Chicken Feed Ideas and Suggestions
Raising chickens is a big commitment, they require constant care and proper nutrition. For these reasons, it might help to take some of the guess work out of chicken feed. Let's look at some of the things you should know before you buy.
Many feed manufacturers offer a line of inexpensive chicken feed that is nothing more than wheat byproduct. These 'cheap' feeds offer very little nutrient content and are not the best choice for raising healthy chickens. Avoid these bargain feeds at all costs, you may spend a bit more, but the return on this investment will be staggering.
The best way to save money on chicken feed is to avoid waste. Many of the chicken feeders on the market are incredibly shallow.
These shallow pans mean that much of the feed pours over the edge, thus creating unnecessary waste. You can remedy this problem by filling your chicken feeders no more than one third of the way full.
The best way to ensure that your chickens receive the highest quality feed is by educating yourself on the nutrition required to raise healthy chickens.
Consider doing some online research, or check out several poultry raising books from the library. You'll find when it comes to raising chickens, and anything else, that knowledge is power.
Most people have questions when it comes to raising free range chickens. If you're raising free range chickens, it is possible for these little critters to find their own feet. However, most often this requires a wide range of space.
If you're raising chickens in your backyard, you likely don't have enough space for your free range chickens to fend for themselves. For this reason, it's a good idea to supplement your free range chickens diet with a little nutritional chicken feed.
Remember, the more chickens, you have to more competition for food. It's imperative that you ensure that you provide enough feed for each of your chickens to maintain a level of nutrition sufficient for growing healthy and strong.
When it comes to feeding your chickens, gone are the days of allowing your poultry to eat whatever they happen to find. People today demand to know what went into their food before they eat.
This rings true for both eggs and meat. If you plan to sell your chickens, it's imperative that you keep track of the nutrition provided, and any outside sources of food they may be in contact with.
If your goal is simply to raise chickens to sell eggs, you will find the demand for information on nutritional content a little bit less.
However, don't stress yourself over this factor, because in many cases chickens eat things we don't see (i.e. small seeds or tiny bugs). It's virtually impossible to keep track of everything of which your chickens partake.
The best approach when it comes to serving your chickens quality is to not stress or overcomplicate the process. As long as your main goal is to ensure that your chickens are receiving the best quality nutrition, you'll be fine.
If you're in doubt consider consulting a professional at your local feed store. He or she will be able to provide you with educated information as to raising high quality chickens. Your feed store professional will also be able to recommend the best brands for your needs.
If you're in doubt, you can always make your own chicken feed. While this process is more labor-intensive than feeding your chickens a store-bought feed, some people truly enjoy the hobby.
If you plan to take this route, your best bet is to first educate yourself on the nutritional requirements of a chicken. You will be required to educate yourself as to the formulation of high quality chicken feed.
Your next step will be to purchase the ingredients required to make a quality chicken feed. Most small-scale chicken farmers abandon making their own feed in order to embrace the convenience of commercial brands. This is perfectly acceptable, as most commercial brands are just as nutritious as a homemade feed.
So, if your goal is to raise healthy chickens and maximize the return on your investment you should spend a fair amount of time, ensuring that your chicken feed is of the utmost nutritional quality. Avoid bargain-basement feeds, and consult a professional when you're in doubt.
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About the Author
Duncan Carver is the author of the free Chicken Keeping Secrets newsletter that teaches you how to keep happy, healthy, egg laying chickens in your own backyard chicken coop or hen house. If you are interested in keeping chickens at home subscribe free at... http://www.chickenkeepingsecrets.com
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