What’s in their Food?

Posted by Cathy Blough on Feb 23, 2011 in Blog, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Lots of people use “conventional” chicken feed and birdseed for their flocks.  There’s absolutely a cost reason for using the conventional feed, cost.  Locally, buying organic feed is usually $7 to $10 more.  Some flock owners try to reduce the amount of chicken feed by supplementing with greens and table scraps.  A good idea and a treat for chickens a few times a week, but too much reduces the likelihood of them eating the balanced food created in their prepared feed.

Why is eating their prepared feed important?  When the chickens are confined, they have less ability to choose what they can eat.  Their own natural food selection process changes.  They eat out of boredom, and are don’t have to “forage” for dinner.  A bit like going to McDonalds instead of the grocery store and buying your ingredients to make dinner.

Variety is also important.  A flat of wheatgrass is a tasty treat if they don’t have access to grass, a head of lettuce on a string makes it a bit more challenging to eat and reduces the “gulping” that sometimes happens.  Throwing the pellets, crumbles, mash or scratch around the their yard makes them “hunt and peck!”  This also makes them eat the grit the helps their digestion.  Having a chicken who is “crop bound” is NO fun!  Chickens are not vegetarians, but omnivores!  They love a good worm or bug.  They have incredible vision and can chase down a fly or grasshopper faster than a “Chicken on a June bug!”

So next time you buy food, remember to look at the ingredients.  Additives you may not want are genetically modified grains, most often corn and soybeans, and protein additives like poultry meal (PM), and hydrolyzed feather meal.  Organic foods use different ingredients to muscle up the protein content of the feed.  You can also buy organic feed with or without soy.  Important if you are eating your eggs or giving them to someone who may not be able or want to eat soy.

Next thought…making your own feed