Chicken Feed: the Best for Egg Production
Use this homemade chicken feed recipe for massive egg production and healthier chickens.
Chickens typically will lay very good during their first year of life regardless of diet. As hens age, however, their egg production naturally decreases and the chicken feed you are providing may be the cause. Have you noticed your chickens are not laying as many eggs as they have in the past? So what is happening?
The secret to continued egg production is nutrition. By feeding your hens the right diet, you could see egg production continue past age four, even age five. No doubt, diet and nutrition work wonders for both egg production and keeping happy, healthy chickens.
Core ingredients of a premium homemade chicken feed
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
Whole Feild Corn
Cleaned Oats
High Protein Pet Food
Diatomaceous Earth
Oyster Shell
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
You can order black oil sunflower seeds online or pick them up at some feed stores. They are a specific type of sunflower seed that is very small and thin. I recommend them because of the high oil content. Black sunflower seed's high oil content is very good for chickens because it increases their diet's fat content healthily. Your hens will love them too.
Whole Field Corn
There are two main types of corn, and it is essential to understand the difference. Sweet corn is what you buy at the grocery store. It is picked when it is young and still retains large amounts of sugar.
Field corn, on the other hand, is the type of corn you want for your chickens. It's always for sale at feed stores, and you can buy it in bulk. Field corn is left to mature and dry before it is harvested. This is the type of corn used for animal feed. Folks sometimes wonder if the whole kernel of corn is safe for your chickens to swallow. The answer is yes. Once chicks are about six inches, they will begin to eat the whole field corn. Once chickens get older and start laying eggs, they will need nutrition, and they will be looking for the corn.
Cleaned Oats
Premium cleaned oat is not the same as oatmeal or rolled oats that you might enjoy for breakfast. There are many kinds of oats, and most have similar nutrients. You'll notice that cleaned oats are skinny because they aren't processed. Chickens love these oats, and they ake up the foundation of their feed. Oats are the primary driver of energy in a chicken's diet. Occasionally you may notice that these oats begin to grow in or around the coop, much like grass. Eating this grass is also great for the hens.
High Protein Pet Food
One of the primary sources of protein for your chickens comes from foraging for insects. If your chickens do not get moved around to new lawn areas or are not free-ranged, they may not have access to as many insects as they need. Lack of protein can also occur in colder months when insect populations drop naturally. There are some options when it comes to supplementing your chickens' diet with protein. Some of the most popular include:
Mealworms
Camelina
Potato protein
Earthworms
Flaxseed
Fish Meal
These are all great, but through the years, I have found one thing that consistently works great: puppy food. Really, any natural high protein pet food. The protein sources in these pet foods may be from lamb, buffalo, or several other real meat types. Remember, chickens are omnivores and need real protein to survive. Once hens are laying eggs, they need a minimum of 15% protein in their diet. That amount should increase when molting or if their egg production is under the average for their breed and age.
Diatomaceous Earth
One of the best decisions you can make for your flock is to consistently provide diatomaceous earth in their diet. Chickens get worms. Once worms have invaded your flock, it can take weeks to get rid of them. Diatomaceous earth is a great preventative for your hens. It stops the larvae from being able to hatch, and this means a healthier chicken and better eggs. It is also beneficial for your chickens' skin and feathers. Keep your hens dewormed and have healthy, poofy, beautiful chickens by using diatomaceous earth.
Oyster Shell
Oyster shell serves a dual purpose for your chickens. First, it provides a source of grit. Grit is what chickens consume to fill their gizzards. It is an essential part of their digestive system and helps your hens grind and process all of their food. l
Second, oyster shell is rich in calcium. Hens need plenty of calcium to lay eggs. If their calcium depletes, they can become egg bound, where eggs get physically stuck in the chicken. High levels of calcium also mean more nutrient-rich, farm-fresh eggs for you.
Chicken Feed Recipe
Here is how we put all of these ingredients together. Using this feed twice a day, morning and night, will lower the chances for health problems, increase egg production, and result in happier chickens:
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds - 3 lbs
Whole Feild Corn - 4lbs
Cleaned Oats - 5lbs
High Protein Pet Food - 2.5lbs
Diatomaceous Earth - 1 cup
Chicken Feed Procedure
Locate a storage container that will hold all of the ingredients. You can cut the recipe in half if you only have a few chickens, or increase it for larger flocks. I use a large, sealable tote because it keeps the feed dry, keeps out bugs and other critters, and it is easy to mix the ingredients inside.
Start with the oats as the base of your mixture. Then add the sunflower seeds and corn. I place them in this order, with the lightest weight ingredients first, because it makes it easier when you start mixing. Lastly, I add the diatomaceous earth by sprinkling it on the top like seasoning. You want to combine all of the ingredients well, taking special care to ensure the diatomaceous earth is spread evenly throughout the mix.
Why Make Your Chicken Feed?
Why not buy a premade feed? I want to feed my animals whole food. I try not to feed processed food. Yes, I might have to buy a bag of premade feed for convenience from time to time. But overall, I try to feed my animals whole food; that's why I mix up homemade food. My chickens love it, look good, act happy, and never have health problems.
What about the Oyster Shell?
Glad you noticed that the oyster shell was missing from the recipe. While it is an essential element of a healthy diet and digestive system, it should be given separately. I want to mention that I always buy the crushed oyster shell. It's a little smaller and more comfortable to consume for any age of chicken. I supply the oyster shell in a grit pan in the coop. A container is not entirely necessary. If you just tossed some around the groud, it would work as well. Chickens are perfectly capable of finding their grit in the ground, assuming there is some available. However, I keep an organized coop, and I like to know that my hens are relying mostly on the oyster shell because of its calcium value. Keeping it in a pan helps me track consumption.
Bonus! Add something special.
What to do something extraordinary for your chickens? Check out these two articles on Fermenting Chicken Feed:
Most Common Mistakes Fermenting Chicken Feed
If you were just to follow these directions and allow this homemade feed to supplement your chickens' foraging, you would see a dramatic improvement in overall health, egg-laying, and look of your flock. However, it would be slightly dull to do the same thing every time. For you and your hens! Plus, there is another very valid reason to mix things up.
Chickens are omnivores and enjoy variety in their diet. Variation ensures that your chickens have access to all of the micronutrients they need to live optimally. One of the greatest joys about homesteading, or raising back yard chickens, is watching them clammer over table scraps or garden rejects. These are all great and highly encouraged. I only warn against giving your chickens processed food manufactured explicitly for humans. Don't throw your stale cereal into the coop and think you're doing any of your flock a favor. Remember, what goes into your hens is what comes out. If you want the healthiest, freshest, and best-tasting eggs, let's consider some better options.
I like to modify the recipe, as mentioned above, with one of the following. I usually change it up each time I make a batch, and add in a little from one of the following:
Alfalfa
Milo
Ground flaxseed
Barley
Fish meal
Ground peas
Kelp meal
Want to spice it up for your chickens? Add some of these fresh herbs from the garden or even from the dried spice rack:
Basil
Oregano
Cilantro
Mint
Chives
Sage
Parsley
Rosemary
Thyme
Coriander