homemade chicken feed. organic and soy-free! the elliott homestead

Homemade Chicken Feed.

Organic and soy-free!

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I’m not sure why the Lord saw fit to bless me with the arrival of all these cool

animals over the last few weeks, but I sure am thankful for it.

I’ve been wanting chickens for years. YEARS, people.

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IN OVER 4000KITCHENS!

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Animal Feed Pellet Millswww.feed-pellet-mill.com/pelletmill

Best Feed Pellet Mills for Making Poultry &Aquatic Feed. Inquiry Now!

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June 16, 2013

posted by Shaye Elliott (http://www.theelliotthomestead.com)

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Homemade Chicken Feed. Organic and soy-free! | The Elliott Homestead http://theelliotthomestead.com/2013/06/homemade-chicken-feed-organic-...

1 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

And this past week with my 15 hens has been awesome. I visit them half a dozen

times per day. It’s almost an addiction. I love watching them scratch at the ground,

peck at their food, and roost on the logs in their coop.

They’re sort of still in their awkward teenage years where they’re not quite mature

and beautiful yet, but still sort of gangy and awkward looking. No judgement here

though. I’m just happy to have them.

When we found out that we’d be getting chickens upon our arrival in Washington, I

began researching homemade chicken feed options. It’s no doubt convenient to

pick up the scratch or pelleted formula from the feed store, but I really wanted a

primarily organic, non-GMO, non-soy based diet for the ‘ol girls. Healthier for them

and better nutrients in our eggs.

As much as I’d like these chickens to free range, I’ve got far too much invested in

my garden beds to let them do such. They have a nice large coop to roam and

roost in and for the time being, they’re better off in there. I’m willing to put forward

the extra effort though to supplement them with as much of a free-range-

mimicked-diet as I can though.

When one thinks about what the chicken actually eats when it free ranges, it’s

pretty easy to supplement with grains and grasses. Bugs are also a nice addition,

should you have any extras (extra worms from our vermiculture bin work great for

this!). There are a few great store bought options for feeding your chickens (have

you heard about Scratch & Peck feed?) but they are much too expensive for our

feed budget. Hence, the making it at home.

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2 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

Let me point this out before I begin: it’s very, very important to source your grains

wisely. For example, you’ll see that the recipe calls for flax seed. If you head to

your local grocery store to stock up on bulk flax, you’re going to cry when you get

to the cash register – it simply isn’t cost effective to buy it from there. Call your

local feed store and ask about bulk, organic grains. Azure Standard is where we

order all our grains from and is a great option for animal feed (I’ve included the

price per pound on each grain that was ordered from there in the recipe below).

Amazon also has deals on bulk grains sometimes. Shop around and find the most

economically feasible option that you can. Then, store them in cool containers like

this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004MDM8T2?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&

creativeASIN=B004MDM8T2&linkCode=xm2&tag=theellihome0d-20) so that the

mice don’t feast on your goods!

In addition to our homemade grain mixture, I also supplement our chickens with all

of our kitchen scraps (things like carrot peelings, stale bread, or old greens) and a

few large armfuls of weeds each day. They love to eat the tender leaves off the

wildflowers and weeds that grow around here. This gives them a large variety of

foods to receive their nutrients from, which I think is nice for them.

Welp. Let’s get to it, shall we?

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3 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

Homemade Chicken Feed (organic, non-GMO, non-soy)

Note: The prices below reflect the price we pay through Azure Standard.

You will need:

– 12 cups organic, feeder oats (.34 cents/lb)

– 8 cups organic, soft white wheat (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product

/B000RHVKG4?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000RHVKG4&

linkCode=xm2&tag=theellihome0d-20) (.38 cents/lb)

– 8 cups organic, hard red wheat (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product

/B0049YK20Q?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0049YK20Q&


– 6 cups organic corn (.42 cents/lb)

– 4 cups organic lentils (.54 cents/lb)

– 4 cups organic split peas (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product

/B001KWCTBK?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B001KWCTBK&


– 2 cups organic flax seed (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product

/B001VNEIO4?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B001VNEIO4&

linkCode=xm2&tag=theellihome0d-20) (1.68/lb)

