Where do you buy Grains for Home-made feed? GRIT QUESTION?

[BriteChicken]

I get my six chicks in a week and I have decided to make there feed myself but need info on where I can get the grains to make it I know I'll probably have to order some off the internet so what are the best places in your opinion? and how much feed will they go through in about 6 weeks?

I need some help people I'm so nervous!

 

[Organics North]

I hate saying this but I suggest buying a premixed organic starter to get you going. In the mean time search this forum in the google custom search bar in the upper right corner for whole grain feeds, you should find lots of threads.

People with small flocks often just buy their grains at human food stores. This can be costly. But if you believe in home made feed for health and principle go for it!
on

 

[BriteChicken]

I really want to start them out on as much of the recipe as possible...

 

[BriteChicken]

Is there some reason you don't want to use commercially made feed?

If you really do want to roll your own then I'd start with my local feed stores. What grains in particular they may stock varies from store to store and region to region so there's no way to know until you ask them.

If you're in an area that has no feed or farm supply stores then you can get by for a time with your local grocery. I use rolled oats (quick type for very young chicks, thick-rolled for older ones) as chick scratch in my brooders. They like it well.

Do you have a recipe already for your home-made feed? Most especially for chicks it's important that it be nutritionally balanced.

.....Alan.

Yes I'm allergic to wheat rye and barley... and along those lines the ingredients only say grain products and so on. I also want to be as natural as possible so my girls and I are healthy. I don't mean to say that commercial isn't healthy it just isn't the best choice for me

 

[Katy]

Unless you can find a feed mill or store near you...not an issue for me since we farm and are in the heart of grain growing country but I don't know where you live...the shipping on any grains will be much more than the grain itself.

 

[BriteChicken]

Thanks Katy I ended up bulk ordering the supplies for my chick starter at my local Health food store but still don't know how much it is going to cost just ordered today and they were like your going to be feeding your chicks good! My thoughts were "Yeah for a price!" I live in Huntsville AL (North)

 

[Organics North]

So what did you order?
ON

 

[Chris09]

I would have to agree with Organics North in that you would be best off just getting a bag of a premixed organic starter.
Most Starters is ground to a texture of corn meal or it is a crumble. If you leave your grains whole I believe that the chicks will go through and pick out what they like and leave the rest..
I don't believe that a food processor will work to well if at all so you might want to get a small grain mill. You can find some small grain mills on line and or at health food stores. I all so believe that you are going to need to give the chicks a good vitamin mineral mix.

Chris

 

[BriteChicken]

I can't buy a premade mix because I'm allergic to the main ingredients WHEAT, RYE, AND BARLEY. So I bought the following ingredients and am going to make my own:

Greener Pastures Farm Chick Starter Recipe #3 (Thanks Ronda!)


This recipe is whole grains, except for the corn, and can be fed to newly hatched chicks as is (whole grain) or soaked overnight. I used to grind their feed, but found that they waste most of it, and remembered that Mother Nature does not grind food for baby chicks!



Milk is made available free-choice, as is water with apple cider vinegar and garlic. Worms or scrambled eggs (with some fresh garlic added) are given daily. I am able to find all the following ingredients in certified organic form, except the kelp. My worms and my eggs are "home-grown" and are therefore organic! PLEASE NOTE: Do not feed milk or oyster shell to chicks that receive a premixed feed; these additions are only for chickens fed a home-made feed that does not already contain calcium in the mix. ACV = Apple Cider Vinegar



2 parts whole corn, ground (or purchased organic corn meal)

3 or 4 parts whole - wheat (+ Buckwheat)

1 part - barley and + 1 more part cornmeal

1 part oat groats

1 part shelled sunflower seeds

1/2 part lentils

1/2 part split green peas

1 part millet

1/4 part flax seeds

1/2 part seaweed (Does anyone know if seaweed wrap for sushi would be ok because I have a ton of it just laying around the house and I could crumble it up...)

garlic (several cloves per gallon of water)

ACV (about 2 Tablespoons per gallon of water)

organic milk to drink (don't worry if they don't drink it all up; if it

solidifies, they will ingest it with glee!)

freshly dug worms

organic scrambled eggs

 

[BriteChicken]

As of my last post I'm making my own feed for my chickies and today all my local feed store had was Mana pro poultry grit Do you know if they will be able to eat it? because I know making my own whole grain feed they are going to have to have grit... and milk and ACV the works! I just want my chicks to start off right so should I crush it more with a hammer until they get bigger?