How to make a homemade feeder? And, is whole corn good to feed?

[Rooapalooza]

So I just got more chickens so we could keep giving out the same amount of treats, and it made less of an impact on their diet.

Hahaha that's wonderful!

 

[cluckmecoop7]

So my main question is: What exactly should I be feeding so my hens (almost hens) live LONG?

ETA: I got them for pets so I want them to live a long life.

 

[21hens-incharge]

That sound terrible! I'm sorry . Mine seem healthy but I get concerned about their food intake. It's hard to control free-rangers diets'. I'm against providing unlimited access to treats, and I don't believe in providing even more corn (since there's already so much in most feeds, and from I've heard, it's not very nutritious). But if I have their 'healthy' food always available, and they choose not to eat it, I'm not sure what to do about that, other than to try to entice them. My bucket feeder makes so they'd have to eat their way through the feed to the next layer of treats, so that helps.

Do you have any other recommendations for tempting them to eat more boring feed?

My oldest is 3, so I haven't had a chance to see long term health outcomes yet; I don't know how much to worry about this.

My best suggestion is to give them their regular feed in the morning BUT serve it up in a wet form. Mix regular pellets or crumble with hot water, let it sit for 10 minutes. If it is the consistency of cooked oatmeal good!
If not add water or more pellets as needed.
Even my pickiest eaters will walk away from eating scratch to eat the morning mash.
Don't let them out to range until they have eaten their breakfast.
Don't put a huge amount out. Just enough that everyone can get a 1/4-1/2 cup.

I like to give treats... and so does my toddler. But really, they can cause total havoc for egg layers, I was getting a lot of soft shells.

So I just got more chickens so we could keep giving out the same amount of treats, and it made less of an impact on their diet.

feeding is a science and not really guesswork or generalizations, and you would really be throwing off the ratios of what they need by filling them up on corn.

Best plan EVER!

 

[Kiki]

Um, sort of....

I don't want to throw away good corn... (if that's what you really mean't..)

Throw it in the trash.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

What? I'm so confused.

 

[Kiki]

So my main question is: What exactly should I be feeding so my hens (almost hens) live LONG?

ETA: I got them for pets so I want them to live a long life.

Feed them commercially made pelleted or crumbled layer type feed ONLY.

 

[jolenesdad]

So my main question is: What exactly should I be feeding so my hens (almost hens) live LONG?

Pellets are always nice.

I’ve been raising lots of meat birds and I found a local mill I can get non gmo feed for way less, but it’s like a mash, with whole seeds too.

it’s fine with the broilers, I can pretty much time the feeding to where the feed runs out so they eat it all. But my laying flock absolutely 100% picks and chooses and I know they’re not getting a balanced diet, so it’s super frustrating.

I am probably going to go the route of a single bucket feeder and wetting it in the trough feeders.

if you can get them on a pellet, it’s always easiest...

what should you do with the corn? How many birds do you have?

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I have six hens, @jolenesdad.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Feed them commercially made pelleted or crumbled layer type feed ONLY.

So I have to waste the corn and through away my money?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Feed the layer feed if your birds are over 18 weeks.
If younger they should be on starter/chick feed.

If you have a cockerel or rooster feed an all flock feed with oyster shell on the side.

If you want to give treats give the scratch......I would toss the whole corn in the trash.

So my main question is: What exactly should I be feeding so my hens (almost hens) live LONG?

ETA: I got them for pets so I want them to live a long life.

As I posted above....

If actively laying feed layer feed with minimal (1/8th cup scratch) given as a treat.

If male or not actively laying (most hens take winter off) feed an all flock feed with minimal treats given as a treat.

Oyster shell and grit provided separate from the feed. Do not mix it in.