Chickens (what’s on their menu?)

Doing what we do, we have some great opportunities to talk to lots of chicken owners. Almost always I get to hear the chuckle-worthy stories around the antics of a backyard flock. Often the conversations around chickens end up on their diet, and just as often I get asked what we feed our flocks and why?

One of the first things to consider, is what type of flock do you have? Since the feed rations will vary greatly from heavy layer type breeds to rapid growing meat-type breeds and dozens of other variables. It is important to understand what your type of flock requires for optimum health and productivity. For instance, a mature large layer type bird such as a Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, White Leghorn, etc. requires large amounts of calcium for consistent eggshells. While meat-type breeds such as Cornish Rock cross, Red Rangers, Bresse, etc. require less calcium but much higher protein and energy ingredients.

There are lots of opinions around what’s a good ration of food for chickens. My own included, but it’s important not to lose sight of “facts” that have been produced by some of the top nutritionists in the business, and from some of the top egg and meat producers in the country. A reputable feed store will have a team of people “in the know” back at their home office that develop feeds based on the facts that have been gathered. This certainly can take a lot of the guesswork out of determining “is my flock getting what it needs in the feed?”

Though the percentages will vary slightly from one feed company to another, a complete layer type feed will usually run around 15% proteins. A good way to supplement and make feeding more economical is with whole grains such as corn, rolled or crimped oats, wheat or barley in moderation. We add a half pound of whole grains per dozen birds to the daily rations. It’s important not to overfeed the whole grains since it can make your flock too fat which is unhealthy. In a measured amount, it can keep them well fed, healthy and curb your feed bill considerably. If you choose to add some whole grains along with their complete feed, remember they will need access to grit. The flock(s) should be afforded free choice calcium, such as oyster shells since they won’t be consuming as much of the complete feed. Table scraps are a valuable supplement to feed the flock as well. Things such as peelings, stale bread, green vegetables, and pasta can give them some great nutrition. These too should be fed in moderation, giving them an amount they can eat up in 15 minutes or so is a good bet.

Chicks, in general, are an entirely different ball game that requires diligence. Often it is easily forgotten that (chicks = baby) regardless of what breed or type they are, they will require different feeds which are formulated for them to build bone structure. For instance, we feed Blue Seal Chick Starter(which has 20% protein, 3% fat) along with the formulated minerals baby chicks need for a good start on life. We also feed Turkey Starter to our turkey chicks (which has 28% protein and 4.25% fat) along with the other vitamins and minerals to get them started right. We also use a medicated chick starter with (Amprolium) to help protect chicks against coccidiosis for their first 16 weeks of life. By now you may be scratching your head, which in a sense is a good thing, since it may help you ask the right questions to the right folks and build a healthy happier flock, which of course is what we all want for the pets that make us breakfast etc.

As you can imagine there are many variables and circumstances that you may wish to tweak for your flock. I’ve shared some of “what works for us” on our farm as well as some of the lessons I have learned along the way keeping poultry. Please feel free to find us on the Maine Poultry Connection page on Facebook or email me if you have questions I can help with.

Scott DeMoranville

About Scott DeMoranville

Along with his wife Nickie, son Nolan and daughter Maddigan, Scott runs are 4Dʼs Farm, located in Bradford, Maine. Both Nickie and Scott are independent NPIP (National Poultry Improvement Program) testers for the state of Maine. Scott runs the Maine Poultry Connection of Facebook.