making home-made feed

[woolychicken]

has anyone made there own chicken feed if so what do you use ,how much ,ect.
i was wondering if it can be done and if it is cheaper and better for my laying hens.
wooly

 

[Princess Amri]

I do! I use this fabulous recipe: http://www.greenerpasturesfarm.com/ChickenFeedRecipe.html

2 parts whole corn (in winter this is increased to 3 or 4 parts)
3 parts soft white wheat
3 parts hard red winter wheat
1 part hulled barley
1 part oat groats
1 part sunflower seeds (in winter this is increased to 2 parts)
1 part millet
1 part kamut
1 part amaranth seeds
1 part split peas
1 part lentils
1 part quinoa
1 part sesame seeds
1/2 part flax seeds
1/2 part kelp granules
free choice of granite grit
free choice of oyster shell

My birds are very healthy, too!​

 

[Sissy]

Is there any thing special to give to 5month old silkies
they have not begun to lay.I had them on starter
Purina, now I have them on Layena pellets. .
First time with silkies and Iadore them.
but the roo had to have his beak flipped with my finger
hes getting feisty.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Quote:
My birds are very healthy, too!

This sounds good but I have to ask, Where do you find hard red winter wheat, oat groats, kamut, amaranth seeds, quinoa,and kelp granules?

 

[Princess Amri]

Quote:
My birds are very healthy, too!

This sounds good but I have to ask, Where do you find hard red winter wheat, oat groats, kamut, amaranth seeds, quinoa,and kelp granules?

Sometimes the bulk section in our grocery store has the ingredients. We usually order from Azure Standard though.

 

[rosemaryfromoregon]

I'm definitely moving in the direction of homemade whole grain layer feed and Greener Pastures' recipe is the one I'm most likely to end up using. The only question I have is about the sodium content. I know chickens are not supposed to have much sodium in their diets but as far as I can see this recipe has no added sodium (as some others do...even her chick start recipe). Just wondering if that is a concern for anyone else using her recipe and, if so, what, if anything, have you done about it.

 

[Princess Amri]

Quote:
Kelp is salty.

 

[woolychicken]

Quote:
My birds are very healthy, too!

This sounds good but I have to ask, Where do you find hard red winter wheat, oat groats, kamut, amaranth seeds, quinoa,and kelp granules?

this may sound funny but do you cook some of the grains and if so which ones? do you grind this up this a fine mash? please let me know i am really intersted in doing this for my flock

thanks
wooly

 

[rosemaryfromoregon]

Nope, you don't need to cook anything. They are able to eat all those hard raw grains and legumes; their gizzards "grind" them up----- just be sure they have access to plenty of grit.

 

[rosemaryfromoregon]

Oh, but one more thing: If you go with whole grain feed you want to transition them slowly to give their gizzards time to get conditioned.