The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[slordaz]

So along the same lines, since we're talking about feed, do crumbles ferment well?

My favorite feed is Scratch and Peck, but I can't afford it with their shipping to Illinois. I've been buying New Country organic feed, which is second best but still pretty good and still not cheap (but cheaper than Scratch and Peck).

I just found an organic feed in my local farm store - it's called Nature Smart. But it's crumbles, not the nice mix of grains that the ones I've fed before. It's much cheaper since I don't have to pay shipping. Will crumbles ferment ok? They certainly don't look as appetizing - anyone know how they compare nutritionally? I don't mean the ingredients per se, I mean the processing that it takes to turn them into crumbles - does that affect the nutrition of the ingredients?

Also, anyone familiar with Nature Smart organic crumbles? Is it any good?

tried them in the fermented feed but chickens didn't like it so just add garlic into 3*1 without mollasses They do Like it when I occassionally add their melee worms in it too. I would recommend trying a small batch if your going to add their crumbles to it as I wasted a 5 gallon bucket of feed adding theirs to it they refused to eat it at all.

 

[Molpet]

So along the same lines, since we're talking about feed, do crumbles ferment well?

My favorite feed is Scratch and Peck, but I can't afford it with their shipping to Illinois. I've been buying New Country organic feed, which is second best but still pretty good and still not cheap (but cheaper than Scratch and Peck).

I just found an organic feed in my local farm store - it's called Nature Smart. But it's crumbles, not the nice mix of grains that the ones I've fed before. It's much cheaper since I don't have to pay shipping. Will crumbles ferment ok? They certainly don't look as appetizing - anyone know how they compare nutritionally? I don't mean the ingredients per se, I mean the processing that it takes to turn them into crumbles - does that affect the nutrition of the ingredients?

Also, anyone familiar with Nature Smart organic crumbles? Is it any good?

I ferment crumbles with no problem... https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

I switched to a nonGMO mill brand..Honeyville feed & farm supply in Topeka IN. Looks similar to Scratch and peck A woman in Crete goes to Indiana to get for her flock and resells the 50lb bag for $17... if your near Amish they have some good mills with non gmo feed, they are not certified organic, but a lot of the Amish do not use pesticides.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I get my grains from Honeyville too!

I mix my own feed so I purchase organic grains in 50 lb bags. Originally I had Honeyville mix my feed but when I saw the recipe they were using I decided to make my own. That way I don't have to purchase their minimum (300 lb) and have it going rancid. I usually only make enough to last a week or 2 so I don't have the rancidity issue.

I do organic because, for me, the issue isn't "GMO" - it is the huge amounts of herbicide that is put on GMO and Conventional crops. The main difference is that they can put a much higher percentage on the GMO that is designed for higher herbicide levels. This is IN the grain...not just ON it. So non-gmo and conventional both share the same issues herbicide-wise.


Anyhow...I don't use soy at all; was using field peas when I first got started in place of the soy. Observing the birds (and research along with common sense) tells me that chickens don't normally eat legume seeds so I've been doing experimental feed recipes for the last year with the goal of reducing - or totally eliminating - legume seeds in the mix. Been working well so far.

I have a spreadsheet sent to me from Jeff at Fertrel that lists every grain with protein levels - and also vitamin and mineral levels. I can plug in various grains and see at a glance what my protein levels are and also what vitamin or mineral may be out of balance. I don't use the spreadsheet as much anymore because I have a good grasp on it at this point using what grains/seeds are available to me. I go back and re-check whenever I make a change.

I like the spreadsheet because it has all the nutrition - not just protein. For some reason in the chicken-world people always focus on protein but not the whole nutrition issue. I do also use the Fertrell Nutribalancer - and that's also figured in on the whole nutrition.


Getting 6 babies this afternoon!

 

[JanetMarie]

I get my grains from Honeyville too!

I mix my own feed so I purchase organic grains in 50 lb bags. Originally I had Honeyville mix my feed but when I saw the recipe they were using I decided to make my own. That way I don't have to purchase their minimum (300 lb) and have it going rancid. I usually only make enough to last a week or 2 so I don't have the rancidity issue.

I do organic because, for me, the issue isn't "GMO" - it is the huge amounts of herbicide that is put on GMO and Conventional crops. The main difference is that they can put a much higher percentage on the GMO that is designed for higher herbicide levels. This is IN the grain...not just ON it. So non-gmo and conventional both share the same issues herbicide-wise.


Anyhow...I don't use soy at all; was using field peas when I first got started in place of the soy. Observing the birds (and research along with common sense) tells me that chickens don't normally eat legume seeds so I've been doing experimental feed recipes for the last year with the goal of reducing - or totally eliminating - legume seeds in the mix. Been working well so far.

