What Diet Does YOUR Chickens Get? And how is it effective? *Come along and meet new members, Learn

[mustangrooster]

Yeah well what can ya say...Its certainly something interesting to discuss and chat about!

Here I'll start.

The main part of my chickens diet is layer pellets that covers 50% of their feed, Plus its Sustainable for both cockerels and Pullets and it certainly gives me some yummy eggs!

With that they receive sliced water spinach which I grow in a old bath tub located by the chicken run. Covering 20% of their feed. Greens are always good

As a side note a few years ago when my fist pullets started laying I decided on the feed "Red hen free range poultry layer" But I soon quickly changed the feed. Now im not sure wether Red hen works like a charm in you flock but it didn't work like that in mine! It caused lack of laying and when they did lay the yolk was a light shade of yellow. Certainly not what I received when the flock turned to laying pellets. The roo's didn't seem to co-operate with the feed "Red Hen" either.

Trial and Error!


Back to diet, They also receive hard dried corn, store brought and to top that up they get to find their own meals whilst foraging and that tops it up another 30%


Do my chickens receive treats?

Yes, I don't think they would survive without them!

I know most people disagree with feeding chickens, chicken eggs. But I do feed them this!

. When it originally started they chickens had decided they wanted to eat their own eggs

As you can imagine I certainly disagreed with this as still today they seem to eat some eggs behind my back. But this fight was certainly lost and I soon gave up trying to train them to not eat eggs. But it turned it into a positive thing and nearly everyday it works fine. Nearly.

When I enter the coop the girls all come running to me (The Roo's are a little weary) once they find the eggs in my hand. I crack the top of the egg and that's it, They're away! Disgusting it may seem but it helps with productive egg laying. It really does.

I also add a few teaspoons of "Apple Cider Vinegar" To some of their water troughs now. That is, I actually started that not so long ago, I skimmed over a few threads on BYC and out to the chicken coop I headed with Apple Cider Vinegar. It boost their immune system and ever since, a sicknesses in my ladies and gents has not been seen!


Well that's it for now! I will update It as diets and new things occur as they come and go. Hopefully I didn't make this to diary like

Now..Post away and share with BYC Your diet, Benefits of the diet for your flock and just pop round for a talk!

-Mustang

 

[QueenMisha]

I consider diet the most important part of raising poultry. Nothing will keep them in better condition and production than a well balanced, high quality feed, supplemented with healthy treats.

My main flock gets a 18% mixture of Bar Ale Flock Raiser and Bar Ale Layer Crumble. They are supplemented with a scoop of pigeon feed every day; I've found this to be much preferable to scratch as not only is the the same price or cheaper as scratch, it contains about 10 ingredients compared to the typical 3-way mixture. The turkeys in particular are absolutely in love with it. They are also supplemented with, on occasion, plants, vegetables, and fruits from the garden. I also feed back full crops whenever I process meat birds - no good reason to waste feed!