Mixing Your Own

[SkyWarrior]

I've been thinking lately about mixing my own chicken feed in the hopes of maybe providing good nutrition and a cheaper cost.

I'm sure someone out there has been doing this and the thread has come up, but I'd like to hear your thoughts and maybe see where the link might be for this.

 

[saladin]

Most of us that mix our own feeds get it done at the local mill.

For mature birds I use 16% protein with some of that coming from animal by-products.
I change my feed depending on the seasons: fall and winter I feed lots of oats and alfalfa meal.

At your local mill you just hand them the ingredients/lbs and they do it right up for you.

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

Good luck. If you have your own grain you might be able to. With corn around 7 per bushel and beans at 14+ there isn't much we can do. Beware of too much scratch grains in it since they can have protein levels as low as 6-7%. Birds love it but it is not enough for them to be healthy and productive. For my local elevator to grind feed for me I have to get it by the ton.

 

[homesteadapps]

This link shows the kind of concentrates you can purchase:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=577252

Protein concentrates can be as simple as Roasted Soybeans, but the actual concentrates have some additional minerals added.

You can use the dealer locator to find a nearby dealer. Some of the dealer are actually mills to.


These concentrates are usually around 27 to 40% protein -- way more than the chickens can use so they are mixed with lower % grains

Corn is usually used because it has always been one of the least expensive grains and makes a decent mixing grain at 9%.

Wheat can provide more value because it is in the 12-14% protein range for a lesser cost than corn. I believe I've read that wheat can cause looser stools in chickens if it is the only grain use so maybe a combo between corn and wheat if you want to go this route.

A lot of good info on wheat compared to corn, etc...
http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/poultry/publications/documents/wheat.pdf