Feeding

Black Sumatra Game bantam

I feed all my birds as I used to feed them when I was a youth 50 years ago.

My birds are free-range and have the run of the farm when not in breeding pens in spring. They get out in the morning and return to roost late afternoon. I rarely get any problems feeding without pellets. My birds are ultra fit and lay and breed strong chicks. My egg numbers are very good and the shell quality is perfect.

While they are out and about they get a feed from any grass/weeds and whatever they can find in the way of bugs,grubs and worms,what you will agree is a normal diet, except for grain, that poultry have been eating for hundreds of years (and still are in some countries) and not a pellet in sight.

My birds get grain and cod-liver oil only and are allowed free-range to get the rest themselves.

The mix I use is 2 parts wheat, 1 part cut maize and 1 part rolled barley. The cod-liver oil is added to the wheat and mixed in by hand, just enough to coat the grains. I then add the cut maize and mix again and then the rolled barley.

On the face of it they get about 10-12% protien from this feed, but get the rest free-range with grass and insects/grubs/worms ect. Pellets and for that matter mash were both ‘designed’ for the commercial poultry industry. It is fed add lib in most cases and thats all they have except water and other additives to keep them alive and laying.

I don’t want to feed my poultry on chemicals and cannot see any reason why a natural feed won’t keep my birds healthy. I don’t need yoke colour inhancers, they get that from the cut maize and grass. I don’t need what ever they put in it to make the birds lay more, thats down to breeding and the strain of birds. You will not make a poor layer from a poor laying strain lay more eggs than she is bred to lay and feeding a high protein feed will cause serious internal problems.

Mash and pellets contain calcium,up to 4% in some mixes and unless a hen is in full lay producing eggs that use up the calcium the rest goes into the liver and kidneys and can kill them. Poultry need about 2% maximum, which can be got from a mixed grit containing oyster shell.

I don’t need a feed that pushes my birds into laying more eggs. I prefer to have them lay what egg numbers they were bred to achive and thats down to breeding, not feeding.

You need to be aware that if you start feeding pullets layers pellets that are not in full lay, you are pushing them into laying before the bird is physicly ready to do so.

Keep them on growers if you must until they are well into lay, usually around 3 weeks to a month depending on breed after they start laying.

I use Cider apple vinegar in every water font,just a cap full in a 3 ltr drinker every time its cleaned and refilled.

I start the chicks off on it from day 1 and this helps lower the ph of the gut and helps to prevent coccidosis and gut worms.

The only other thing they need is mixed grit and fresh greens.