Showing posts with label chicken feed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken feed. Show all posts

Saturday, 25 October 2008

Winter Mash - Homemade Chicken Layers Feed

A recent query from keeping chickens newsletter subscriber Staci : "Thanks for the newsletter. I have enjoyed it very much. I did a little searching through it, but have not seen mention of 'winter mashes'. A friends' mother told me she remembers that her father used to feed his hens a mash of some sort to keep them laying through the winter. If you have any recipes for such a thing (the mash), I would love to see them."

I'm not sure if this is exactly what as meant by a 'Winter Mash' but there are a few mash recipes included in the 200 Eggs Chicken Care Guide (used by various poultry farmers of 'the old days'). It also includes details on food values and what a chicken needs so you can devise your own aswell. Here's one winter time mash recipe for laying hens that may help :

"From October to May I feed as follows: A mash the first thing in the morning. The mash is made as I am about to describe. Into an iron kettle holding 12 quarts I put two quarts (dry measure) cut clover, two quarts mixed feed or wheat bran, two quarts corn meal, one quart green ground bone or beef scraps, and one quart table scraps. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. I then take the kettle into the house and set it on the range where the metal can become warm. I next stir in a heaping teaspoonful of coarse-fine salt, and in the coldest weather sprinkle in a little black pepper. Boiling water is then added to the mash in just sufficient quantity to moisten every particle and yet not have it sticky and sloppy. I consider the mash just right to feed when I can take some up in my hand and have it feel pleasantly warm (not hot), and dry enough so that it will not adhere to the palm or fingers. Some advocate dry feeding. I have no doubt the food is just as nourishing without the water, and after they become accustomed to it (or starved into it) the hens will eat it readily enough; but before the food can be digested it must be moistened, and I think it better and safer to moisten it for the birds myself than to allow them to do so. I do not believe the bird can moisten a large handful of dry mixture after it enters the crop so evenly as I can before it goes there. Then if the mash is about the temperature of the bird's body when it is fed (or, on cold mornings, a little higher) she will not have to use up her heat in raising it to that temperature."


Photo : lanuiop


Friday, 6 July 2007

Chicken Feed

I have had a few questions lately regarding what to feed grown chickens, which got me thinking - there really isn't much chickens won't eat ;-) Chickens are also quite individual - one will love lettuce and another will hate it, one will practically take your hand off for a piece of melon rind, whilst another will look at you like you are mad to even consider offering it to them in the first place!

So here is some general feeding information - Please feel free to add your own comments about foods your chickens love (or hate).

In the old days people used to make up their own chicken feed, things are a lot easier nowadays and it is possible to buy commercial feed aimed specifically at your type of chicken. The good thing about commercial feeds is that they are properly balanced so you know your chickens will be getting the nutrients they need (for example layer pellets / mash will include calcium to encourage strong egg shells). Some people feed their chickens only scratch but I would recommend not doing that as it is not a balanced food - scratch really should come under the 'treats' category.

As commercial feed is balanced you can let the chickens take what they need / want of it (chickens are very unlikely to overeat). In addition to the commercial feed chickens can also eat treats you give them such as the ocassional handful of scratch or 'healthy' (i.e. not salty or sugary) scraps such as watermelon rinds, steamed rice, figs, blackberries, green leafy vegetables, cucumber, ear of corn, broccoli, tomatoes, apple cores, cooked potato peelings (raw potato peelings can be slightly toxic) etc.etc. They'll also eat any worms and bugs they can find!

Grit is needed to grind anything they eat that isn't commercial feed (worms, veggies, fruits etc.), if they are free ranging they will probably get some grit from the earth, you can also buy grit from the feed store and put a little out for them to help themselves (in a seperate container to their normal feed).


Chickens eating salad