Recipe for making your own feed

[Mary Monk]

Hi there -

I've been experimenting with a home mix, too. I will share what I've learned.

Firstly, find a copy of Harvey Ussery's book and make up the spreadsheet he has in the back, one of the appendices, for mixing your own feed. It makes it very easy to mix and match locally available grains to get the right protein %. I even extended it out a little so it calculates my cost per batch by weight.

I found a mix that works for me using this spreadsheet. I do not grind anything but instead hand mix a whole grain/seed ration. I sprinkle a poultry premix over the feed when I serve it, or stir it in with the water if I'm serving it wet or fermented. I also add cayenne or crushed red pepper in the winter.

Wheat & oats should not be more than 15% of the total ration by weight, flax no more than 10%. I did not do the math on your mixture.

I also do no-corn, no-soy, no-wheat conventional (not organic), for my customers as well as myself.

My mix is millet, barley, oats, black oil sunflower seed, and flax, plus the mineral premix, extra grit, and brewer's yeast. I have been getting steady eggs as my pullets are coming into lay.

Oh please tell me how to figure out the percentage. Also what are you doing for vitamins? I only have 8 chickens and have been fermenting the feed. I think I have been doing a similar mix but I think I have too much of some things. I have one that is developing Rickets so it is quite urgent. This is what i bought: Fertrell Poultry Nutri-Balancer, Regular - 10 lb
Chicken Wheat, Animal Feed, Organic - 50 lb
Oat Groats, Organic - 50 lb Organics
Flax Seeds, Organic - 25 lb
Kelp Granules, ASCO Animal (Blue Label), 5 lb
Whole Barley - Animal Feed, Organic - 45 lb
Organics Peas,Yellow Split, Organic - 25 lb
Organics Chia Seeds, Whole, Black, Organic - 5 lb
(free choice, kelp and oyster shells and clean water with apple cider vinegar from a bell waterer changed every other day) I give sunflower seeds as a treat.