Free range and free choice feeding

[Cowgirlmelo]

Hi guys! I have been looking at all these different recipes for homemade chicken feed and i was curious what everyones thoughts are on this idea or if anyone had done it with luck. instead of mixing a feed how about letting them have different containers for each thing, a bowl for barley, boss, lentils, wheat, flax, grit, oyster, whatever... that way they can decide how much of each every individual needs.

My ladies are free range all day and who knows what they are eating, but i have also read that because commercial feed is a set amount of everything they can get too much or too little of some things, it all depends on the bird. right now i am feeding commercial feed and i would like to get away from it but i feel like homemade "mixes" are frustrating because every single one is different and i just want to feed them good food.

Let me know what you think!! Thanks!

 

[centrarchid]

I think it is an excellent approach. Method I have used simply putting out a mixture in a dry location where I can guesstimate what is consumed most visually. Problem I had was two-fold, first season impacted what free-range forage came up short on, and secondly to much balance in feed could cause them to free-range forage less. Insects where they only thing that seemed to pull birds away from balanced mixes.

 

[Cowgirlmelo]

I think it is an excellent approach. Method I have used simply putting out a mixture in a dry location where I can guesstimate what is consumed most visually. Problem I had was two-fold, first season impacted what free-range forage came up short on, and secondly to much balance in feed could cause them to free-range forage less. Insects where they only thing that seemed to pull birds away from balanced mixes.

Oh ok I could see that. so maybe this would be a better winter option where they wont be able to really find a whole lot anyway. Thanks so much for your input!