Homemade chicken feed = later laying??

[FrankHomestead]

It's way better to offer a balanced feed all the time, and consider foraging, especially confined foraging, as a bonus. Mary

I take your advice to heart and will make sure they have full access to feed, perhaps this is the problem rather than the feed itself! Thank you so much!

 

[lazy gardener]

I'd like to hear your personal feedback on my feed mix if you could please
Also I forgot that chia seeds we're on the list, which I opted out because they were waaaay too expensive

Can you tell us how you derived your protein percentage? I really can't give much of an opinion on a home made formula, as I have no training. Way too much goes into the nutritional analysis, and protein is only a very tiny fraction of the requirement. I do know that there are supplements that are designed to help balance out home made rations. Such as this one sold by Fedco Seeds:
Fertrell® Poultry Nutri-Balancer A salt/mineral/vitamin blend to be used as a premix in well-balanced grain-based poultry rations. Formulated with kelp meal and probiotics. Contains no added methionine. Mix thoroughly at a rate of 60# (one bag) per ton of feed, with the addition of 175#/ton of calcium for layers and breeding flocks and 25#/ton of calcium for chicks and meat birds. Do not feed free-choice. MOFGA
Item
8361A: (6#) $11.50

8361B: (60#) $91.75

I do know that I am not at all prepared to undertake the expense, or the work of producing my own feed, when I know I can buy a bag of formulated feed at a much cheaper cost.

The fact that your production hybrid birds are 20 weeks old and not laying yet is IMO cause for concern. Some of my pullets are now laying. Hatch date was 4/10.

 

[Folly's place]

I hope your birds can recover and go on to do well. Mary

 

[mobius]

I did the math some time back and the feed recipe I came up with was way more expensive than even the organic non-soy non-corn non-canola feed i get for $30 for a 50 # bag.

I too love to make my own yogurt, mayo, laundry detergent, cosmetics etc., fodder and FF for the chickens, have made dog food and so forth. I put the project aside. I love the ingredients in my organic feed.

yes you would need the Fertrell mix. You could consider fish and crab meal and some kelp as well as castor oil. Calcium would need to be added as well to a layer mix.

I was pleased as punch to find my feed as it is produced about 200 miles from me. It is called Big Sky Organic Feed and fortunately my local feed store carries it.

Birds from hatchery stock are typically smaller and may even lay later, I have found. Mine are hatchery stock. I don't think it had to do with the feed. They just weigh less than average I was concerned at one point but since they are in excellent health I have put that worry aside.

 

[FrankHomestead]

Can you tell us how you derived your protein percentage? I really can't give much of an opinion on a home made formula, as I have no training. Way too much goes into the nutritional analysis, and protein is only a very tiny fraction of the requirement. I do know that there are supplements that are designed to help balance out home made rations. Such as this one sold by Fedco Seeds:
Fertrell® Poultry Nutri-Balancer A salt/mineral/vitamin blend to be used as a premix in well-balanced grain-based poultry rations. Formulated with kelp meal and probiotics. Contains no added methionine. Mix thoroughly at a rate of 60# (one bag) per ton of feed, with the addition of 175#/ton of calcium for layers and breeding flocks and 25#/ton of calcium for chicks and meat birds. Do not feed free-choice. MOFGA
Item
8361A: (6#) $11.50

8361B: (60#) $91.75

I do know that I am not at all prepared to undertake the expense, or the work of producing my own feed, when I know I can buy a bag of formulated feed at a much cheaper cost.

The fact that your production hybrid birds are 20 weeks old and not laying yet is IMO cause for concern. Some of my pullets are now laying. Hatch date was 4/10.

I just looked up the protein for each item I used...I didn't bother looking up calcium because I figure I have os free choice. Thank you so much for the link!!!!! you're an angel

 

[lazy gardener]

YVW.

 

[FrankHomestead]

I hope your birds can recover and go on to do well. Mary

They seem to be perfectly healthy, they have lots of energy & spunk! I hope I haven't harmed them...I've been carrying for them every single day since they were 1 week old. Not another soul has replenished their water or food, or cleaned their brooder or coop, or let them out to forage or tucked them in for the night lol not to mention the relentless hours upon hours of research...I've put my heart & soul into my girls

 

[FrankHomestead]

I did the math some time back and the feed recipe I came up with was way more expensive than even the organic non-soy non-corn non-canola feed i get for $30 for a 50 # bag.

I too love to make my own yogurt, mayo, laundry detergent, cosmetics etc., fodder and FF for the chickens, have made dog food and so forth. I put the project aside. I love the ingredients in my organic feed.

yes you would need the Fertrell mix. You could consider fish and crab meal and some kelp as well as castor oil. Calcium would need to be added as well to a layer mix.

I was pleased as punch to find my feed as it is produced about 200 miles from me. It is called Big Sky Organic Feed and fortunately my local feed store carries it.

Birds from hatchery stock are typically smaller and may even lay later, I have found. Mine are hatchery stock. I don't think it had to do with the feed. They just weigh less than average I was concerned at one point but since they are in excellent health I have put that worry aside.

That's awesome. Another reason I decided to make my own feed is because I didn't like any of the organic brands my local feed store carries. I just feel like my way is more "natural" I mean what did chickens eat before they we're commercialized? certainly not perfectly balanced processed bags of feed lol but my flock raising knowledge doesn't hold a candle to most of you...and that's why I'm open ears to what you all have to say

 

[Folly's place]

Old style chickens produced maybe 60 to 100 eggs per year (maybe) and free ranged in a much richer environment generally. Your birds are meant to lay maybe 300 eggs per year, and are very restricted food wise. That's a huge difference!!! Mary

 

[FrankHomestead]

Old style chickens produced maybe 60 to 100 eggs per year (maybe) and free ranged in a much richer environment generally. Your birds are meant to lay maybe 300 eggs per year, and are very restricted food wise. That's a huge difference!!! Mary

I see your point. I'm going to start feeding them the feed in the morning in addition to at night, then after a few days I'll do 3 times a day etc. I don't want to just throw an all you can eat buffet with the feed when they are used to only having that before bed. I'm afraid they'll Gorg themselves and have problems. But I wanted to show you guys what I stumbled upon. Take a look if you would please! https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/best-chicken-feed-recipe-ever.108482/