Making Your Own Chicken Feed - Including Our Basic Recipe!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Here are links to some of the videos on feeding chickens that we mentioned in this video (and more): 12 Easy-To-Grow Crops You Can Use To Feed Your Chickens kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6utapyCr517adk Feeding Your Chickens Treats: What's Good & What's Bad? kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJbCaWd3osiZn8k Planting A Healthy Pasture For Chickens & Other Poultry kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5iZiqV3h9GIn6s Ensuring Proper Nutrition for Your Chickens kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnevpnmgjNqGeaM What is Grit...And Is It Important to Give to Your Chickens? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mX7aloGJbNWUebM 7 Herbs For Happy & Healthy Chickens kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJ62naWefK6cfLs

[@bbthomas4807]

Once again, timely, informative and SUPER RELEVANT!!!! Grow channel, grow!!!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

I appreciate that! Thanks for your support!

[@lindawilson5734]

OMG, I’ve looked at sooo many recipes for chicken feed I’m dizzy. U guys made it easy! Thank U 🎉🎉🎉❤🤠🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad you liked it!!

[@jollyroger5646]

I need the carpenter shirt!🤣 I've switched to a local feed store blend of 3 grain scratch, black sunflower, and commercial bird seed (I figured why not on the bird seed since the Roos learned to spill my bird feeders!🙄) My birds also have limited free range due to increasing predation in my area. I appreciate the straight-to-the-point approach. I get tired of other channels 'Aunt Thelma's gallstone report' or 'My cat threw up a hairball that looked like Whistler's Mother' for 20 minutes before moving onto the main 10 minute topic that I clicked on to watch!🤣

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for sharing & for the kind words!

[@thefrenchgardener1865]

Thanks again....this video along with the one you did on growing herbs and veggies for chickens really helps a lot! Love the Tee shirt!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks so much!

[@benruegge9100]

You guys really make me feel like I need to up my shirt game

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

🤣 Steve is the King of the awesome t-shirts!

[@drdata1967]

@@HobbyFarmGuys IS grit usually added to the feed, or is it something that should be added seperatly?

[@vickyannpaintingwithoils]

​@@drdata1967Seperately away from the food. They will choose it as they need it.

[@augustrain5500]

Thank you guys SO much for doing this video! Great info that I needed from a source I trust. Have been wanting to make my own feed for my small flock but was always a bit confused and cautious as to amounts of grain, etc. Thanks HFGs!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bbthomas4807]

I'm not positive but I think I started watching y'all when you had less than a thousand subs. So happy to be here, hope I have helped you grow!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

I'm pretty sure you did. We've seen you around the comments for a while. Thanks for sticking around and supporting us all this time!

[@CFarnwide]

I’ve been here for a while and remember seeing some of your comments when I found the channel. Glad to see you’re still around!

[@bbthomas4807]

SO MUCH LOVE!!!

[@greatfulchristian4314]

Ty hfg for the recipe! We will be using this as our chickens feed. God bless you guys.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Hope you and your flock enjoy it!

[@JOXGIRL1]

Enjoyed your informative video. Wrote down your recipe into my homesteading notes. I’m so new to raising chickens and want to do the best by them. I have egg layers. Thank you.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@CeeDeeTeeVee]

Excellent info! Top notch!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@UsmanFaraz854]

Thank you for sharing nice brief info for poultry farmers 😊😊😊

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for visiting!

[@mbarbaris3923]

Thank you for this video. You mentioned it is important to make the mixture according to weight but you gave the percentages. Can you please give me the weight of each ingredient for the correct mixture? I want to mix it in a tin garbage can. Thanks! I’m a subscriber and I love your videos.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

You can convert percentages directly into pounds: 30 lbs Corn 30 lbs Wheat 20 lbs Peas 10 lbs Oats 8 lbs Blk Oil Sunflower Seed 2 lbs Nutri-Balancer/Kelp You can double if you want to mix a larger batch, or cut in half (or quarter) for smaller batches.

[@brightantwerp]

Thank you! Great info.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Glad you liked it!

[@midwestribeye7820]

I really enjoy your videos! Short and to the point plus I always look forward to seeing the T-shirts! Do you sell T-shirts?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Not yet! We are working on getting some ordered. Thanks for watching!

[@anniesundahl4021]

Thank you so much! You offer info that I've been searching for throughout the past year but struggled to find. I started out mixing my own feed when I got my first chickens last year (38 of them!) But I was unsure of my recipe and if they were getting everything they needed. I now know I was lacking in minerals. I gave up around fall and bought bulk feed from a feed distributor that is mostly ground corn with soy meal and minerals. But I'd like to get back to making my own, more diverse feed. Also, I have some questions. I have eggs in the incubator and will be needing chick feed, if all goes well. Do you have a recipe for homemade chick feed? I understand they need more protein but is everything else the same? And how fine should it be ground? And lastly, do you have recommendations where I can learn more about chicken nutrition, raising, farming, breeding, etc? I'm interested in farming them. Thank you again, looking forward to watching more of your videos.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks for sharing! Chick starter is similar to regular chicken feed but has about 20% protein, where this recipe has about 18%. Adding a bit more fish meal to the recipe should bring it up to the right level. As for how how fine it should be, grind it to the consistency of a commercial crumble feed. And remember to add some apple cider vinegar to their water (about 1tbsp per gallon) since the feed is not medicated. I’ll add some links to resources shortly (including som me of our own videos)!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Here are a few websites that have lots of interesting and informative content. Additionally, your local extension office should be able to assist with lots of information. I’ve also pinned a post to the top of this comment section with a number of videos we have done on chicken nutrition. Welcome to Chickenlandia welcometochickenlandia.com The Happy Chicken Coop www.thehappychickencoop.com Utah State University Poultry Sciences extension.usu.edu/poultry/raising

[@anniesundahl4021]

@@HobbyFarmGuys thank you so much! You guys are amazing!

