Minerals to add to feed

[VicktoryFarm]

I have a great (cheap) source for a feed base for my chickens. It's basically a ground corn and soybean mix. I add to that oyster shells, and sometimes grit.

The chickens do OK on that but don't quite lay as well as when I buy a mix from the feed store. I'm guessing that I'm missing some important vitamins and minerals, and they are not getting it from our soil even though they free range.

I'm sure this has been asked before, but can anyone give me some ideas about adding to my feed base. It would be nice If I could find some sort of mineral mix to add to my base.

Thanks!

 

[Fred's Hens]

You can do this. Local feed mills do exactly that. They take grain, usually corn, and grind it, but include a "package" of nutrients, essentials fats, acids, vitamins, etc.
They can even sell you this additive package. The recipe of formulating how many pounds of package to so many pounds of corn or soybeans is also provided.

Hubbard Feeds sells the package, and I think they call it Chick N Egg of something similar. Go to Hubbard's website and you find the product and the recipe for your own blending. Easy peasey.

Hubbard is not the only feed company that does this. All the major feed companies do. Farmers have their own grinder/mix at the farm and usually have their own source of corn from their own fields. Very common.

 

[VicktoryFarm]

Thanks for your suggestion. I was able to get my feed store to sell me a 50lb bag of pre-mix. Now... if I can just get my measurements correct when I mix my own.