Expert Feeding Tips: The Essential Guide to Poultry Nutrition.

 

INTRODUCTION

So you have read our previous guide, “The beginners guide to Poultry Keeping and the Best Breeds for novices”, and want to know more about their feeding habits…

 We touched on their main feed - chick crumb, grower feed, and layer feed - but didn't explain to great depth why each stage needs a different feed. We also wanted to go deeper into things like grit, oyster shells, and vitamins as these are also essential in maintaining a healthy and happy flock.

 Rest assured, this is the essential guide to everything you need to give your chickens a healthy balanced diet and to provide you with the best eggs you could ever imagine!

 This guide will go into:

 -Primary feed?

-How often?

-Supplements

-Treats

-Probiotics

-Feed storage

• what you cannot give your chickens
• Pest prevention
• Feed during moulting and winter
• Feeders

 When we mention the ages to start feeding your chickens the different feed, we are referring to regular sized chickens. Smaller breeds might vary so just test it out or e-mail us to ask!

 

 PRIMARY FEED

 Chickens need slightly different feed at different stages of their life. We will break down each stage here…

 

Chick Crumb

 If you purchased or hatched chicks yourself, then you will need to give them something called chick crumb, sometimes called starter feed.

 Its specially formulated to give young chicks the essential nutrients they need to support healthy growth and development.

 Without going into the makeup too much, It generally consists of;

• Protein (Higher concentration than other feed, around 20%)
• Grains
• Vegetable oils
• Animal by-products
• Small amount of grit (For digestion)

 There's a bit more to it, but unless you're DIY-ing, no need to stress. Stay tuned for our post on making your own feed soon!

 That said, personally I recommend buying commercial chick crumb as this is an important stage in their life and making sure they get all the correct nutrition is pretty important.

 

So how often should chicks be fed?

 Well they should have continuous access to feed so they can eat whenever they are hungry, (Which will be most of the time). We put some crumb in the feeders and scatter some on the ground so they can get used to foraging by pecking it off of the ground.

 Ensure the feeders are kept clean and that the feed is fresh. We replace the feed daily to make sure its not contaminated with poop or whatever else - they are messy little guys!

 Obviously they will need a drinker too. Make sure this is also clean and full of fresh and clean water.

 Quick note - Chicks are sleepy and will sleep anywhere… I mean anywhere. They will happily sleep in their water supply which does mean that they can drown sometimes. This usually happens to smaller birds but make sure that you make this impossible. One trick is to put marbles in their water for the first couple of weeks so there isn’t enough water to drown in but can still drink easily. You can also get chick proof drinkers that have small holes to access the water so the chicks cant actually get in.

 Feed chicks chick crumb until they are around 5-6 weeks old. You can start to overlap the feed as they will be used to chick crumb and will probably be reluctant to eat other feed for the first few days.

 

Grower Feed

 When your birds are 5-6 weeks old you can start to get them on to grower feed.

 This is similar to chick crumb but with less milled grains and slightly less protein. (Around 14-16%)

It also has a bit more grit in to aide in digestion.

 Make sure their feeder always has fresh feed in so they can access it whenever they are hungry.

 Again, make sure it is always fresh and their feeders and waterers are kept nice and clean.

 Thats about all there is to say on grower feed, keep giving them this until they are around 16-20 weeks old.

 You can start to offer them the odd treat now and again. We have reptiles too so we throw a couple of grasshoppers in every now and again and they love them! Don’t over do this though as treats like mealworms and grasshoppers etc are high in fat and too much could mess with their health.

 

 Layer Pellets

 At 20+ weeks old, when your hens are getting ready to lay, start giving them layer pellets.

 These contain roughly 16% protein and also has added calcium to support egg production.

 Make sure they always have this available to them so they can feed whenever. Free range chickens will also feed on whatever they find whilst out on the forage, which could be anything, they aren’t very picky. Ive seen ours take frogs and I've heard of them taking mice…

That's all the main types of feed that your chickens will eat. Next, we'll go into the supplements that may be crucial throughout their life.

Supplements and Treats

 By providing your flock with extra protein and calcium, you ensure a healthy and balanced diet for your birds which is needed to keep them fit.

  I recommend having another SEPARATE smaller feeder with crushed oyster shells in. By providing access to oyster shells, you can ensure that your hens can maintain strong eggshells. They should self regulate their intake but keep half an eye on it.

 Extra protein is always good too, especially during moulting. Every now and then i will throw in some mealworms and crickets every couple of days - especially if they dont have access to other bugs (if they are not able to go out foraging, for example).

Don't overdo this though because, as I mentioned earlier, mealworms and crickets are also high in fat. 

 If you have left over kitchen scraps then your hens will happily get rid of it for you! They love leafy greens for example... just don't give them onions, avocado, salty foods or raw potato peels, as these are all toxic to them! They will also eat fruits such as apples, berries and melons. Just be sure to remove pips and seeds. 

Remember that free range chickens will be supplementing their food intake with bugs and grubs from foraging and digging so keep this in mind.

Grit is essential for chickens to help grind food in their gizzard. This is especially important if they don't have access to the ground. Their commercial feed will have some in but its always good to provide more. you can buy this at pretty much any pet store but its just as easy to get it off the internet nowadays. It helps them digest food and pass it through. 

Apple cider vinegar is also beneficial, adding a bit to their water can help boost the chickens immune system and protect them from infections. It can also improve digestion by promoting bacterial growth in the gut and may help control internal parasites.

 

Feed Storage and Pest Control

Keeping poultry food clean and pest-proof is essential for maintaining the health  of your flock.

Store feed in airtight, waterproof containers made of metal or heavy-duty plastic to prevent contamination and deter rodents and insects. Store these containers in a cool, dry spot to prevent moisture build up and potential mould growth and regularly clean feeders and waterers, removing any spilled or soiled feed that could attract pests.

Elevate feeders to prevent chickens from scratching bedding into them and to minimize access by rats and mice. Ensuring cleanliness and security in feed storage protects your chickens from potential diseases. 

If you see any sign of unwanted visitors in your feed or storage place, remove the feed until you have sorted the problem.

Conclusion

Feeding your chickens is largely common sense. For example if they are getting a bit… how to put this delicately… fat? Then reduce the amount of feed that they have access to. Providing your chickens with a balanced diet then you can be sure you are doing everything you can to ensure healthy happy birds which will return the favour to you with golden-yolked strong shelled eggs for years to come!