Homemade feed

[Beaglemomof5]

Can anyone tell me what to buy to make my own feed for my hens, please? I can get all sorts or grains, seeds, etc at a feed mill not far from home & could buy it in 50 pound bags & mix it, but I’m not sure what to buy. Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Can anyone tell me what to buy to make my own feed for my hens, please? I can get all sorts or grains, seeds, etc at a feed mill not far from home & could buy it in 50 pound bags & mix it, but I’m not sure what to buy. Thanks in advance for any help!

Most of but not all of a good homemade ration will be pellets. Either laying pellets, breeder pellets, pig chow, kibbles etc. All of these feeds are by definition pre made or previously produced feed. When adding grains to these pellets you are reducing the percentages of proteins and other nutrients in your chickens' ration. Regardless of what you see in Kellogg, or Quaker Oats advertisements, an all grain chicken feed is in no respect an ideal diet for people or a ration for chickens. In fact your chickens may completely reject some bulk feed or feed grain products that you think are wonder foods.

Unless you have considerable knowledge or years of experience with scientific feeding of domestic animals you are better off feeding a well balanced commercial chicken feed. Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, Corn-Free, Organic, Vegetarian, etc. chicken feeds do not qualify as "Well Balanced"

 

[snow5164]

Not a good idea at all unless you buy the proper minerals and you weigh and measure everything ...

Just mixed grains is not sufficient to sustain laying hens ....or any animals
Then you should feed them scratch grains because that’s the same nutritionally

Now my feed mill has grains in 50 pound bags like your , they also have a bag of mineral supplements that needs to be added to make a complete feed



Good luck ,
Not worth the time or energy to me
Hope you have proper storage set up

 

[snow5164]

But that’s like giving kids cookies all day because they choose them first ....

You need to be the adult and give them what they need most of the day , a handful of treats is a good way to get them to like you , but you want them to be strong and healthy not fat and not laying eggs

 

[snow5164]

Our recipe,
Oatmeal uncooked or cooked whatever but NO SUGAR
Cornmeal
Dried corn
Blend it and Vawala! Food for the chooks.

No Vawala!! This is not a complete diet for any animal ... your hens will not thrive on this , look up chickens nutritional needs

Corn, corn and oatmeal is not going to sustain them in the long run ... no no no

 

[snow5164]

We use this when we are out of feed and need to run to the store. This is a 30 (tops) minute just in case food. We give them Layer feed, fresh foods, and the option of oyster shells.

Just be careful when you are advising new or any people . She was asking for a recipe to feed her hens .... not a snack mix

Making your own complete feed is not something to take lightly , it involves considerable expense , time and space .

Not worth it to me , my time is money

 

[KikiLeigh02]

If they aren't fond of the pellets you could try crumbling them up, or buy complete feed that is already crumbled. If they have the option they will pick the treats every time, if treats are limited (or taken away completely for a while) they will eat their feed when they get hungry.

 

[DobieLover]

Why are you looking to make your own feed?

 

[Beaglemomof5]

Why are you looking to make your own feed?

Mine don’t seem to eat the layer pellets very well & my husband bought a bag of scratch feed that had cracked corn, (looks like) wheat, bird seed, etc & they pick out the seeds & wheat pieces first, so I figured if that’s what they want to eat, I’d buy bigger bags of it & save money by mixing it myself.

 

[Beaglemomof5]

Our recipe,
Oatmeal uncooked or cooked whatever but NO SUGAR
Cornmeal
Dried corn
Blend it and Vawala! Food for the chooks.

Is this all you feed yours?