I have a spreadsheet sent to me from Jeff at Fertrel that lists every grain with protein levels - and also vitamin and mineral levels. I can plug in various grains and see at a glance what my protein levels are and also what vitamin or mineral may be out of balance. I don't use the spreadsheet as much anymore because I have a good grasp on it at this point using what grains/seeds are available to me. I go back and re-check whenever I make a change.

I like the spreadsheet because it has all the nutrition - not just protein. For some reason in the chicken-world people always focus on protein but not the whole nutrition issue. I do also use the Fertrell Nutribalancer - and that's also figured in on the whole nutrition.


Getting 6 babies this afternoon!

I do the same thing! I pick up 50 lb. bags of organic whole field peas from Honeyville, then stop at E&S Foods to pick up Montana Hard Red Spring wheat. No soy, and back and forth on the corn. For now, no corn. They get a fresh batch of food each week, or whenever it needs to be made. All whole food ingredients, and everyone eats it, hens, roosters, chicks. Everyone is healthy, no slow molters, or any other nutritional problems. Chicks get organic sunflower seeds added which is ground smaller in the Vita-mixer. For calcium the hens get their own egg shells crushed. Everyone also free ranges which I believe is necessary for good health.

During molting they get a good source of grass fed ground beef around twice a week.

I had 20 babies hatch. Last one hatch yesterday morning. 14 Dominiques, and 6 mixed.

 

[Jewelwing]

They were on Agway brand as babies but now are on Nutrena. Their Country Feeds variety initially and now Nature Wise. Those are all Nutrena brands, besides Agway obviously, and they seem to be doing well

Well Nature Smart is made by Nutrena which I think is a good company. They make several lines including Country Feeds, Nature Wise, Nature Smart, then stuff like All Flock and Feather Fixer. Nature Smart is like their best line. I have heard of several people feeding it and even switch from other worse brands and their chickens did really well on it. Right now I am feeding Nature Wise which is the lesser of Nature Smart but a little better than Country Feeds. Mine do great on it. I want to go to Nature Smart though when I find it. As for fermenting, I don't personally ferment but I think others have used crumbles with success.

Thanks! I'd never heard of Nature Smart, but I was excited to find organic chicken feed at my local store, since they've never had it before. Times they are a'changing!

tried them in the fermented feed but chickens didn't like it so just add garlic into 3*1 without mollasses They do Like it when I occassionally add their melee worms in it too. I would recommend trying a small batch if your going to add their crumbles to it as I wasted a 5 gallon bucket of feed adding theirs to it they refused to eat it at all.

Good to know. I'll probably just ferment some together with my regular New Country Organics feed and see how it goes.

I ferment crumbles with no problem... https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

I switched to a nonGMO mill brand..Honeyville feed & farm supply in Topeka IN. Looks similar to Scratch and peck A woman in Crete goes to Indiana to get for her flock and resells the 50lb bag for $17... if your near Amish they have some good mills with non gmo feed, they are not certified organic, but a lot of the Amish do not use pesticides.

Good. I was afraid crumbles wouldn't ferment. I'm not really sure what they actually are. Crushed feed that's been blended like Purina dog chow? Seems like it would be cheaper to just dump the ingredients together like Scratch 'n Peck and New Country do.

I do organic because, for me, the issue isn't "GMO" - it is the huge amounts of herbicide that is put on GMO and Conventional crops. The main difference is that they can put a much higher percentage on the GMO that is designed for higher herbicide levels. This is IN the grain...not just ON it. So non-gmo and conventional both share the same issues herbicide-wise.


Anyhow...I don't use soy at all; was using field peas when I first got started in place of the soy. Observing the birds (and research along with common sense) tells me that chickens don't normally eat legume seeds so I've been doing experimental feed recipes for the last year with the goal of reducing - or totally eliminating - legume seeds in the mix. Been working well so far.

I have a spreadsheet sent to me from Jeff at Fertrel that lists every grain with protein levels - and also vitamin and mineral levels. I can plug in various grains and see at a glance what my protein levels are and also what vitamin or mineral may be out of balance. I don't use the spreadsheet as much anymore because I have a good grasp on it at this point using what grains/seeds are available to me. I go back and re-check whenever I make a change.

I like the spreadsheet because it has all the nutrition - not just protein. For some reason in the chicken-world people always focus on protein but not the whole nutrition issue. I do also use the Fertrell Nutribalancer - and that's also figured in on the whole nutrition.


Getting 6 babies this afternoon!

That's exactly why I do organic too. I think the non-GMO is a little better than conventional feed because they can put so much more herbicide (Roundup) on GMO crops, but non-GMO feed has plenty of herbicide too. So organic for me and my flock.

