Fodder for Broilers

[backyardart]

Hello Chicken People,

I am in the planning phases of our first batch of pasture-raised broilers fed a mix of grower ration + sprouted barley/field pea/wheat/soy bean fodder.

We have been feeding our layers fodder successfully for 6 months, and I'm hoping that our broilers can and will prefer the (very nutrient and protein dense) fodder over the dry grower ration. My main concern is that they get the minerals they need (Fertrell) from enough intake of the dry ration. Another concern is the personality of the bird, will they tear up the fodder mat or will they turn to the grower ration out of sheer laziness? With our free-range layers, they will hunt and seek out seeds, bugs and worms all before returning to finish their fodder mats (except during Kansas winters, for obvious reasons.)

Again, this is my first go both with broilers and with fodder-fed broilers, so it should be quite the learning experience. Since I'm not looking to lose money on this adventure, I am calculating costs and feeding birds as if they aren't receiving fodder. I have thought about using two pens, one that receives only grower ration and one that receives grower + fodder.

Here we go!

Gina

 

[backyardart]

Gina, wondering how you did feeding fodder to your broiler ,and did you feed just fodder, I pasture mine and use grain but would like to get away from grain all together if a could.regards ,Arthur