– 1 cup sesame seeds (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product

/B003LPM9S2?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B003LPM9S2&


– 3/4 cup kelp granules (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product

/B0071GWMA2?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0071GWMA2&


– 2 tablespoons olive oil (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product

/B0027EOTKO?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0027EOTKO&

linkCode=xm2&tag=theellihome0d-20), coconut oil (http://www.amazon.com

/gp/product/B000GAT6NG?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000GAT6NG&

linkCode=xm2&tag=theellihome0d-20), or molasses (http://www.amazon.com

/gp/product/B008K1J7VY?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B008K1J7VY&

linkCode=xm2&tag=theellihome0d-20)

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4 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

Simply combine all the ingredients together in a large bucket. Use your hands or a

large spoon to mix and combine all the grains. The olive oil will help the powdered

kelp to stick to the grains easily.

Kelp is an important addition – it helps to provide vital minerals to the chickens

and is an inexpensive way to do such.

I find that my 15 chickens eat about 4 cups of this mixture per day. I’ve inspected

the soil closely to see if their leaving particular grain behind but for the most part,

they don’t sort through the mixture, so I am glad! Even though they aren’t fully

grown, they can still easily eat the split peas, whole corn, and lentils just fine.

They love the wheat, especially.

I REFUSE TOBELIEVE TIME ISMONEY.


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5 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

When I feed the chickens, I simply scatter the feed along the ground in their run.

This entertains them, as they can spend their morning scratching through the soil

like they do naturally. During the winter months, I’ll feed them inside the coop, but

during the warm, dry months this seems to work fine.

This homemade feed not work for everyone, and it may not be as cost effective for

everyone, but it has worked wonderfully for us. The chickens seem to be thriving

on the whole grain diet and I am thankful to be able to provide them with such

nutritional awesomeness.

Also note: while it’s possible to make this feed without corn, I have no reason to do

such. Because I am able to buy an organic, non-GMO from Azure, I feel confident

feeding it to my chickens in this quantity. If left to their own devices free-ranging,

chickens would punish some corn. So corn it is, for us. Feel free to substitute for

another high protein feed stuff (such as sunflower seeds), if you wish.

You know what the best part is about this feed? We get to share it with the

chickens! Ha! I filled up our wheat bucket that I keep in the kitchen right before I

mixed this together for them. And after that, I strolled down to the shop to fill up my

mason jar with lentils. Score!

Chickens are cool. So is homemade chicken feed. If that’s what you’re into.

I totally am.

UPDATE: I finally calculated the cost of making this per pound. Based on

the price we paid for the grains as of June, 2013 it equates out to .47 cents

per pound. Our 15 layers currently eat 1.75 pounds per day, which means it

costs us .81 cents per day to feed them this diet.

Peas: .47/lb, 2 pounds = .94

Flax: 1.68/lb, .75 pounds = 1.26

Sesame seeds: 2.27/lb., .25 pounds = .56

Lentils: .55/lb., 2 pounds = 1.1

Corn: .43/lb., 2.5 pounds = 1.075

Soft white wheat: .38/lb., 3.5 pounds = 1.33

Hard white wheat: .26/lb., 3.5 pounds = .91

Oats= .34/lb., 3.25 pounds = 1.105

Kelp granules = 3.25/lb., 1/2 ounce = .10

The recipe makes a 17.75 pound batch. Total cost is $8.38. This equates to

.47 cents per pound.

I hope this is helpful!


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Melissa Faulk June 16, 2013 10:05:00 pm

Been waiting for this! Thank you!

REPLY (/2013/06/HOMEMADE-CHICKEN-FEED-ORGANIC-AND-SOY-

FREE/?REPLYTOCOM=4146#RESPOND)

Patrica June 16, 2013 10:30:00 pm

Hi! I liked this informative post!

We actually had 15 Ameracanas a few weeks back but they all

ended up dying. We had them for 2 weeks. I have come to the conclusion

that the nats had a part in it. I stopped by a Amish homestead on Friday to

buy some brown eggs & asparagus! The young lady was confirming my &

my husbands thoughts. There was a loss of as many as 200 on one farm

she was telling me. I really thought we were going to have some fun & in few

months we would be gathering blue eggs! Needless to say we won’t be

doing that. I would be just like you hanging out w/them just watching them

peck & scratch! We may have to try another batch some day soon! We paid

$55 for them & the feed from the feed store was like $18. Not sure what the

sack of grit cost. I would be willing to go non gmo, organic, make my own

chicken feed so I hope I get to some day soon!

