How to Make Chicken Feed

There is a great deal of interest in our food supply, from protecting its safety to promoting healthier eating. Some people have taken to raising chickens to ensure proper treatment and diet. If you have live chickens, you need to feed them, and what you feed them determines whether you are raising healthy birds.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Give them grains. Whole grain is better than cracked, and it's even better to have a mixture as you make chicken feed rather than using just one grain such as corn. You might consider starting with a good wild birdseed mix and adding grains such as wheat, barley, oats and corn.

2. Get greens. Chickens should have access to plant material as they feed, including weeds from the pen, garden leftovers or kitchen parings. Greens are a good source of calcium.

3. Provide protein. Layers especially need a great deal of protein in order to produce eggs, so be sure the chickens are getting an adequate supply. This can take the form of supplements or soybeans (soak and boil), or more organic fare such as worms or bugs caught without poisons. Fishmeal is also an excellent source of protein for chicken feed.

4. Consider your intentions. Many people raise chickens because they believe those produced at large agribusiness operations are less healthy and treated poorly. They want to make their own chicken feed to avoid the antibiotics and dead animal material used in commercial feeds.

5. Give them your leftovers. Chickens feed on table scraps of all kinds, and will quickly let you know their favorites. Just don't rely on scraps exclusively, since it won't provide them all the proper nutrients.

6. Include vitamins and minerals when you make chicken feed. Calcium is crucial especially for layers, since it is involved in the production of egg shells. Vitamins A, B and D are also important.

7. Read the label of any commercial products you buy. Study the list of ingredients to make sure you are not feeding your chickens anything you don't want them to eat.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to make sure chickens have plenty of water to go with their feed. And studies show they don't always go out of their way to find water, so be sure there is a source close to their feed supply.
• Avoid moldy food. This can kill chickens, so be careful with storage. And carefully consider how much chicken feed you make at a time, since you don't want to keep it around long enough to get moldy. Perhaps there are others raising chickens in your area that would like to go together to buy elements in bulk.