What is the best chicken feed?

[McCash40]

If I think back to the 50's, (the last time my family raised chickens) they usually relied on grains and vegetables from the garden. I don't remember feeding them any animal by-products other than bugs they got in the run. Somewhere I read that deer feed with animal protein was suspect in causing CWD. I just rely on the guy at the feed store now. Hopefully he has done his homework.

 

[speckledhen]

Chickens don't get CWD. Avians are different than mammals. Deer are not omnivores, but chickens are. They thrive on animal protein. The animal protein in my feeds comes from porcine products. I even feed them fish and extra eggs weekly.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Beyond choosing a chicken feed, if you can find a way to add green feed to their diet, that will make them much healthier and their eggs healthier for you to eat. Things like grasses, dark leafy vegetable greens, pasture legumes and sprouted grains are all really good for them. It's a natural part of their diet, just like eating bugs, worms and seeds are.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
First the chickens back in the "50's" were quite different Genetically than the chickens that we have now. Chickens back in the "50's" were fed a lot of scraps that contained some animal protein.
The the mash that they had in the "50's" had a lot of Meat and Bone Meal in it..

I don't know why people insist in comparing poultry (chickens) with other animals like Cows, Deer, Horses etc. Chicken will not get CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease).

I use poultry feed with Animal Protein in it, there is a lot of benefits in feeding a feed with Animal Protein in it...

I wouldn't rely on the feed store worker to know what your birds should or shouldn't eat or what bird do or don't need in there diet. Do you rely on the stock boy at the supermarket to tell you what you should or shouldn't eat or what you do or don't need in your diet?
IMO it is not weather the person at the feed mill/ feed store has done there homework it is weather or not you did yours...

Chris

 

[BayChicks]

Isn't "Flock Raiser" purinas starter crumble?? and Layena is purinas layer feed? Maybe that's why the crash in production. I have a bag of Flock Raiser here and it's chick feed, not layer feed.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Laurie's Silkies :

....I will also use the Sprout meat maker 21% protein feed from Mills Fleet Farm here in Minnesota....has animal protein in it...I have had good results with it too....will mix it 50/50 with a layer feed to bring the protein up a bit. I find the extra protein gives them more zest and better overall health.

I do the meat maker / layer ration 50/50 mix too. As our birds are currently on pasture, and they eat a LOT of green stuff, I figure their feed needs to have a higher protein component. They catch bugs when they can, but only what flies into or comes up in the pasture.

For chicks I mix meat maker / chick starter. Babies are also on pasture in an open bottom slide-able hoop-house. Those Buckeyes and Sussex babies need their protein.

All the birds are doing very well.

Now if I could just convince the hens to either be broody or not be broody. Some have stopped laying, but only spend half their time on the nest and the other half looking at the existing chicks.​

 

[Akane]

Flock raiser is not chick starter. It is a feed that is suppose to be balanced for all ages in case you have a mixed flock or you want to feed your rooster a little healthier. Personally I don't like it because you can't meet every age groups needs with one mix. Chickens need different things at different stages and as far as layers are concerned flock raiser is probably a bit low in calcium. You are better off using a nonmedicated starter or gamebird feed and then supplementing your laying hens with oyster shell. The extra protein in the starter and gamebird feed will not harm laying hens so long as you aren't using the extreme gamebird feeds that go up to 30% protein and they both contain everything chicks need without excess calcium.

If you have just layers then I would buy any layer feed. If you have a few brands available you can try them out and see which ones your chickens do best on. The bag should tell you what age groups a feed is for even if the name is confusing.

 

[Mr chicken dude]

Chickens don't get CWD(Chronic Wasting Disease) It is only found in mammals...It is most common in Deer and Elk but it has been found in other mammals.....

 

[LALASD4]

People cut their lawn all the time, would it be good to feed all the wasted grass to the chickens? Has anyone tried? I am afraid that there might be too much chemical in the grass.

 

[Sueg4332]

I feed lawn clippings all the tome to my caged chickens. They have a great scratching and eat it. I know my free chickens eatf grass so I figure it is good for them.