What is the healthiest food to feed baby chicks?

[nelz626]

hey friends! new here. i am getting 3 chicks (easter egger, barred rock + red star) and i am shopping for the BEST chick food. i don't want chemical filled junk. i'm looking for top notch organic / non-gmo good food. we are not raising these chicks for eggs or to fatten them up to eat (we're vegans) since they're rescued little babies. please help me with some links to buy whatever it is i need to raise these cuties. even if this means i need to make my own food (any recipes?). thanks in advance.
♥nelz

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The best feed is what's fresh and easy to get in your area. All that other stuff is personal preference, just remember chickens aren't vegans and the can develop deficiencies without enough protein. It takes a lot to produce eggs, and feathers.

 

[nelz626]

The best feed is what's fresh and easy to get in your area. All that other stuff is personal preference, just remember chickens aren't vegans and the can develop deficiencies without enough protein. It takes a lot to produce eggs, and feathers.

i didn't say i wanted to feed my chicken a vegan diet. i was asking what is the best foods for chickens? sorry for the confusion. more likely looking to make my own feed for them or buy a good feed that doesn't have junk in it. not sure how else to word it. i just want the best of the best and i'm not sure what that is? any links you advise?

 

[Folly's place]

It's difficult and expensive to make a balanced diet for your birds at home; much better to buy something at the feed store!
Fresh is very important; there will be a mill date on each bag of feed, and it needs to be within a few weeks, and fed within six weeks or so. With only three chicks, buy the small bags! Some brands are national, and some are regional, and some will be organic, or not. There's not one best brand, there's what's fresh and available where you shop.
Also, feeds that are ' whole grain' rather than crumble, are likely to be less useful for your birds. They will pick out the yummy bits and leave the rest, causing an unbalanced diet as eaten, and possibly real health issues. Stick with the crumble type feeds!
Mary

 

[Leigti]

Scratch and peck brand is good. But you have to feed it either wet or fermented. H & H is also good.

 

[Folly's place]

Several national brands now have organic choices; you need to explore those feed stores!
Mary

 

[Leigti]

You can get both of them on Amazon. They are expensive but you won’t need much for three chicks. I feed all my chickens either wet soaked feed or fermented feed. They eat less of it, they also stay more hydrated. Just my opinion.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It's hard to make a balanced homemade diet so buying is the better option for almost everyone. The best food is whatever you can get that's the freshest (recently milled). I'm a big supporter of buying local whenever possible, which also usually means fresher food. I don't know your location but for my area (Pacific NW) Scratch & Peck is a local organic brand that makes a very good mash, best served fermented.

 

[Folly's place]

I'd worry about ordering feed to be shipped, because then I have no control over the mill date.
Mary

 

[nelz626]

so no one buys online i guess? lol. i'm an Amazon Prime kinda gal. i was hoping for some sort of link, but i guess i have to look around more.

i found this awesome recipe online & think i want to try it. i'm curious, why is it a big no-no to making your own feed? isn't that what's best? i can get most of these grains at Whole Foods or Amazon. please share with me. i'm new to this & love reading opinions.


Garden Betty’s Homemade Whole Grain Chicken Feed
Makes 8 1/2 pounds (fills 10-pound feeder)

Ingredients

4 cups oat groats
4 cups black oil sunflower seeds
4 cups hard red wheat berries
2 cups soft white wheat berries
2 cups triticale berries
2 cups rye berries
2 cups millet
2 cups sesame seeds
1 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup brewer’s yeast
1/4 cup kelp granules
Free-choice oyster shells (or crushed eggshells)
Free-choice grit


Read more at https://www.gardenbetty.com/homemad...pdated-and-now-corn-free/#TG3xyfI63RKJKwVr.99