What do factory farm hens eat?

[Mountain Peeps]

Hello!

I'm doing a science project and I need to find out what factory farm hens eat or more importantly what Grade A hens eat? I would really appreciate an answer asap!

Thanks!

 

[mymilliefleur]

Not shore what they eat exactly (not shore if i want to know

) but Probably some kind of generic cheap tasteless chicken ration. wouldn't be surprised if It contains chicken waste or even dead chickens, not to mention all the hormones and chemicals they have to feed those poor hens to keep them alive.

 

[matt44644]

Most companies are going to use basic ration of the same select grain products.Hormones are not allowed for use in any chickens products.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Not shore what they eat exactly (not shore if i want to know

) but Probably some kind of generic cheap tasteless chicken ration. wouldn't be surprised if It contains chicken waste or even dead chickens, not to mention all the hormones and chemicals they have to feed those poor hens to keep them alive.

Oh please. Simply fiction. Completely incorrect on many counts. No hormones are allowed in chicken feed in the US. End of story.


They are fed a ration prepared to meet all their nutritional needs. Agri farming is a business and the highest possible production is sought. That ration is not insignificantly different than the the same rations backyarders buy in small quantifies at their local feed stores. There are plenty of reasons to perhaps dislike large, commercial operations but there no need to fabricate nonsense.

 

[mymilliefleur]

Most companies are going to use basic ration of the same select grain products.Hormones are not allowed for use in any chickens products.

Yea, but it still happens. especially in Chinese chicken.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Oh please. Simply fiction. Completely incorrect on many counts. No hormones are allowed in chicken feed in the US. End of story.


They are fed a ration prepared to meet all their nutritional needs. Agri farming is a business and the highest possible production is sought. That ration is not insignificantly different than the the same rations backyarders buy in small quantifies at their local feed stores. There are plenty of reasons to perhaps dislike large, commercial operations but there no need to fabricate nonsense.

Thank you so much!! The egg companies I looked into really do feed their hens well

 

[mymilliefleur]

Quote:
I apologize if I have offended you. I have several mutual Friends that own and operate chicken, turkey, and hog houses in NC, which is what I had in mind. I don't care for a lot of the stuff in poultry feed now a days which is one of the reasons I mix my own feed. even the dairy feed from the our local feed store contains chicken digest and animal fat. Not trying to run down commercial feed, this is just my opinion.

 

[donrae]

I don't know for sure, but common sense says they get something pretty much like Layena, or any other layer feed. Lower protein, higher calcium, I think it's pretty much what most backyarders feed their layers. I'm thinking layer feed was developed for the large operations, not the backyarder.

 

[glib]

They eat corn, soybeans, fish meal and/or meat renderings, kelp and/or alfalfa, and some mineral/vitamin integrator which depends whether they are meat or egg birds. These days, also probiotics. In the future, also black soldier fly meal, since industrial production of the stuff has started. It is not a bad diet, but there is nothing fresh, no exercise, and no sunlight. Their metabolism is weak, and possibly they store more toxins into their fat due to weaker liver function or weaker gut.