Ok folks, back on topic here, which I believe are matters that have to do with chickens...
Here's an update on the transition I'm making to an entirely homemade diet. Thanks to
@Perris for the inspiration and information to go ahead with it!
Cost:
With commercial feed, in the month of May, I spent $10 on 22lbs of layer feed and 4 lbs of chick feed to feed a mixed group of five hens, three pullets, one 7 month old cockerel, and four chicks for 20 days -- For a total consumption of about 850g of feed per day. Supplemented with forage, some leftovers and sardine "treats." I've lost one hen, but the chicks will need to increase their feed consumption for June, so I need to provide at least the same amount with homemade feed. Not saying that my homemade feed is gram for gram equal with the commercial feed, but that gives me a good baseline.
I spent $8.50 on bulk ingredients to make the fermented mash plus 4lbs of rice and 1lb of quinoa for a cooked version. If I can get 20 days or more out of this purchase, I'm doing well on cost.
Ingredients and Nutrition
Here's my fermented mix. I make enough for three days, on day three I rinse out the jar and use the rinsings as the starter culture for a new batch. I've decided these ingredients based on cost, nutrient density, and availability.
3 lbs medium ground yellow corn
3 lbs rolled oats
1 lb barley
1 lb dried peas, ground to a chunky meal
.5 lb yellow split pea flour
.5 lb flax seed
This mix breaks down to
18% protein
17% fat
65% carbohydrates
Similar to most commercial feeds for layers.
For the growing chicks, I supplement the protein with extra pea flour, some sardines or meat scraps, or a scrambled egg when I'm feeling generous. Once a week, everyone gets a meat and rice stew or shares a large tin of mackerel or sardines.
I also make them an easy cooked mash from whatever I make for lunch mixed with cooked rice. Usually it will have some sweet potato or carrot in it, plantains, and/or cassava, and beans or peas. I add soaked flax for fat. The macronutrients work out about the same as my fermented mash -- which again, are equal to most commercial feeds. I usually give them the fermented mix in the morning, and the cooked mash in the afternoon, but I've experimented with serving them together and so far, no tummyaches or weird poop.
I'm also figuring out the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in my non-existent spare time because I want to help other folks see that it's very possible and actually pretty easy to give your chickens real food once you decide to do it. I'm even calculating the amino acid breakdown for all those technical types who want to have long conversations about lysine and methionine and bioavailability and such. And I want to know that the mineral content especially satisfied their requirements without too much iron, copper, or manganese. I try to calculate two micronutrient contents per day, so this will take some time.
Time and Energy
But at the end of the day -- as much as I'm relishing this process for now, it needs to end up be efficient and not take too much time out of my day getting to all the tasks on the farm, running the business side, BYC chit chat etc. So far, so good. My partner and I were already eating most of the local foods I now prepare for the chickens (rice, quinoa, cassava, plantain etc) so it's really just about chopping up some extra and boiling it for the chickens.
^lunch ingredients for humans and chickens
Feeding time is twice a day and takes about 10 minutes to prep and dish out.
I'm really enjoying watching how the tribe has responded -- they devour it! The mums cluck more excitedly for the chicks to come and get it. And it feels good to know that they are eating recognizable foods that I know the nutrient contents of and I'm willing to eat myself. Actually, I eat a little of their cooked mash for breakfast, jazzed up with salt and pepper, with a hard boiled egg. So it's a good "trade"!
Sometimes I even lick the spoon after serving up their food ... Which I never felt the desire to do with the crumble...