Take care out there!



Emily Moothart June 16, 2013 11:56:00 pm

So how much does this end up costing, say, per week? And

how will that cost compare to the number of eggs you’ll be

collecting once they start laying? I completely agree with how much fun

chickens are, but I’m also very interested in the economics. We live in the

city but on a 1/4 acre parcel, and right now I’m thinking of getting the six

birds the city allows ad just letting them range in the backyard. We don’t

have anything planted back there yet (and won’t for a year, probably) so I’m

not concerned about them ruining anything. What do you think?




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7 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56


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23, 2014

Tessa Zundel June 17, 2013 12:09:00 am

Great mix – I’m so glad Azure Standard is out there! We shared

this with our readers at homesteadlady.com.



Jay June 20, 2013 8:29:00 am

Very well written article. I will try your mix. Just had 4 chicks

taken out by raccoon. For those like me not bearing arms —

and posed with a threat — I loaded a super-soaker with strait bleach x 4,

sprinkled 5000 mg of crushed aspirin on killed but not eaten chicken + left a

side of anti-freeze.

No more coon problems . . .



Barbara September 24, 2013 2:04:16 am

Would have been much more humane to have borrowed a

weapon and shot them. Have you ever watched an animal

die from anti freeze? I have and it is a slow torturous death! While

racoons kill our chickens they deserve humane treatment!

Leah Dunn December 10, 2013 10:53:16 am

Wow. That’s a really horrible way to kill an animal.

Lisa @ Fresh Eggs Daily (http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com)

January 23, 2014 6:25:33 pm

Wow. I have to chime in and say that’s an awful thing to do

to

any animal. A well-placed shot from a gun is probably the most

humane way to rid your homestead of predators. And an enclosed run

and secure coop where your chickens are locked each night should

protect them from being attacked by predators in the first place.

Heather June 20, 2013 10:06:00 am

I would also love the cost break-down on thisRwe buy Modesto

Mills organic soy-free food and it’s about $26/50 lb bag when I

buy in bulk from the feed store in San Diego. I love the idea of making my

own, though!



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8 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

4963 views


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Why we eat meat & the

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Apr 8, 2013

Feb 2, 2014

Charly So cool! For extra proteinR Have you heard about

Black Soldier Fly Larvae? GoogleR. Eats foodscraps, is not a

pest fly, stays away when adult – perfect!

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Malerie June 24, 2013 1:41:00 pm

This is awesome! We are doing our “chicken budget” right now,

and this is REALLY helpful. Here’s a question, though: we don’t

eat wheat, and I would love to order grains that we could eat, as well. Do

you know of other grains that chickens might appreciate and enjoy in a

similar fashion?



Keith June 30, 2013 8:29:00 am

Sorghum and sunflower are good. Millet is another. Not

sure about cost. I’m in Australia.

We call the hens ‘chooks.’

Brenda June 25, 2013 10:39:00 am

where do you buy organic corn?



Dana June 25, 2013 9:15:00 pm

Depending on how much land you have, chickens aren’t terribly

destructive to gardens. Mine free range and don’t really care

that much about anything but the sprouts. I keep them locked up until the

garden is established and lock them up if they start to get to be a problem.

But they like to scratch for bugs more than anything. I actually encourage

them to spend a LOT of time in the garden after harvest and before planting

by feeding them over there so they get all the little bugs they can.



June 26, 2013 2:46:00 pm

I’m gluten-intolerant and not jazzed about the idea of handling wheat. Is


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9 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

Meredith there a gluten-free substitute that will fill the same

nutritional need?

Jack Handy July 01, 2013 8:54:00 pm

Wear gloves!

Jamie @afamilieslove (http://www.afamilieslove.com)

November 16, 2013 6:27:47 pm

we use oat groats and rolled oats for our chickens, as well

as

lentils and barley. good sub for wheat, as long as you keep the

protein mix about %15 especially in winter when there are fewer bugs

to forage for.

