So who feeds whole grains as opposed to processed feed?

[KatyTheChickenLady]

for anyone interested I found this site very informative.

http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/poultry/bba01s20.html

 

[Ariel301]

We feed a whole grain 'scratch' type mix we buy from a local farm. They will sell it to us whole or ground, however we want it, we usually have them grind it to a coarse mix that is easier for the banties to eat. We run it through the food processor to make it small enough for chicks. The only feed carried in our local store for chickens is scratch or medicated feed, and we do not like to feed medicated feeds to our animals. Plus it is nice being able to feed the same grain mix to our chickens and goats rather than having to buy two separate expensive packaged feeds and then have to haul buckets of both out to feed them. Our birds are dual-purpose meat and egg layers of various breeds, both bantam and regulars. The hens lay daily and everyone seems fat and healthy. This is not their only food though. We also free-range them, feed them scraps from the kitchen, eggshells for calcium, and a handful of dry cat food every evening for protein.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

So far mine are loving the Red Wheat & Corn, eating the Barley and skipping the Oats . . .

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Quote:
There is no combination of those grains that can be worked up to efficiently supply all of a bird's nutritional needs. Somewhere, somehow you're going to need to supplement them.

Free ranging can do this if they can truly range over a wide area and it's not frozen or too droughty. When it is you're going to have to supplement them.

.....Alan.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

the question remains; supplement them with what? to achieve what balance, and overcome lack of what?

 

[Smoky73]

I feed a commercial feed, but supplement with oats, barley, wheat, safflower, sunflower and flax seeds as the base; fish and kelp meal, brewers yeast, garlic, bee pollen, DE, Spirulina, vit E and Selenium all as a powder added; Wheat germ oil and Red Cell to moisten it all together.

I feed all the supplemented stuff as most of the year, I am feeding a layer feed that has no animal proteins, and most of them are plant based anymore, so I am adding the addition fat and protein with the seed and the needed animal protein with the powdered mix. During breeding season, I use Purina Gamebird Layena, which still has animal protein in it. Hatches much healthier chicks.

And yes, I do mix that all up for them every day.

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
Katy, did you use equal quantities of these or if not, what proportion of each?

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

well that depends how you look at it -equal in weight yes, but oats take up about double the volume as the other seed.
I am not feeding whole grains exclusively yet. They still have free choice commercial feed because I don't want to be withholding some important amino acid or vitamin and I don't feel like I know what I am doing enough yet. BUT I WILL GET THERE! I did switch their commercial crumble to pellets which my birds hate and took away their "scratch" to encourage eating the grains so that I could see what they like. So far oats are deffinately off the list.

 

[doodledo]

Quote:
How can you afford the Spirulina, bee pollen and Selenium? I just did some research to take that for myself and YIKES, its expensive.

I am going to go to my local Co-op today and see what tey charge to purchase the grains in bulk. Does anyone feed Fertrells? Is it worth it?

 

[mistyfeather]

i just talked to a local feed mill that has a mix of oats, barley, wheat and corn, they will mix to your specifications. it comes out to $7.50 for 50lb. they said that their other customer's chickens have done verry well on it so im thinking of giving it a try , with their normal feed for a while to see how they like it. i an get it whole or rolled.