Vegitarian chicken feed

[5618]

Hi, I am from Kolkata, India. Inspired by BYC I made my chicken coop and have four hens (two RIRs and two Susexes) at present. I purchased them from local market at two and half month old of their age. Coop bedding is made of dried tree leaves. I used to give them poultry feed ready made and poo smell was very stinky. After reading from the forum now I give them combination of grains, seeds, oilcake, rice husk, lentil husk which are available locally and they are cheap too. Surprisingly 99% of the stinky smell is vanished from the hens' coop and their growth and gestures are very satisfectory and encouraging. Now my question towards experienced members is that, what I feed them, is sufficiant for their nutrition or not. Does animal protein essential for chickens' nutrition?

 

[NYREDS]

Chickens are naturally omniverous. I assume that they need animal protein for optimal health.

 

[esthermgr]

Are you letting them out to forage for bugs/ free range? They're probably getting some good protein that way, if so. I feed a natural feed from Countryside Natural Products that is vegetarian but contains certain cultures for protein and intestinal health. It's been great, and my chickens' poo is not very stinky at all.

 

[Akane]

Animal or insect protein is necessary for completely healthy chickens. They are not vegetarians. If they free range they will catch some bugs but personally I'd rather feed something that has animal protein and I go out of my way to get them extra animal protein.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Doesn't Countryside have fish meal in it?

 

[Chris09]

esthermgr :

I feed a natural feed from Countryside Natural Products that is vegetarian but contains certain cultures for protein and intestinal health.

Countryside is not "vegetarian", it has fish meal in it.....

Soy-Free Layer Feed-
INGREDIENTS
Organic Field Peas, Organic Wheat, Organic Corn, Organic Oats, Calcium Carbonate, Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Alfalfa Meal, Fish Meal, Dried Organic Kelp, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement,
Vitamin E Supplement, Choline, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, d-Pantothenic Acid, Niacin, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin,
Folic Acid, Iron Polysaccharide Complex, Manganese Polysaccharide Complex, Zinc Polysaccharide Complex,
Copper Polysaccharide Complex, Cobalt Polysaccharide Complex, Yeast Culture, , Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Bacillus Licheniformis, Bacillus Subtilis, Lactobacillus Lactis, Enterococcus Faecium, (Dried Aspergillis Oryzae Fermentation Extract)

Soy-Free Broiler Feed
INGREDIENTS
Organic Field Peas, Organic Wheat, Organic Corn, Fish Meal, Organic Oats, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Alfalfa Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate, Dried Organic Kelp, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, d-Pantothenic Acid, Niacin, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid, Iron Polysaccharide Complex, Manganese Polysaccharide Complex, Zinc Polysaccharide Complex, Copper Polysaccharide Complex, Cobalt
Polysaccharide Complex, Yeast Culture, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Bacillus Licheniformis, Bacillus Subtilis, Lactobacillus Lactis, Enterococcus Faecium, (Dried Aspergillis Oryzae Fermentation Extract)

Soy-Free Starter Feed
INGREDIENTS
Organic Field Peas, Organic Wheat, Organic Corn, Fish Meal, Organic Oats, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Alfalfa Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate, Dried Organic Kelp, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, d-Pantothenic Acid, Niacin, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid, Iron Polysaccharide Complex, Manganese Polysaccharide Complex, Zinc Polysaccharide Complex, Copper Polysaccharide Complex, Cobalt
Polysaccharide Complex, Yeast Culture, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Bacillus Licheniformis, Bacillus Subtilis, Lactobacillus Lactis, Enterococcus Faecium, (Dried Aspergillis Oryzae Fermentation Extract)

Chris​

 

[5618]

Thank you everybody for your valuable comments.