LisaB June 26, 2013 4:21:00 pm

Thank you so much for posting this! I had been considering

making my own but we currently buy a mix like this from

someone else for .21¢/lb and I think we’ll just keep it that way



Boris Bartlog June 30, 2013 8:23:00 am

Did you have a particular justification for including the more

expensive ingredients (flax seed, sesame seed, kelp granules)?

Also, I don’t know whether you give your chickens oyster shell or some other

source of calcium and magnesium separately, but once they start laying you

will probably want to add some calcium to their diet – otherwise the

eggshells will be thin.



Shaye Elliott (http://www.theelliotthomestead.com/)

August 04, 2013 11:14:00 pm

The more variety the better!


November 16, 2013 6:29:10 pm

they do need the salts in the kelp, as well as the micro

nutrients, phosphorus etc. Also the fats in the flax and sesame and

minerals


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10 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

What I Loved in June 2013 (http://www.cheeseslave.com/what-

i-loved-in-june-2013/)

July 03, 2013 5:29:30 am

[...] recipe for Organic Chicken Feed — Organic and Soy-Free — I don’t

have chickens but if I did, I’d use this [...]



Robin July 18, 2013 7:54:00 pm

Hi Shaye, I am really excited about your recipe. I have all of

these ingredients in my machine shed and I put all of my 50 lb.

bags of grain in cool containers to keep them all separated until I combine

them daily. I was just curious if you (or anyone else) grinds their grain. It

seems like my chickens are not the biggest of fans yet. I have also been

fermenting this recipe – which they always went crazy over my fermented

foods before, so I don’t really see a difference. To ferment, I have just been

filling up this grain bucket with water and adding about a cup of kombucha

and mixing it in and then it is ready about 24 hours later. I feed them the dry

mix in the morning and the fermented in the afternoon.




August 04, 2013 11:15:00 pm

I just started fermenting my grains – we’ll see how they like

it!

Love In July Love & Wild Honey

(http://www.loveandwildhoney.com/archives/1656)

July 30, 2013 1:22:55 pm

[...] up in a chicken co-op at a local farm, it was good to find this link about

how to make your own chicken feed. If the former remains true, you are

what your chickens eat. Furthering that point, you are what [...]



Thing I’m Loving: July Edition | LiveSimply (http://livesimply.me

/index.php/2013/07/31/thing-im-loving-july-edition/)

July 31, 2013 12:23:53 pm

[...] Homemade Chicken Feed: Organic and Soy-free: Now that I have

chickens, homemade chicken feed is like music to my ears! Have you read

the list of junk in commercial feed? There is no way I am feeding fillers and

other questionable ingredients to my ladies and then feast on their eggs.

This recipe is inexpensive and easy to make..win and win! [...]



Meat Chickens: It begins. | The Elliott Homestead

(http://theelliotthomestead.com/2013/08/meat-chickens-it-begins/)

August 05, 2013 7:39:59 am


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11 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

[...] having a heck of a time finding a non-soy-based formula for such. A

higher protein content of our homemade layer feed will work, but I’m new to

this, and am not quite sure how to switch the numbers around to [...]

Jen Carlson August 08, 2013 2:41:00 pm

This rocks, Shaye! Thanks bunches!



New to chickens August 09, 2013 12:55:00 pm

Where do you find your ingredients for those prices per pound?

I have been looking on Azure website. but do you recommend

an others. I appreciate your recipe and website thank you!




August 13, 2013 5:31:00 pm

I use Azure. I linked to Amazon because not all my readers

have access to purchase from Azure. The prices quoted are from

Azure.

Karen White August 19, 2013 10:56:00 am

Are your sunflower seeds whole or hulled?? We are weighing

the cost of making our own food. We haven’t ever feed them

GMO laced food and we feel like they aren’t getting enough protein, so we

are having to do more research. I don’t want to default to pre-made corn

based food.




