Making Feed at Home

[spaceylocust]

Forgot the link.....

https://www.gardenbetty.com/homemade-whole-grain-chicken-feed-updated-and-now-corn-free/

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Forgot the link.....

https://www.gardenbetty.com/homemade-whole-grain-chicken-feed-updated-and-now-corn-free/

Please don't send traffic to Garden Betty, her feed recipes are terrible for your birds, and her feed calculator is populated with data which can't be validated - I have no idea where she sourced it from, but in the main, I've found it to overstate the nutritional quality of many ingredients.

Use Feedipedia.org instead* - not because its definitively the best, but because I has a lot of data - so you can can't be accused of cherry picking, and because if you know how to read the data, they show the range of nutritional variation and the number of samples used to arrive at their data. *Unless you have a guaranteed nutrition label on your package, such as with Fertrell's products.

Finally, don't use "1/2 Parts". Yes, i can do the math, but the whole point of a "part" recipe is that it works for whatever measure you have handy - a cup, a bucket, a barrel, a bag, a coffee can... A half measure isn't always available.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Alfalfa pellets 1 part
Fish meal 1 part
Flax seed 1/2 part
Hard wheat 4 parts
Kelp 1/2 part
Lentils 2 parts
Oats 1 part
Peas 2 parts
This came out to 20.2% protein. My girls free range as well so I aim for a higher protein content since they dilute with greens and whatever else they forage.

I've not corrected for "as fed" *basically, accounting for the water in the products, which tends to reduce the nutrition by 8-10% for recipes reliant on dried ingredients, but using Fetrell's Fish Meal and Thorvin's Kelp Meal (I couldn't find a nutrition label for Fertrell's), that's 22.75% protein, 7.29% fiber (that's high), 3.72% fat (good). Assuming a .9 correction for "as fed" to correct for moisture, that's 20.5%, 6,56%, 3.35%. Again, apart from fiber, that looks very good.

The Methionine level is 0.38 before correction (acceptable), Lysine levels are very good 1.28%, Threonine (.82%) and Tryptophan (.24) all look good. My calculator says the feed is low energy, but that's because I don't have good figures for the MKE of lentils in poultry, but its probably somewhere in the 12 - 12.5 MJ/Kg range, which is within recommendations.

So.... I have to ask. Did you make that recipe yourself, or find it somewhere??? Its much better than what I usually see offered as a homebrew effort - certainly better than GBetty's fiber AND FAT heavy offerings.

 

[spaceylocust]

I've not corrected for "as fed" *basically, accounting for the water in the products, which tends to reduce the nutrition by 8-10% for recipes reliant on dried ingredients, but using Fetrell's Fish Meal and Thorvin's Kelp Meal (I couldn't find a nutrition label for Fertrell's), that's 22.75% protein, 7.29% fiber (that's high), 3.72% fat (good). Assuming a .9 correction for "as fed" to correct for moisture, that's 20.5%, 6,56%, 3.35%. Again, apart from fiber, that looks very good.

The Methionine level is 0.38 before correction (acceptable), Lysine levels are very good 1.28%, Threonine (.82%) and Tryptophan (.24) all look good. My calculator says the feed is low energy, but that's because I don't have good figures for the MKE of lentils in poultry, but its probably somewhere in the 12 - 12.5 MJ/Kg range, which is within recommendations.

So.... I have to ask. Did you make that recipe yourself, or find it somewhere??? Its much better than what I usually see offered as a homebrew effort - certainly better than GBetty's fiber AND FAT heavy offerings.

Thanks for the warning on GB's calculator. Ussery's book said to use as many different grains, seeds, etc. that one can. That is basically what I've done. I used the calculator to check the protein content and that's about all. I've studied nutrition for my family for decades and used that knowledge as well. I'm glad the girls are getting a decent feed. Most of the feed on the market has soy in it or corn as first ingredient so I avoid them. The organic feeds that are soy free are too spendy for my budget. I do have a local organic feed facility (blessed beyond measure) but my girls really don't like their feed. If they have a choice between what I make and what I buy (also whole grains and fermented), they'll choose my mix.

Thank you for the info. I'd love to have your spreadsheet once it is finished so I can evaluate on a better nutritional level.

 

[spaceylocust]

I didn't answer your question, this is my recipe. As for the half measurements, I just use the same sauce pot, but only half of it instead of the whole measurement. Easy enough.

 

[spaceylocust]

I should also reveal that I feed my birds twice a day. They free range for the day and they also get miscellaneous "treats" from the kitchen. Bananas are a fav, apple peels, salad stuff, occasionally BSF dried grubs (winter only), and BOSS. My girls have very little fat on them since they're so active so I try to give them a little extra in the winter.

That feedipedia website looks impressive and will take some time to explore. Thanks for sharing that resource!!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thanks for the warning on GB's calculator. Ussery's book said to use as many different grains, seeds, etc. that one can. That is basically what I've done. I used the calculator to check the protein content and that's about all. I've studied nutrition for my family for decades and used that knowledge as well. I'm glad the girls are getting a decent feed. Most of the feed on the market has soy in it or corn as first ingredient so I avoid them. The organic feeds that are soy free are too spendy for my budget. I do have a local organic feed facility (blessed beyond measure) but my girls really don't like their feed. If they have a choice between what I make and what I buy (also whole grains and fermented), they'll choose my mix.

Thank you for the info. I'd love to have your spreadsheet once it is finished so I can evaluate on a better nutritional level.

Soy works well because its has one of the best AA profiles in the plant world - its complete (a rarity), and near the right ratios. Your use of alfala, another legume, as substitute for soy is a key part of why the recipe works - though its much lower in protein, the ratios are similar. and of course the fish meal. The alfalfa meal IS where a lot of your higher fiber is coming from.

 

[spaceylocust]

I don't always put alfalfa in the mix and my recipe changes depending on what's available. Peas are also high in protein and starch so I really like using them. The chickens like them but sometimes rebel. They like change occasionally, it seems. I know most feeds have soy for that reason but the human health detriment is too high from my point of view. I used to live in soy growing country and I know how heavily they are sprayed! AAAARRRRGGGG!!!

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I am trying to remember the recipe I worked up when I was hand mixing… I really need to find my note book. My note book has the specifics, ratios, what I thought my nutrition numbers were, that sort of stuff… the list is long because I had to be flexible based on what was available for me to use at any given time. Keep in mind they got to forage and lots of kitchen and table scraps.

But I know I used

Paddy Rice
Oats
Alfalfa
Wheat
Black Sunflower
Split Peas or Lentils
Oyster Shell, egg shell
Seaweed
Red Pepper
Millet
Milo
Peanuts
Rye
Pumpkin, Squash, Melon, Gourd seeds
Dried fruits/berries
Calendula Flowers
Fish, scrambled eggs, yogurt, worms, crickets, roe, soy products, cat food in a pinch.

Fresh fruit and vegetables

I raised Phoenix and several other breeds on hand mixed before switching to a premade when it finally was available

 

[Maiahr]

@U_Stormcrow this looks like a very useful spreadsheet! I am feeding my chicken with Cockspur grass and I have tested the gluten and protein levels of it in a lab - 11.13% protein. Same as wheat here.
I am also feeding my chicken with eggs and meaworms, but I think the spreadsheet is only for grains, right?
I recently discovered chickpeas are the same price as wheat here, but have not tested in a lab the protein levels, as there were only two bags in the shop anyway and they didn't expect a new batch soon