Congratulations on the new babies!!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Yeah, i think ours now carries it too times certainly are changing lol

 

[gevshiba]

For those of you who don't feed soy and for those who feed Nutrena, I talked to the rep at the Mother Earth News Fair. It was first thing in the morning when they opened. They were advertising their new organic feed. I told her that I don't feed soy, so when they went organic and soy free, we'd talk. She said I was the 5th person that morning who said the same thing. She said she was taking notes because it wouldn't be smart to ignore those numbers. 5 doesn't sound like much, but in the first 10-15 minutes of a 2 day weekend, that's quite a bit. So, I bet you'll be seeing organic soy free in the near future.

 

[Molpet]

I get my grains from Honeyville too!

I mix my own feed so I purchase organic grains in 50 lb bags. Originally I had Honeyville mix my feed but when I saw the recipe they were using I decided to make my own. That way I don't have to purchase their minimum (300 lb) and have it going rancid. I usually only make enough to last a week or 2 so I don't have the rancidity issue.

I do organic because, for me, the issue isn't "GMO" - it is the huge amounts of herbicide that is put on GMO and Conventional crops. The main difference is that they can put a much higher percentage on the GMO that is designed for higher herbicide levels. This is IN the grain...not just ON it. So non-gmo and conventional both share the same issues herbicide-wise.


Anyhow...I don't use soy at all; was using field peas when I first got started in place of the soy. Observing the birds (and research along with common sense) tells me that chickens don't normally eat legume seeds so I've been doing experimental feed recipes for the last year with the goal of reducing - or totally eliminating - legume seeds in the mix. Been working well so far.

I have a spreadsheet sent to me from Jeff at Fertrel that lists every grain with protein levels - and also vitamin and mineral levels. I can plug in various grains and see at a glance what my protein levels are and also what vitamin or mineral may be out of balance. I don't use the spreadsheet as much anymore because I have a good grasp on it at this point using what grains/seeds are available to me. I go back and re-check whenever I make a change.

I like the spreadsheet because it has all the nutrition - not just protein. For some reason in the chicken-world people always focus on protein but not the whole nutrition issue. I do also use the Fertrell Nutribalancer - and that's also figured in on the whole nutrition.


Getting 6 babies this afternoon!

Some of the non-gmo is sprayed I am sure...however why would you grow non-gmo's then spray it ....it takes years of jumping through legal hoops and not spraying to become organic certified. In the mean time they sell it as non-gmo... also the Amish and Mennonites do not bother with certification and grow non-gmo
congrats on the babies!

 

[Leahs Mom]

I do the same thing! I pick up 50 lb. bags of organic whole field peas from Honeyville, then stop at E&S Foods to pick up Montana Hard Red Spring wheat. No soy, and back and forth on the corn. For now, no corn. They get a fresh batch of food each week, or whenever it needs to be made. All whole food ingredients, and everyone eats it, hens, roosters, chicks. Everyone is healthy, no slow molters, or any other nutritional problems. Chicks get organic sunflower seeds added which is ground smaller in the Vita-mixer. For calcium the hens get their own egg shells crushed. Everyone also free ranges which I believe is necessary for good health.

During molting they get a good source of grass fed ground beef around twice a week.

I had 20 babies hatch. Last one hatch yesterday morning. 14 Dominiques, and 6 mixed.

Pretty much the same way I do too. I haven't used any legume seeds for about 8 mos. now and all doing well.

I also use the vitamix to grind mine... smaller for the babies and the for the adults only the corn gets ground slightly - then the small grains don't get ground at all. Also put out brewers yeast free feed and they also have the fish meal free-feed now too rather than in the feed. (The brewers yeast brand I use is the only one that certified that their yeast wasn't grown on GMO substrate. (All BYeast is "non-gmo" technically, but the substrate they are grown on is another matter.) The babies get some ground raw meat a few times a week (clean grass-fed source) and the adults get some raw ground in the winter too. Babies usually get tiny chopped - or blended - raw liver for the extra b vitamins.



@Molpet
RE non-gmo using herbicides - the term non-gmo is another descriptor for "conventional". They do still spray as heavily as they can without killing the crops as well as using chemical fertilizers. The GMO just allows them to be able to spray higher quantities.


I did askabout their source at Honeyville for various Non-GMO grains. Of course they come from various sources. They called the sources that they were getting them from for me (at the time I asked) and all their non-GMO suppliers were using both herbicides and chemical fertilizers. So... Decided to stick w/the organic which can't use either if they're honest.

 

[ShrekDawg]

For those of you who don't feed soy and for those who feed Nutrena, I talked to the rep at the Mother Earth News Fair.  It was first thing in the morning when they opened.  They were advertising their new organic feed.  I told her that I don't feed soy, so when they went organic and soy free, we'd talk.  She said I was the 5th person that morning who said the same thing.  She said she was taking notes because it wouldn't be smart to ignore those numbers.  5 doesn't sound like much, but in the first 10-15 minutes of a 2 day weekend, that's quite a bit.  So, I bet you'll be seeing organic soy free in the near future.

Wow that would be awesome!!!