November 16, 2013 6:34:00 pm

one of the highest nutrition and least expensive feeds for

them is

actually green peas, highest in protein for all grains(I think it comes in

at about 20% protein), and is pretty cheap, even for the organic type,

for a treat we feed our fresh pea plant shoots in the cold weather

months, also high in protein, pea shoot microgreens have approx $25

protein, more than chicken itself(crazy but true:-)

Pastured Meat Chickens. Week 1. | The Elliott Homestead

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12 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

[...] spent hours and hours trying to come up with a homemade broiler feed

recipe to serve alongside the homemade feed that we already make for our

layers. While I was finally able to calculate a formula that utilized local(ish)

resources, the cost of [...]

Carrie September 25, 2013 1:18:05 pm

Hi,

Have you done an analysis on the nutrient content vs. the

regular layer pellets? I would love to try this as long as they are getting the

nutrients they need to keep healthy and lay eggs.

Thanks!

Carrie



Shaye Elliott (http://www.theelliotthomestead.com)

September 25, 2013 4:06:56 pm

Carrie,

The protein (I believe is around 16 or 17% which should be exactly

what the layers need.

JP Edwards October 21, 2013 8:46:58 am

Thank you for your recommendation of Azure StandardR I

looked into it and was so pleased with the prices. I was going to

place an order and was disheartened by the shipping cost. I decided to

contact them on the off chance they might have a trucking stop and was

thrilled that they do, and much closer than I would have imagined! I live in

sw Colorado, in a very tiny town, so major happiness on that news! Turns

out I will spend LESS for the same weight as the questionable feed from the

store! Win-win! Thanks for the breakdown of cost as well as the recipe!




October 31, 2013 11:18:24 am

So glad that worked out!

Jennifer Elliott October 31, 2013 9:49:06 am

I am wondering if your hens have started laying and if the feed

has provided the necessary nutrients for strong shells and

consistent laying?




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13 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

Jennifer Elliott October 31, 2013 10:01:42 am

I am also wondering why you used both hard and soft wheat?



JP Edwards November 06, 2013 9:36:35 am

To make things even better, I talked to the woman who

coordinates the drop for Azure Standard and it turns out she

found them only a couple of months ago based on your chicken feed post as

well! Your influence is spreading!



Laura (http://www.highhorsefarming.com)

November 13, 2013 11:24:52 am

I love your website, and am so glad I ran across it. In your

above recipe, you mention “feeder oats”. I don’t see this on azure standard..

do you buy these at a farm supply store, or are they something else?

Thanks!




November 14, 2013 7:36:24 am

If you search oats on their website, you should find them.

They may be under ‘chicken oats’ or ‘horse oats’ or something like

thatR I can’t quite rememberR but yes, our farm supply store sells

them too as feeder oats.

Scott Brown (http://www.phoenixorganicfeed.com)

November 14, 2013 2:07:56 pm

I have become part of a group in Arizona which pools our feed

volume together so we pay wholesale pricing on USDA certified organic

chicken feed. The organic feed I buy from them is a corn, soy and canola

free organic feed for $26. However, there are over 30 types of feeds for

different animals. This pricing a super low in the Phoenix area. With 20

chickens I am personally saving over $100/mo. Here is a link to the prices

for anyone to compare: http://www.phoenixorganicfeed.com/prices.html

(http://www.phoenixorganicfeed.com/prices.html)




November 18, 2013 9:13:42 pm

Great idea and what a valuable resource!


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14 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

Rob November 18, 2013 12:02:35 pm

Give them chick weed – I’ve seen side by side comparison of

chickens with and without it. It is amazing stuff.




November 18, 2013 8:55:44 pm

What is it?!

Lisa @ Fresh Eggs Daily (http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com)

January 23, 2014 6:29:38 pm

Yes chickweed, dandelions and most weeds are so

nutritious.

Sarah November 26, 2013 2:20:03 pm

Oh my goodness, I LOVE your blog!! We have 2 small kids

close to your kids’ ages, and we are working towards similar

goals as you, although you are much farther along than us! My question is,

have you had any trouble with the grains in storage getting buggy? I am

looking at doing this for our chickens, but I think some of the minimum

purchase sizes from azure standard will be a years’ supply for our small

flock, so I am a little worried they will get buggy or rot? What do you think?




