Now I'm confused! Feeding mixed whole grains exclusively?

[RNM Chicks]

I love the thought of feeding my girls organic. I went to the feed store an bought a mixture of whole grains, in the rations prescribed in a post here. Oats, shelled peanuts, milo, flax, cracked corn, black oiled sunflower seeds, millet, and wheat. They LOVE it! I bought some lentils and split peas at the grocery today. Do I have to pre cook these?

My girls are in a coop with attached run, and are allowed outside to "free range" for a n hour or two each day with my close supervision. (too many hawks around).

Now, I read that I should keep them on grower mash until they start laying, which they have not yet. They are 20 and 22 weeks old. I bought Layena and mixed the grains in with that, and is in their feeder.

I also have grit and oyster shells available. Do they need to stay on the commercial feed, or is my organic grain mix enough? I don't want sickly or fatty chickies~!

P.S. today they have some yogurt with raisins in in for their treat. Spoiled girls.

 

[Erica]

Hi RNM chicks,

Mixing your own feed can be interesting and enjoyable. However there are some pitfalls, and too low protein is one of them. Missing vitamins are another (e.g. vitamin K from leafy greens).There is also the question of amino acid balance (amino acids are the building blocks of protein), and I'm not sure lentils and peas provide enough of the complementary amino acids to what's in the grains.

If the birds get plenty of bugs and pasture the above isn't so much of a drama. But I just know from doing it that home mixing isn't always easy. Commercial feeds might not be freshest or best (artificial vitamins made from petrochemicals for instance) but they do the job while we're learning.

Good luck, it sounds like you're well on the way.