Homemade chicken food

[raingarden]

A better descriptor would be 'conforms to the minimum nutrients required to keep the bird alive at least cost'.

Keeping them alive at a least cost sounds pretty good to me. My birds do not have an abbreviated life span. They don't come down with the bewildering array of maladies we see discussed here on a daily basis. They don't look ragged and they don't complain as long as they get their daily ration (and I feed very sparingly on a very limited budget). I don't know what else to ask or hope for

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Er, hardly. A better descriptor would be 'conforms to the minimum nutrients required to keep the bird alive at least cost'. I don't know what age they test it to for all flock type feeds. They lose interest after 18 months for layers as that's when commercial producers throw their layers away. The nutrient figures for broilers are based on experiments done on birds up to 3 weeks (yes, 3 weeks) old; body maintenance beyond that is not an issue in those calculations because the bird will be harvested at 5-6 weeks old for KFC or suchlike and all they're interested in for the 'finishing' stage is weight gain.

The studies are often bad. But they (mostly) aren't quite that bad. I try to either note weaknesses or simply avoid studies of such obvious deficiency.

and like many posters here on BYC, I do not recommend the minimaly sufficient level of nutrition for prime commercial layers under commercial management practices.

Otherwise agree - while study is the only reliable thing we can use as common language, its important to know their limitations before making educated assumptions on what they may project for birds kept under non commercial management (longer than 18-20 months) of for breeds other than Cx and the most popular production layers.

I think there's use there, far more use than "I've been doing this a few years with my 20,30, 40 birds) and "I think" or "my grandma"...

 

[RedHillChicken]

The studies are often bad. But they (mostly) aren't quite that bad. I try to either note weaknesses or simply avoid studies of such obvious deficiency.

and like many posters here on BYC, I do not recommend the minimaly sufficient level of nutrition for prime commercial layers under commercial management practices.

Otherwise agree - while study is the only reliable thing we can use as common language, its important to know their limitations before making educated assumptions on what they may project for birds kept under non commercial management (longer than 18-20 months) of for breeds other than Cx and the most popular production layers.

I think there's use there, far more use than "I've been doing this a few years with my 20,30, 40 birds) and "I think" or "my grandma"...

Thanks Stormcrow for your honest and knowledgable information. I always try and listen to those who are more informed than I am. I've been looking at Joel Salatins mixes as you suggested. You say he has the best mix you've found? I'm going to order the Fertrell Nutri-Balancer, plus fish and kelp meal, and the probiotic. I'd love to know how you feed your different flock members - roosters, layers, broilers, and chicks. Again, thanks for your wealth of knowledge.

 

[rjohns39]

You can find the most up to date recipes on the fertrell site, but I've attached Joel's recipes for Polyface farms and recipes the sustainable poultry network use.

 

[RedHillChicken]

You can find the most up to date recipes on the fertrell site, but I've attached Joel's recipes for Polyface farms and recipes the sustainable poultry network use.

I don't know how many chickens you're raising, but what are you feeding the chicks, roosters, pullets, and layers?

 

[Perris]

The studies are often bad. But they (mostly) aren't quite that bad. I try to either note weaknesses or simply avoid studies of such obvious deficiency.

A cheap rhetorical swipe. They are industry standards.
Perhaps you should tell us what are you reading, or we are in danger of replacing 'what grandma says' with 'what Stormcrow says'.

 

[rjohns39]

I don't know how many chickens you're raising, but what are you feeding the chicks, roosters, pullets, and layers?

I feed chicks until they are big enough to integrate starter and then everyone else get's layer except the CX. They get the broiler mix from start to finish. I've not had an issue with my rooster's but I do replace them often. If you have a mixed flock you're probably better off with an all flock and oyster shell on the side.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

A cheap rhetorical swipe. They are industry standards.
Perhaps you should tell us what are you reading, or we are in danger of replacing 'what grandma says' with 'what Stormcrow says'.

I DO NOT want that. Anytimne someone wants to question my sources, I'm happy to put up. However, I'm at lunch right now, and after gathering and waching eggs, feeding the bunnies and the goats, and running a flat to a neighbor... I'm almost out of time (and still haven't eaten. After work ok?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thanks Stormcrow for your honest and knowledgable information. I always try and listen to those who are more informed than I am. I've been looking at Joel Salatins mixes as you suggested. You say he has the best mix you've found? I'm going to order the Fertrell Nutri-Balancer, plus fish and kelp meal, and the probiotic. I'd love to know how you feed your different flock members - roosters, layers, broilers, and chicks. Again, thanks for your wealth of knowledge.

Yes, I've not made an extensive search, just based on what others have brought to this forum and asked about, but of the ones I've seen (caveat caveat caveat) only J Rhodes gives decent numbers out of a feed calculator, and has the further benefit of actually being used by more than one person, somewhere, making claims. and there's a poster here on BY who had a family recipe that comes out of a calculator well, too. I recall being surprised at the time, but don't think I bookmarked it.

You don't want to feed the way I do - I knowingly feed my birds a less than optimal feed because, taken as a whole with my management practices, I believe the savings exceed the risks. My practices are much closer to commercial than the typical BYCer.

 

[rjohns39]

Yes, I've not made an extensive search, just based on what others have brought to this forum and asked about, but of the ones I've seen (caveat caveat caveat) only J Rhodes gives decent numbers out of a feed calculator, and has the further benefit of actually being used by more than one person, somewhere, making claims. and there's a poster here on BY who had a family recipe that comes out of a calculator well, too. I recall being surprised at the time, but don't think I bookmarked it.

You don't want to feed the way I do - I knowingly feed my birds a less than optimal feed because, taken as a whole with my management practices, I believe the savings exceed the risks. My practices are much closer to commercial than the typical BYCer.

We've often disagreed on feed and feeding practices. But I totally agree with you on this post. I never intended to learn feed, but circumstances necessitated it. I was a commercial producer of grass fed birds and didn't do bad selling day old chicks of rare breeds.

When I moved here and couldn't find feed, my learning curve began. My chief nutritionist is the principal nutritionist at fertrell (Jeff Mattocks <[email protected]>). Jeff turned me on to a couple of books, gave me a couple of sample recipes and I've followed his studies on APPP.org.

At my hayday, I had over 300 birds. A mix of ducks, chickens, and turkeys. But circumstances changed and we went down to only a dozen or so birds. And then I got hurt while DW was away and my remaining birds starved to death because I couldn't get to them.

I'd like to get birds again but I have to know that I can care for them. I'd like to focus on endangered breeds, but DW wants Marans. So not sure where this will go.