Everyone, post your best homemade chicken feed recipes!

[LindaB220]

On Hemp Seed the better the quality the better the protein percentage. I'v seen it as lo as 10% and as high as 26% protein.
Hemp seed needs to be used sparingly I read fed 5:1 ratio.

I think I'll stick with my $18 Gamebird at 26% and my $17 catfish feed at 26% 1 scoop of either to 3 scoops of grain or mash. But going to do the oats first.

 

[sheilae123]

I read that hemp seed was a major feed source for poultry before they banned it in the USA. I use 20% max based on research out of Canada where they studied hemp in laying poultry diets. I don't have a protein % on the bag of hemp, but it is probably 18-24% from what I have read. I also use peas as a major protein source. I decided to give Milo, Egyptian Wheat (sorghum) and Buckwheat in place of corn (5% each). They receive wheat at 15%, Millet 7.5% and small quantities of sunfl., sesame and flax along with the nutribalancer, kelp, salt and calcium. They hate any feed with fish-meal and I don't like soy or corn feeds so I had to come up with something. I calculated approx. 18% protein in the feed. THEY EAT IT! I was wasting so much mash, it might seem expensive to make this, but not when you consider how much "organic" feed I was tossing out in their pine bedding when it came time to clean. My chickens don't eat corn unless it is fresh and soft. They seem to like the milo and sorghum. They also receive fresh greens and sprouts. Seems to work for us. And if I go fishing, I bring home extra for them! They love lake fish! But, NO FISH-MEAL here!

 

[ladyearth]

heck I bought supposedly organic feed. It turned out to be ground. My two sets of chickens just barely mess with it. CAuse it mostly ground oats.. you can see the oats and definitely smell them...

 

[ladyearth]

Sheliae123
where do you get the hemp and what prices? what kind of buckwheat??? what about the wheat- sorghum ???
also what kind of peas and what kind or color etc wheat??? is it feed grade or seed grade???
oh ground or whole flax????? Heck I bought bag of rice bran only way I can see them even eating any is when I add "electrolyte, vitamin water " to the grains I mix
Please do tell..
thank you

 

[Chris09]

I think I'll stick with my $18 Gamebird at 26% and my $17 catfish feed at 26% 1 scoop of either to 3 scoops of grain or mash. But going to do the oats first.

Well remember its not all about the protein amount It's about having the right amino acids making up a set protein amount.
I'v seen chickens grow, look and perform better on a 15% protein than on 22% protein feed thats missing key amino acids and that has the incorrect amount of energy, fats, vitamins and minerals.

Hemp seed is a good source of amino acids, carbs, energy, fats, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. In my opinion Hemp seed is far better BOSS and Linseed (Flax).

 

[sheilae123]

Sheliae123
where do you get the hemp and what prices? what kind of buckwheat??? what about the wheat- sorghum ???
also what kind of peas and what kind or color etc wheat??? is it feed grade or seed grade???
oh ground or whole flax????? Heck I bought bag of rice bran only way I can see them even eating any is when I add "electrolyte, vitamin water " to the grains I mix
Please do tell..
thank you

I get the hemp from a feed warehouse, I get a 50# bag for about $50. It's been steam sterilized for non-germination purposes (stupid laws). I get the sorghum there as well. The sorghum was pricey and I will probably just replace that portion of my feed with milo (which is 0.55/lb) I get everything I can through azure or my local feed warehouse. I prefer organically grown over conventional. I use yellow field peas or yellow split peas. The field peas you can get from a feed warehouse, feed grade; I also get some from Azure when I can. Always whole flax seed as I read the ground can go rancid fast. The buckwheat is from Azure or local feed warehouse, it is easy to grow and the chickens will harvest the seeds right off the plant for you!! I give only small quantities of this because it can make them more sensitive to the sun (in larger amounts). I give them a variety of wheats, whatever I have on hand but mainly red hard winter, white hard spring & soft white wheat. They do enjoy a variety of grains. On a cold morning I will cook them up some five grain cereal...I mix 2 cups of wheat, 2 cups of millet, 2 cups short grain brown rice, 2 cups of oats or barley, 2cups of split peas or lentils; mix it all together and then grab a cup or so of the mix and cook it, I give it a little rinse, drain and feed. (Want to make sure its not too hot). If you have human grade grains, you could have breakfast with them!! Put your rice bran in a porridge mix with some organic corn as a complementary protein.

 

[n1spx]

I'm feeding the following after soaking/fermenting.

Meat birds:
50% 16% Layer
25% Whole Oats
25% 46.5% Soybean meal


Layers just get the 16% layer feed for now.
I leave the layer ratio at 50% to keep enough other nutrients in the mix.

I'm not getting enough time (usually about 24 hours) to get a lot of benefit from fermenting, but soaking up the water definitely helps stretch the feed.

