Feeding chickens only sprouts

[Emmeran]

I only use sprouts as a supplement during the winter, during the spring and summer they can till my lawn and grove to their hearts content.

However I do not feed my chickens inside except during the worst of the days, I don't need a bunch of rodents living in my coop. They are stuck inside until full light, not first light, but full light. The predators are out hunting at first light and the foxes and coyotes think my fence is merely a fun obstacle to figure out.

I listed my feed mix earlier, but I'd say that at least two thirds of the year they will ignore the mix and go straight for the foraging and whatever scraps or treats my wife brings out later in the day.

Our household food waste has completely gone away, I really never expected that some two-legged jerks would make me so green.

 

[Jan Croot]

No there is not. A balanced complete diet is best for preventing problems.

If you want walmart eggs, commercial feed will get you there.

If you want something better, sprouted grains, which are easier to digest and have a good dose of fresh B vitamins can take you a little farther. Not sprouts alone, but to boost what is missing in winter for your free range flock.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If you want walmart eggs, commercial feed will get you there.

If you want something better, sprouted grains, which are easier to digest and have a good dose of fresh B vitamins can take you a little farther. Not sprouts alone, but to boost what is missing in winter for your free range flock.

My birds eat whatever they can find outside and other than that, only layer feed and they taste nothing like Wal-Mart eggs.

 

[Vicker]

Bottom line is that making sure you offer all the nutritional requirements is going to be complex. Ag extension depts publish scientific, research-based information that can be found on the web.

 

[Jan Croot]

I only use sprouts as a supplement during the winter, during the spring and summer they can till my lawn and grove to their hearts content.

However I do not feed my chickens inside except during the worst of the days, I don't need a bunch of rodents living in my coop. They are stuck inside until full light, not first light, but full light. The predators are out hunting at first light and the foxes and coyotes think my fence is merely a fun obstacle to figure out.

I listed my feed mix earlier, but I'd say that at least two thirds of the year they will ignore the mix and go straight for the foraging and whatever scraps or treats my wife brings out later in the day.

Our household food waste has completely gone away, I really never expected that some two-legged jerks would make me so green.

My birds eat whatever they can find outside and other than that, only layer feed and they taste nothing like Wal-Mart eggs.

In much of the nation THERE IS NOTHING TO FIND OUTSIDE, but snow and dirt.

After three years of free ranging guinea fowl, I wondered why in mid August there were showing up VERY hungry in the farm yard. A survey showed that there were not bugs left for them to hunt. Not everyone lives in a land of perpetual water and green.

 

[Jan Croot]

Bottom line is that making sure you offer all the nutritional requirements is going to be complex. Ag extension depts publish scientific, research-based information that can be found on the web.

All university research is geared to the commercial mega industry. Just enough to keep going and meet goalss. If you want to raise something better then commercial, then you might want to suppliment and vary, PLUS meet nutritional needs.

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

I was wondering some of your thoughts on feeding chickens only sprouts, I’m relatively new to all this, I have been giving layer feed but I wanted to switch to sprouts only and I will be providing vitamins/ minerals and oyster shells, but my question was, will my chickens continue to lay the same as on layer feed ?

No they need the balanced nutrition layer feed provides. Sprouts are a great treat though

 

[JacinLarkwell]

In much of the nation THERE IS NOTHING TO FIND OUTSIDE, but snow and dirt.

After three years of free ranging guinea fowl, I wondered why in mid August there were showing up VERY hungry in the farm yard. A survey showed that there were not bugs left for them to hunt. Not everyone lives in a land of perpetual water and green.

Not sure why you brought my quote in there. I live in that part of the country that has nothing but snow and dirt for like 7 months. They eat layer feed and whatever they can find and don't taste like Wal-Mart eggs

 

[Jan Croot]

Not sure why you brought my quote in there. I live in that part of the country that has nothing but snow and dirt for like 7 months. They eat layer feed and whatever they can find and don't taste like Wal-Mart eggs

I'm glad that layer feed works for you.

It didn't for me. Here, in the high plains after a year of no rain, there is nothing to find. Our dirt is blowing away.

 

[Emmeran]

In much of the nation THERE IS NOTHING TO FIND OUTSIDE, but snow and dirt.

After three years of free ranging guinea fowl, I wondered why in mid August there were showing up VERY hungry in the farm yard. A survey showed that there were not bugs left for them to hunt. Not everyone lives in a land of perpetual water and green.

You can fix that, but it takes some work. Most places humans live thrived once upon a time. **Edit: I forgot this video TED Talk, that is a great one**

Then again, I've lived up on the Mohave and do realize that you need pretty good money to turn even an acre of that back into useful. Humans have done a lot of inadvertent damage over time and rolling that back isn't easy.

I seed almost constantly just to keep up with my birds; this year is clover next year will be something else. Avoid commercial "golf course" grasses and coated seeds and nature will do it's thing pretty darn quick.

Now if I could just get that darn walnut tree to behave...