Mixing feed for the first time

Rostercogbern

In the Brooder
May 9, 2016
48
4
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I talked with my local co op the price of chiken feed was getting g expensive. They said since I live on a farm and have corn and oats available I should mix feed myself. I bought 2 bags of soybean meal went home put the smallest screen in my grinder and found the app to get the right protien percent. It cam out to be roughly 25 part soybean and 75 part corn would roughly get me between 18 and 16% protien. It worked out great I added a little oats cause that's what they suggested well the last of my chicken feed is in the feeder and I'll be starting my home made mix soon. Just wanted to see what you all thought of this idea. By the way one 55 gallon barrel lasted 3 weeks and it was 60 bucks for 4 bags of feed now I have 3 barrels full of feed for about 5 bucks mixed myself hopefully I don't get to much criticism lol
 
Im also mixing my own feed but havent calculated cost yet? I dont know maybe im wrong but chickens are omnivores so maybe adding an animal protein into the mix? My chicks love boiled eggs and sardines and i add 1 or the other to there morning feed.. I ferment my feed also so it lasts even longer as the nutrition is more readily available for chickens to take up therefore dont ned to eat as much. Someone else might be able to help you more in regards to getting the right amino acid profile in your mix.. But all the best creating your feed mix
 
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How about the vitamin and mineral mix? And the amino acid blend? And the actual cost of the grains grown on your farm? I still think that it's hard to balance a ration cheaper than commercial feeds. Not having home grown grains, I'm not about to try. Besides, it takes time to make up the recipe. Mary
 
I agree wholeheartedly with Folly's place.
Congrats for saving money but chickens are not vegetarians. They are omnivores.
Crude protein levels are what many people calculate but proper nutrition for chickens is about the essential amino acids, not crude protein. If you delve into the ingredient list of vegetarian feeds, you see synthetic lysine and methionine added because those are deficient in vegetative based sources.
And as Mary said, I see no mention of vitamins and trace minerals like D3 and selenium or zinc.

Corn and soy make up the bulk of chicken feeds but it is the little things that will cause nutrient deficiency health issues over time.
 
Guess I'll have to throw some trace mineral and sodium in the mix also the next round thanks for the input.
 
I've had college classes in livestock and poultry nutrition, and that's why I buy the ready to eat bags at the feed store! If you have hundreds of chickens, you can have bulk feed delivered, and still use it up before it ages out. Mary
 
I "mix my own feed" in a way. I use formulated chicken feed from the store, but add oats and corn and black oil sunflower seeds. That way, they still get the nutritional value of formulated feed, but it also dilutes the mixture and helps a bag of feed last longer. Plus oats and black oil sunflower seeds are good for feather quality and corn makes the yolks look amazing.
 

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