December 05, 2013 12:08:14 pm

If they get buggy, it’s just extra protein for the chickens!

jo December 02, 2013 4:14:54 am

Hi, could you feed this recipe to new born chicks but grind it up,

and maybe add some water??? I am struggling to find an

organic product (that is fish free) for new born chicks (hatched from an

incubator) . Any help would be appreciated.




December 05, 2013 12:02:43 pm

Yes, I think this would be fine. I’d up the protein level a bit

by adding a few more legumes than normal.


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Tamara December 08, 2013 3:42:21 pm

Azure is awesome! For those who don’t have the time or

inclination to make their own chicken food, Azure also sells 40

lb bag of organic, soy free layer pellets for $22. Comes to $.55 lb. Worth it if

you’re short on time.



Kendra December 09, 2013 5:47:34 pm

Hi Shaye!

Will try and keep this comment condensed as I am excited to find this post

and your site

My big question is, how is the fermenting with this mix going? I am also an

Azure customer and have tried 2 of the 3 brands of chicken layer feed they

carry with less then desirable results, mainly because of the offensive smell

which I believe is due to the peas. So I had started giving some thought to

making my own and keeping the peas and kelp out to add just before

serving? Any thought would be appreciated. I had great success fermenting

their starter and grower with wonderfully yummy smelling results, so don’t

believe it’s due to not fermenting correctly

Anyway, I’ve loaded my Azure cart with all the ingredients you mentioned

above and am looking forward to giving it a try ~ thanks so much for taking

the homework out of this newest endeavor for me! Your’s was the 1st and

only link I clicked on after searching for “homemade chicken feed” ~ for

some reason I thought it was going to be harder than that, lol!

Blessings ~ Kendra of Ramblin’ H Acres, KS



Karin (http://www.limeridgefarmohio.com)

March 05, 2014 9:21:35 am

smell may be either flax that has aged or fish meal. I don’t

know the Azure mix components

Zadidoll (http://www.zadidoll.com)

December 18, 2013 3:52:24 pm

I love chickens and use to raise them when lived outside of city

limits. Hate how we live in an agricultural area yet can’t have chickens within

city limits YET a big city like Seattle can! Go fig! AnyhowR at the beginning

of gardening season once the snow is gone from the ground allow your

chickens free reign of your future garden. Their poop will make your garden

amazing. I remember one year before we planted our chickens were allowed

to scratch and peck all they wanted in our garden and late that summer we

had the most amazing veggies. When we moved back within city limits our

gardens never produced the same quality of crops regardless of how well

maintained the garden was. Eventually we gave up because the garden

needed those chickens and their poop to fertilize the ground naturally. Never


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16 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

had to use pesticides either because they ate the bugs around the garden

(they were kept out of the garden itself). We only had tomato worms once

and those green worms were a treat for my girls. I miss my chickens.

Patricia Schuller (http://www.homesteadersway.com)

December 18, 2013 4:13:37 pm

Hw do you measure the protein content as it must be around

16% for layers? Thank you



JP December 28, 2013 4:43:09 pm

Help! I started feeding my chickens and two things are very

apparent, they need twice the amount you list per day (I have 7

and quickly realized I would not be able to go less than 4c/day) and their

egg production has slowly but surely dropped in half. I was getting average

of 6/day before switching over and each week has dropped by about 1 egg

per day average until now I am only getting 2-3/dayR Organic is great to a

pointR They were getting feed of 20% protein before the switch and I am

trying to add extra protein via raw milk, whey, or yogurt, or meat scraps,

seems to help for a day or two immediately after feeding but still.

Suggestions? Is there more protein in feeder oats than steel cut? I have had

to improvise this last month because Azure Standard was out of feeder oats

when my order was shipped last month. That is the only thing I can think of

as what is different. Can chickens have plain ground peanuts? Wondering if

that might help bump up the protein.



Kendra December 29, 2013 7:23:45 am

You had mentioned above that you’ve started fermenting this

mix and I’m wondering how that’s going? I’ve fermented other

mixes with peas & kelp that when ripe were so smelly my chickens wouldn’t

touch it. So am wondering about leaving those two out, possibly the lentils

also, and just adding to the remaining that’s been fermented, just before

serving? Would greatly appreciate hearing what your fermenting results

have been



Nikki January 06, 2014 8:02:46 pm

Hello! I am wondering if you know the protein level is in your

chicken feed. I would love to feed my chickens this! And, I

assume by now they are old enough to be laying eggs, are they good and

consistently laying on your feed? Thanks! Love your blog! You inspire me!




