5%
Soy meal 5%
Lupins cracked 8% NO: I no longer add lupins. I'm about to start adding home-cooked whole soy instead (at about 10%).
Lucerne chaff soaked in molasses water 10%
Black sunflower 5%
Shell grit 4%
Molasses 0.5%
Brewer’s yeast 0.45%
Seaweed meal 0.05%

I sprout the wheat, corn and peas by first soaking for 24 hours in a very large bucket of water (about three quarters water to grain), then hang in a big shadecloth bag, and use them up over the next couple of days.

Soaking the chaff in molasses water is the best way to make it attractive to chickens. About a tablespoon of molasses per a quarter bucket of chaff, water to the top of the chaff only, soak for 20 mins.

I've been experimenting with this mix for about a year. Earlier on I used to use 60% wheat, even 70%, and 10% corn, but I felt the protein content was just too low, because production suffered. Over the year I've gradually increased protein and found better sources. As a result I now have top production and nicely fleshed but not overly fat birds (including the basic commercial layer hybrids, which are usually quite scrawny). My feeling is that most website claims about how sprouting increases protein content are a little exaggerated (and some wildly, such as the one that suggested protein goes up by 300%).

I'm not sure if you have lupins (or if they have the same name) over there, but they're a common feed here in Australia, with similar protein to soy. Not to be confused with the lupin bean which is toxic unless well cooked. Lupins for stock feed have been bred to be low in anti-nutritional factors and are reasonably palatable, but chickens often refuse them at first, so I give them a douse in molasses water along with the lucerne. Anyway it's going very well, even with the commercial hybrids.

Regards
Erica

 

[dsc6]

The 300% increase in protein in sprouted grains/seeds seems less exagerated when you think about the itsy-bitsy amounts you are talking about in the unsprouted grain/seed. So even a 300% increase wouldn't account for much. That being said, it's not esoteric knowledge and is easily tested. But it depends on some variable factors, like how far along into the sprouting process the testing was done. Consider a radish seed--compare that image to a 2 inch inch long radish sprout. That's easily 300% bigger. My sprouting books are upstairs. I know that alfalfa sprouts really have a huge increase in protein content at some point along in the sprouting process.

Sprouts are high in everything, but how many sprouts can a chicken eat at once? Tons of little bits of very good stuff, but not like a chunk of meat. I mean, there's protein and then there is PROTEIN.

Your mix is superior because of the sprouted grains/seeds. That's some good food your chickens are getting!

 

[Organics North]

Quote:

IMO those beneficial's make a difference..

Thanks
ON

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
Starter growers are typically at 20% protein or so,,, Layers around 16%, The fish meal can be a good booster for protein in starter growers.... Me I like my layer around 20% and am apposed to Soy, so I use fish meal at about 4% in my mix.

I think it is omitted from many layers because of cost... I like it for the Omega 3's too.. It does not add fishy flavor to the eggs, when fed in smaller amounts.

ON

 

[Magill Ranch]

dcs6,

As soon as we can figure out how to ship it that far economically, we will be there. At this point we are as far east as Texas, so were getting there. : ) Thanks, Magill Ranch

 

[luvs2garden2000]

Question, where do you get the yeast and garlic powder, is this the same stuff from the grocery store?