Can we all agree that nothing beats a farm fresh egg? There is something so pleasing about checking the nest box and finding a perfect egg or two (or ten!) waiting for us. Store bought eggs simply cannot compare. But what about store bought feeds? Let’s talk about the advantage of fermented whole grain chicken feed.
So now you’ve got some sweet little chickens running around your yard, and you’re getting those farm fresh eggs everyday, but it’s occurred to you that you have no idea what’s really in that store bought feed you’re giving them. If it’s true that you are what you eat, then your eggs are what your hens eat.
As more people get interested in raising their own chickens, there are more feed options being offered. Organic pellets are available now at most farm stores, and I’ve seen more whole grain options being sold by the bag. However, depending on where you live, your options may still be limited. Also, once chicken math has taken over your coop, and three hens have magically turned into twenty (no judgement here!) the cost of organic whole grain feed may be more than you’re looking to spend.
But to make your own feed? What whole grains do you buy? And in what amounts should you feed them to give your chickens what they need?
After a ton of research, we’ve settled on a fairly simple mix of six grains. We ferment each day’s feed for three day. Why ferment the whole grains? So many reasons! First, it makes the nutrition already in the grains much more available to the chicken to absorb. Upside? The hens need to eat less product to get the same amount of nutrition! Next, fermenting the grains greatly improves digestibility, and provides a natural probiotic benefit, just like it does for humans.
So, which grains did we chose? Our recipe is loosely as follows:
Equal weights each of:
- Whole Wheat
- Barley
- Cracked Corn
- Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
- Split Peas
- Whole Oats
Once we mix an equal weight (we go by weight, not volume) of each grain in a food grade 5 gallon bucket, we simply cover the grains completely in water, place a lid on the bucket, and set it aside. Check it daily to make sure the grains stay covered in water as they will absorb quite a bit during the process. (The sunflower seeds will float, but don’t worry. They’ll be fine.) On day three, we drain the feed, divide it into bowls, and sprinkle a smidge of granulated kelp over the top for added vitamins and minerals. Then we let the chickens devour. And they do! As always, we provide our flock with free access to grit and calcium. They are also privy to lots of garden trimmings, weeds, kitchen scraps, and treats during the day in their run.
How much to feed??
How many pounds of feed you mix each day will just depend on how many birds you are feeding. You may find your birds need less than the 1/4 lb each of feed generally recommended, as this is a more filling and nutritional diet. Only mix as much feed as your birds can eat at a serving.
Our recipe has changed a bit over time as we’ve seen what works for our ladies. We tried whole peas as they were cheaper than the split variety, but found they were not popular and tended to get wasted. Also, whole corn seemed to difficult for some hens, so we’ve changed to cracked corn, even though I personally loved the color on the whole blue kernels. Also, I occasionally buy our black oil sunflower seeds mixed with millet. This doesn’t really change the nutritional values, and the more variety my birds get, the healthier I feel they are.
Speaking of nutritional content, you may wonder how we came to know that our mix has the right amount of protein and fat for our birds. A great tool I used was a chicken feed calculator I found online. You can find that calculator, plus other great information, at https://www.gardenbetty.com/garden-bettys-chicken-feed-calculator-for-determining-your-protein-content/ .
This recipe is simply what we’ve found works for our flock, but please do your own research and see what is best for your birds. Whatever feed you give your flock, know you are taking a great step in knowing where your food comes from and eating fresh!