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Ranee @ Arabian Knits (http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/)

January 07, 2014 9:55:48 am

I found your blog via a friend’s FB link a few weeks ago. We’ve

been using

a modified form of your feed for our poultry and they seem to be doing well

on it. Thank you!

I have one question, though. We are able to order from Azure, but I can’t find

feeder oats. Is there another name by which they might be found? Thank

you!




January 07, 2014 1:47:11 pm

I always find them under feeder oats? Or oats with hulls?

Or animal oats?

Kelly @ Bold Souls Micro Farm

(http://www.boldsoulsmicrofarm.com)

February 05, 2014 2:45:32 pm

They are under the Garden & Pet Supply heading and are

called “Whole oats with hulls – Animal Feed, Organic”

Ranee @ Arabian Knits (http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/)

February 08, 2014 12:44:19 pm

Thank you! We ordered and received it. We’ve been able

to

make feed (we upped the protein, because ours is all purpose for

turkeys and chickens) and they are all doing well on it.

Kayla January 09, 2014 11:16:09 am

Have you considered s



Lora January 13, 2014 5:41:51 pm

I love this post! I remembered seeing it, and searched for it so I

could read it again now that we’re making plans for another

laying flock. Thanks for sharing this! I copied it down and went to the Azure

site to check prices. Not surprisingly, EVERYTHING has gone up. But the

one that really struck me was the lentils! At the time of your post they were

$.54 per poundR.and now they’re $1.84! That’s a HUGE increase. And that

was for the organic lentils. The regular ones are currently at $.57 per pound.

I can’t imagine why the discrepancy is so big, but I was wonderingR.are you


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18 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

still using the organic ones in your own mix? Or have you switched to

regular, or eliminated them altogether in favor of something else?

Thanks again!

vallea January 14, 2014 11:22:15 am

Great article!

What do you gander the protein % of this mix is???

Thank YOU



Jessica Tinker January 14, 2014 9:28:59 pm

Wow, thanks for the recipe! We’re new to this and our first

chicks are due to arrive around the end of February (we’ll be

getting 8 total). I definitely want to feed them organic and when they’re old

enough they will get to free range during the day. I’ve been searching all day

for organic feed and it seems your recipe may be the best thing for us to

follow. I’m not sure if I will start them on it or wait until they’re a couple weeks

old. It all depends on if I can find any organic feed locally (doubtful). Thanks

again for this great recipe and hopefully I can stop back and let you know if

it worked out for us



Stacie @ Defiantly Healthy (http://www.defiantlyhealthy.com)

February 01, 2014 10:07:39 am

What a great recipe! I’m looking into Azure Standard right now,

thanks

for providing such detailed information. I’ve been meaning to find a better

quality chicken feed for awhile now!



Amanda (http://herbsnstitches.vpweb.com)

February 07, 2014 7:09:11 pm

Can you tell me the sizes (how many lbs of each) of each

product above, you purchase for the homemade chicken feed?

Thanks!




February 11, 2014 9:05:29 pm

Most of the bags I buy in 50 pounds, except for the lentils

which come in 25 pounds, and the flax and sesame seeds which

come in 5 pound packages.


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arlene February 12, 2014 6:16:27 am

Im curious to know why you put the feed on the ground in their

coop. They end up eating their own poop,




February 12, 2014 2:06:41 pm

Arlene – their feed goes into a bowl.

Nicole February 13, 2014 12:26:23 am

I was wondering, I know you were buying your feed for your

meat chickens. Are you still doing that or have you started

making your own yet? If you have started making your own could we

possibly get your recipe for that? And how are your hens liking the

fermented feed?




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21 of 21 17/03/2014 16:56

homemade chicken feed. organic and soy-free! the elliott homestead

Documents

feed store

homemade chicken feed

scratch peck feed

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comanimal feed pellet

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