Homemade feed for my hens?? Better than commercial feed? More affordable? I need the truth!

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

If you are feeding chick starter, then it has calcium. But if you are making 'home made' then it needs a balance

They would get access to oyster shells in a separate container to eat it as they need it.

 

[CabritaChicks]

I’m not great at attaching files—but that’s actually a solid amount of calcium. Contrary to popular belief, the calcium from cooked or crushed eggshells and oyster shell is minimal in impact. Most of it isn’t readily digestible—only about 30–40% is actually absorbed by the bird’s body, and even less if their gut health or vitamin D levels are off. People often overestimate its effectiveness, when in reality, it’s more of a supplement than a reliable source.

But it is great grit!

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

My two cents?

Feathers are made almost entirely of a tough, fibrous protein called beta-keratin, the same material found in beaks and reptile scales. While calcium is not for feather development in pullets, they need it to produce feathers as the body works in sequence.

While feathers don’t require calcium, a bird’s skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems do, and this is especially true for growing chicks and pullets, or young hens preparing for lay. A calcium-deficient diet can lead to rickets, skeletal deformities, weakness, poor development and even the whirlies, and in laying birds, soft-shelled or shell-less eggs, egg binding, and even death.

Yet, in some small-scale or budget-conscious chicken-keeping communities and food comapnies who dont want to dish out the dough...there's an unfounded fear surrounding calcium-rich feeds (note the studies on this subject, are subject). Some avoid offering proper calcium out of worry it’s expensive or unnecessary. This misunderstanding is not only dangerous—it’s inhumane.

You can’t have a diet void of calcium—I would know—I'm a scientist currently studying this, and I’m actively working to debunk the myth that calcium is a costly or optional part of a chicken’s diet. In truth, properly balanced feed—whether layer, grower, or chick formula—is carefully calculated to provide what birds need without

Depending on your soil- it may contain adequate calcium- and there is a tiny bit in insects exoskeleton. But you need to let them out often.

Since you are a scientist, maybe you could answer this: Is this recipe balanced? Oyster shells are provided separately.

• 20 lbs Whole Oats
• 20 lbs Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
• 10 lbs Flax Seeds
• 10 lbs Split Peas
• 5 lbs Sesame Seeds
• And they get Black Soldier fly larva as a treat a couple times a week.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I’m not great at attaching files—but that’s actually a solid amount of calcium. Contrary to popular belief, the calcium from cooked or crushed eggshells and oyster shell is minimal in impact. Most of it isn’t readily digestible—only about 30–40% is actually absorbed by the bird’s body, and even less if their gut health or vitamin D levels are off. People often overestimate its effectiveness, when in reality, it’s more of a supplement than a reliable source.

But it is great grit!

So if my hens always have access to oyster shells, is that all the calcium source they need, since they can eat how ever much they want?

 

[CabritaChicks]

Okay, so I have algorithm years ago, I your mix in- it did not account for the oyster shell, but here it is:

Edit: but you said they have access to compost- which is good because they can fill the gaps. What are you planning for fodder? (grazing food). I am a huge proponent

 

[CabritaChicks]

So if my hens always have access to oyster shells, is that all the calcium source they need, since they can eat how ever much they want?

Likely there is calcium in your soil, and if they are allowed to roam and scratch, then that should be enough when they are adults.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Okay, so I have algorithm years ago, I your mix in- it did not account for the oyster shell, but here it is:

Edit: but you said they have access to compost- which is good because they can fill the gaps. What are you planning for fodder? (grazing food). I am a huge proponent

Does grass count as fodder? They have grass in 90% of their run. Also, is that attachment a calculation of this recipe? I just want to clarify.

• 20 lbs Whole Oats
• 20 lbs Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
• 10 lbs Flax Seeds
• 10 lbs Split Peas
• 5 lbs Sesame Seeds
• And they get Black Soldier fly larva as a treat a couple times a week.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Likely there is calcium in your soil, and if they are allowed to roam and scratch, then that should be enough when they are adults.

they have lots of dirt and grass to scratch in, not to mention the compost.

 

[CabritaChicks]

Also note: Flaxseed is nutritious but poorly digested by poultry when fed whole. The tough seed coat often passes through the gizzard intact, meaning much of its omega-3 content goes unabsorbed. Grinding flax just before feeding improves digestibility, but it must be used quickly to avoid rancidity.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Also note: Flaxseed is nutritious but poorly digested by poultry when fed whole. The tough seed coat often passes through the gizzard intact, meaning much of its omega-3 content goes unabsorbed. Grinding flax just before feeding improves digestibility, but it must be used quickly to avoid rancidity.

The feed makes about 50lbs, if i ground the flax seed before adding it to the batch, will it go bad? also, the attachment you sent earlier said that the omega-3's are high, so should I add less flax? If so, how much less?