Topic of the Week - "Off-grid" Feeding - Homemade feeds, etc.

[Bananer86]

FYI: sweet potatoes can replace corn pound for pound (dry matter) though corn has a tiny bit more protein. Usually folks aren’t feeding corn for its protein of course. Sweet potatoes are used to “sweeten” meat in hogs near slaughtering time. It could no doubt be used that way for broilers or even cattle for that matter.

Do you feed the chickens raw or cooked sweet potatoes? I know that they have to be completely cooked for dogs

 

[1cock2hens]

I've not been buying feed for the last 2 months. Before that they just got all purpose animal feed I give my goats. I've been getting any kind of random hen and rooster I can find and I'm letting them have all the chicks they can in hopes that natural selection will thin the flock and leave me only with birds that excel in the conditions I have to offer.

 

[Tinypahomestead]

Sweet potato vines make excellent feed and are a good source of protein and fiber. Protein can be 10-20% depending on variety. I plan on growing more just for chickens and meat rabbits.

 

[Choo-Choo]

I haven't read 25 pages of thread to see if this was mentioned yet, but.....
If you have a local microbrewery, the boiled-through malt grains (industry parlance: BSG, or Brewery Spent Grains) are edible for chickens, and makes a GREAT "boredom-buster" treat.

Please note that:
1) this BSG will typically have the consistency of thick oatmeal, and can be dried (if you have a dehydrator or smoker or a place to spread it in the sun without the chickens "helping"!) to let it keep; otherwise it quickly molds/rats into uselessness.
2) it is also useful to feed horses, goats, sheep, pigs, etc..
3) because of #2, there will be competition for your brewery's spent malt--but make the case you only want a bucketful or two, not multiple tubs or barrels.
4) Most importantly, these grains have had MOST of their nutritional value boiled off in the beer-making process. It's tasty and yummy, but so are donuts, potato chips, and other "junk food"--fine as a way to stretch the feed or let a fat one or two lose weight, but NOT a long-term healthy plan any more than all household food scraps are for a dog or cat.
5) you will have to pick up your portion of the grains on the "appointed" day at the brewery--whenever THEY brew, which probably won't be every day. Most small brewpubs only brew once a week, or twice at best.

 

[NinjaGamer2022]

I make our own feed. It's very simple and I make it in big batches so I'd only have to mix every couple of months. What I was mixing before was:

30% Corn
30% Wheat
20% Peas
10% Oats
10% Fish Meal
2% Poultry Nutri–Balancer
Kelp provided free choice

They did great on that. I also fermented it so they ate way less. They also got our daily kitchen and garden scraps and I'd sometimes sprout barley fodder for them.

Now I a trying to streamline as I mix the goats feed too. I also don't want to do much corn. So now I do:

Barley
Oats
Alfalfa
Beet Pulp
BOSS

I'll ferment that for the chickens as well as all the kitchen and garden scraps and occasional fodder. I was raising mealworms too as well. I do add nutri-balancer to their ferment and I still give kelp.

My goats, turkeys, chickens, peafowl, and rabbits all get this feed. Each animal (poultry, caprine, etc) get their own minerals suited to them. Goats get hay and alfalfa hay as well as the rabbits.

I tend to prefer things that aren't so convenient anyway. If SHTF, I don't want to be stuck relying on something I can't get. But that is just me. Plus I know everything that they are eating (aside form their free range stuff, but that's still natural and what they were meant to eat) and I know what we are eating. We have a garden as well and buy bulk grains to mill and turn into flour and such. I think I was born in the worng century LOL.

May I ask how much of each ingredient you use in your new recipe?

 

[NinjaGamer2022]

i mix my own feed as well. I buy whole grains, non GMO from the feed store in 50# bags that store perfectly in 20gal steel garbage cans. It has cost me approx $60.00/yr for the grains I mix up batches as needed, each bach lasts about 10 days. The grains I use are 6 parts wheat, 3 parts oats, 2 parts sunflower seeds and 2 parts millet. I NEVER feed my chickens #2 field corn, it has NO nutritional value. I do, occasionally, treat them to an ear of sweet corn, and they love it, but it is only an occasional treat, like candy. I also add 1/2 part flax seed for omega 3s and 1/2 part split peas and/or field peas for added protien. I mix in some dried sage and thyme with the grains for their anti bacterial/viral/fungal properties and their resperatory health support and drizzle a spoonful of molasses into their daily ration for extra vitamins and minerals. I supplement with meal worms, crickets, fresh fruit and vegetables as well as scraps from the kitchen. I somethimes cook up some fish for them and I grow greens in the garden for them. I let them free range when I can watch, but after losing one hen to a coyote, I dont let them out of their pen unless I can watch them. I also add ACV, garlic, basil and oregeno to their water. I keep a compost pile in their pen so they have plenty of fun digging through that and I get excellent compost for my garden. They also have a sand pile to dust bath in and like to hang out under to coop when it's very hot, or raining. Right now I only have 2 hens and 1 rooster, SLWs They are beautiful, strong, healthy and no issues with parasites or runny poo, We're hoping to increase our flock this spring by having baby chicks, if not I'll be in search of a few SLW pullets.

Do you still use this recipe? Did your flock do well on it? Thx,

 

[NinjaGamer2022]

I make up a mix of black sunflower seeds ( for brilliant shine on black coats ) steam rolled oats (keeps weight on poor doers) cracked corn (makes yolks extra gold) milo or sorghum (for variety) and soyabean meal ( fantastic protein source and they love it, I have the glossiest coats I’ve seen on any birds ) I chose these grains as I used to show horses and cattle ( with always the best results ) and the chickens were always looking fantastic and only ever died from old age. Now I’m in the suburbs and still getting comments on the brilliant shine even from people who have never showed an interest in chickens. They still free range around the garden during the day so always have access to greens and I also encourage vegetable scraps and fruit daily.

May I ask how much of each ingredient do you use? Thx,

 

[1cock2hens]

@NinjaGamer2022 the users you just quoted have not neen active users for several years and you probably won't get an answer from them.

 

[NinjaGamer2022]

@NinjaGamer2022 the users you just quoted have not neen active users for several years and you probably won't get an answer from them.

Thx for the info. That's a shame, I was interested in they're answer.

 

[rjohns39]

Thx for the info. That's a shame, I was interested in they're answer.

If you want a recipe I can give you a good one. Let me know if for layer or starter etc.