I've recently come into a source of free day-old bagels. My planned mix for that will be:

Meat birds:
50% 16% Layer
6% Whole Oats
17% Bagels (ground)
27% 46.5% Soybean meal

This works out to ~23%, for slightly less per 50# than just buying the 16% layer.

Layer:
50% 16% Layer
6% Whole Oats
36% Bagels (ground)
8% 46.5% Soybean meal

This is ~16%, for $2.75 less per 50# than the 16% layer, ~25% cheaper.
When my layers start laying (should be a month or 2), I'll free feed oyster shell as well, since I am diluting the calcium of the layer mash in the mix.

 

[Iherb]

I do let my chickens forage in the backyard- it's big. I grow comfrey and sorrel back there along with fruit trees (I have to protect the herbs or the chickens will have it at ground level all the time. I also have a worm farm. I love having this as I will give the worms the chicken poop and the chickens get the worms. I also have the most spoiled chickens around. They won't eat the organic laying feed I get at Cal ranch unless I put yogurt or sardine oil (I eat sardines at least once a week so they get the juices) in it. I'm wondering if I need to supplement with oyster shell or not. I have one turkey and the lining of her eggs is so tough the shell falls off while trying to tear it. The only other problem I have being the shells may have wrinkles in them. This seems to happen when the eggs are really big after giving my girls the worms. I guess I'm rambling but this is how I figure this out. Also I get some organic compost at Natural Grocers about 2x's a week. I have tried to sprout wheat for them. I would love to be more scientific about this because they seem to be laying fewer eggs lately. I did introduce some new layers about a month and a half ago and the little girls are starting to go into the shed during the day and one sleeps in there with the bigger hens. They went from laying about a dozen a day (I have 14 big hens- 17 younger ones) to only 8 to 10. Is it the stress of having the younger ones around or am I not giving them enough of something. The younger ones did lay a few eggs then stopped.

 

[LindaB220]

I get the hemp from a feed warehouse, I get a 50# bag for about $50. It's been steam sterilized for non-germination purposes (stupid laws). I get the sorghum there as well. The sorghum was pricey and I will probably just replace that portion of my feed with milo (which is 0.55/lb) I get everything I can through azure or my local feed warehouse. I prefer organically grown over conventional. I use yellow field peas or yellow split peas. The field peas you can get from a feed warehouse, feed grade; I also get some from Azure when I can. Always whole flax seed as I read the ground can go rancid fast. The buckwheat is from Azure or local feed warehouse, it is easy to grow and the chickens will harvest the seeds right off the plant for you!! I give only small quantities of this because it can make them more sensitive to the sun (in larger amounts). I give them a variety of wheats, whatever I have on hand but mainly red hard winter, white hard spring & soft white wheat. They do enjoy a variety of grains. On a cold morning I will cook them up some five grain cereal...I mix 2 cups of wheat, 2 cups of millet, 2 cups short grain brown rice, 2 cups of oats or barley, 2cups of split peas or lentils; mix it all together and then grab a cup or so of the mix and cook it, I give it a little rinse, drain and feed. (Want to make sure its not too hot). If you have human grade grains, you could have breakfast with them!! Put your rice bran in a porridge mix with some organic corn as a complementary protein.

Sheilae, I like your thinking. Sorghum is a southern tradition and grows better here than corn so that's why the old timers always used it. I remember my mama using it in the '60's

 

[LindaB220]

I do let my chickens forage in the backyard- it's big. I grow comfrey and sorrel back there along with fruit trees (I have to protect the herbs or the chickens will have it at ground level all the time. I also have a worm farm. I love having this as I will give the worms the chicken poop and the chickens get the worms. I also have the most spoiled chickens around. They won't eat the organic laying feed I get at Cal ranch unless I put yogurt or sardine oil (I eat sardines at least once a week so they get the juices) in it. I'm wondering if I need to supplement with oyster shell or not. I have one turkey and the lining of her eggs is so tough the shell falls off while trying to tear it. The only other problem I have being the shells may have wrinkles in them. This seems to happen when the eggs are really big after giving my girls the worms. I guess I'm rambling but this is how I figure this out. Also I get some organic compost at Natural Grocers about 2x's a week. I have tried to sprout wheat for them. I would love to be more scientific about this because they seem to be laying fewer eggs lately. I did introduce some new layers about a month and a half ago and the little girls are starting to go into the shed during the day and one sleeps in there with the bigger hens. They went from laying about a dozen a day (I have 14 big hens- 17 younger ones) to only 8 to 10. Is it the stress of having the younger ones around or am I not giving them enough of something. The younger ones did lay a few eggs then stopped.

Great to have you. I love comfrey but I'm have a hard time growing it. Not paying attention to adding manure and lots of water. I guess..