How to Make Homemade Chicken Feed

Healthy food makes a healthy chicken. Luckily, chickens eat just about anything. Whether you are raising hens for eggs, meat or just good company, consider carefully what you feed them and be sure to provide a well-balanced diet of essential vitamins, nutrients and proteins. Chickens will let you know quickly what they like and don't like, so pay attention to what they leave behind. Looking to save a few bucks? Make feed from home.

Things You'll Need

• Beans (preferably soy)
• Whole grains (wheat, barley, oats, cracked corn)
• Kitchen scraps (vegetable peelings, fruit, meat scraps)
• Greens (garden weeds, wilted greens)
• Large pot

Instructions

1. Soak beans overnight.

2. Boil beans in a large pot of water until tender.

3. Add kitchen scraps to the pot. Cook until water is very low. Carrot skins, banana peels, potato skins, pea pods and fruit skins provide essential vitamins and nutrients when coupled with greens and grains.

4. When water is cooked out, add whole grains and mix well. You can also add fishmeal for additional protein.

5. Throw some overripe tomatoes and any available greens on top.

Tips & Warnings

• Chickens also love bugs. Let them roam the yard for their favorite varieties. They will also let you know quickly what they like and don't like. Pay attention to their leftovers and avoid them next time you make feed. This will mean less clean up

• Depending on your brood of chickens, kitchen scraps may not be totally consumed. If not, be sure to pick up excess scraps as moldy food can kill chickens.

References

• My Backyard Chicken Farm