Trying to increase food benefit and keep cost low

[LexsPeeps]

I've been fermenting my flocks food for about 2 months now, and they love it! However, we have 40 chickens and plan to increase numbers over the late winter when we start to incubate and hatch. I am currently feeding a layer pellet and a cracked corn mix, I'd say the portions are 75% pellet and 25% corn. I hate cracked corn. Lol. My flock doesn't touch it unless its fermented. I have been doing alot of research and calls to local mills in search of a better alternative to cracked corn.
My results have come to : scratch grains, oats and soft red winter wheat.

Although I find alot of information on fermenting and different grains, I can't find anything on which is better to ferment, in sense of nutritional value and if they are even fermentable.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

I find with less mouths to feed it helps too.

 

[LexsPeeps]

Certainly lol but we want to raise a flock for meat harvesting, without birds it would be hard to harvest meat

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

Certainly lol but we want to raise a flock for meat harvesting, without birds it would be hard to harvest meat

Yes, that is one reason I keep roos on hand.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I've been fermenting my flocks food for about 2 months now, and they love it! However, we have 40 chickens and plan to increase numbers over the late winter when we start to incubate and hatch. I am currently feeding a layer pellet and a cracked corn mix, I'd say the portions are 75% pellet and 25% corn. I hate cracked corn. Lol. My flock doesn't touch it unless its fermented. I have been doing alot of research and calls to local mills in search of a better alternative to cracked corn.
My results have come to : scratch grains, oats and soft red winter wheat.

Although I find alot of information on fermenting and different grains, I can't find anything on which is better to ferment, in sense of nutritional value and if they are even fermentable.

The scratch grains I have bought, was the cheapest brand name, not store brand. Was what looked like 50% cracked corn and the rest looked like wheat, barley and milo. My girls wouldn't eat the corn, but consumed the rest. It's 8% protein.
I don't ferment, so I can't help you there. GC

 

[lazy gardener]

Your current regimen is deficient in protein, calcium and other nutrients. (16 x 3) + 8 = /4 = 14 %. If you intend to continue adding corn or scratch, I'd change out the layer for a multi flock 20% which would bring your protein content to 17%. You would need to add oyster shell on the side, and it may still be deficient in some nutrients. But, I have to ask you, why are you mixing in scratch at all?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

What is your goal or reason in mixing corn or scratch into your fermented feed? Eliminating that step will increase the overall nutrition and reduce the amount of food needed to be taken in.

 

[LexsPeeps]

I felt like I was lacking by way of nutrients, thats why I want to use/do something else that will be better. I give them stratch to peck at during the day, but they free range most of the day.
Will the oats with a higher protein content help raise the percentage?
I use "corn" as sort of a cheap "filler", I know its not the best nutritional wise but it was what my dad bought (he's old school, thinks corn is the only food they need) so thats why I'm trying to get away from so much corn and add something beneficial.
How will taking the corn/scratch out of my equation as it is now help the nutritional value increase?

 

[LexsPeeps]

How do you determine percentages of the nutritional value of food? I see your equation but I'm not sure what is what

 

[lazy gardener]

You look at the nutritional analysis. My equation is a mathematical sentence that says: 3 parts of layer at 16% protein plus 1 part of corn or scratch at 8 % protein = 4 parts. You multiply the 16 x 3, and add the 8, and then divide by 4, since you want to see the protein content in one part.

Layer pellets are a complete feed. The feed is manufactured to provide the recommended nutritional needs for a laying hen, assuming it is the only feed she gets. Now, if you give her something that has even less nutrition, you are not even supplying her minimal needs. Consider that the manufacturer is in business to make money. So, the company is going to produce their feed as cheaply as possible, which translates to providing the MINIMAL recommended nutritional content. Want healthy birds? Give them the optimum in terms of nutrition, not the minimum. Fermenting your feed will help to maximize the benefit of the available nutrition in the feed you supply. But you can't just cut the feed with scratch and expect fermentation to make up the difference.