[@clash8386]

I want both of your shirts! Awesome guys keep up the man work

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks!

[@randyjosephson]

I have 40 chicks for egg layers I’m interested in an electric grinder for feed what would you gents recommend for me? Thanks Randy J.

[@doylerabjohn3435]

Thanks

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

You are very welcome

[@bammalife8387]

Great video!

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thank you!

[@donpoovey]

Where do you source peas. Hard to find in Texas. Thanks

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Our local feed mill can get them. If yours can't, there are some online bulk sellers that will ship.

[@malavasu6039]

Sir is there a need to give mythonine and lysine must salt pls let know

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

This is a personal preference. We’ve never added them & had no problems. If they have a well balanced diet they can thrive without it.

[@myradixon1614]

Hey guys! Love the video! We grow soybean and corn every year to sell to an outside vendor... and I can't seem to find a recipe ANYWHERE with Cracked corn and roasted ground Soybeans. HELP! THANKS SO MUCH IN ADVANCE!! ❤

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Most of the recipes I've seen that specify soybeans are for broiler chickens, so it has a higher protein content than for layers. I'll keep my eye out for one!

[@robertmcdonaldoh]

Thanks guys and Jesus bless you ☦️

Is this recipe good for 8-18 week old chickens? Or only layers 18 weeks and up?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

You may need to add a bit more protein for chicks. Everything else is the same.

[@poorwotan]

My grandmother's neighbor had a backyard with 2-4 chickens (it varied). That was only about 15x30' (just double-checked on google maps) and, somehow, they managed to raise (and eat) their chickens for years. How did our grandparents do that without all that optimization... I do know that my grandmother would throw her few food scraps to the chickens and get a egg a week in return. lol

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Simpler times. Having 2-4 chickens will provide most small families all the eggs they need. Even if they aren’t ideally fed and laying maximum amounts.

[@poorwotan]

@@HobbyFarmGuys I know. Just having a bit of fun. However, also a reminder for people not to take everything so seriously too I guess. I do enjoy your channel!!!

[@amberemma6136]

What was the protein percentage for the recipe you gave? Why didn't you mention using molasses

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

This recipe is about 18% protein. This is just a basic recipe. Typically we will add to it things like fishmeal or molasses.

[@ds755]

Would you do a video on worming chickens?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

We can certainly add that to the list!

[@CFarnwide]

Great topic! Especially with the commercial feed controversy/conspiracy theories floating around lately. Edit: I’m glad you brought up the grinder topic. Our ladies would live on sunflower seeds alone leaving a big pile of all the other stuff 😂

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks C!

[@bluefoxblitz8416]

My silkie chickens only eat the sunflower seeds too!!

[@royelagro]

I love to raise chickens

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Then you are in the right place! Thanks for watching!

[@LorenRyburn-hx8gi]

Feed the hungry.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

👍

[@bluefoxblitz8416]

How do you deal with the mice and rats chicken feed attracts?

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

The biggest thing is to keep everything stored in metal bins & try to keep the area clean. The farm cats help too! 🐈 🐈‍⬛

[@myriamgiovannini3298]

Why not discuss Lemma? Great protein natural protein in aquatic fast growing plant…

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Great point! Lemna is a great natural additive!

[@CFarnwide]

I have to confess, I’ve never heard the name “lemna”. A quick google search tells me it’s duckweed… which I’ve only heard about. Not sure if I’ve ever seen it.🤷‍♂️ Anyway, I’ve heard about it a few times in the last few weeks so perhaps it’s time to do a deep dive into the subject. If you have any knowledge to share I’m all ears!

[@myriamgiovannini3298]

@@CFarnwide Yes! it is used to feed farm animals, fish, etc. needs shallow water, not too much rushing water, I did put water pump and even made a natural permaculture filter, just to keep it aerated , not sure its needed, but its growing very well, can duplicate in a week, you fill a water source, or make a shallow pond with non clorinated water, put some chicken, cow or other manure to start let the manure be in the water 5 days, then you place the Lemma in there and watch it cover the water in no time, used a lot in Japan and other Asian countries, being produced in large scale in Chile. Edible Acres has it on their pond for the chickens, so I think it will even do well in cold climates, I am in Costa Rica in a mountain, and it's doing great, already shared it with neighbors who are starting to grow it. My neighbor just hatched 5 chicks and they love it, Very high in protein and great nutrition, worth making room for it, it quickly covers the water surface, so no mosquito issues. Lots of videos on YT.

[@CFarnwide]

@@myriamgiovannini3298 Thank you for the information! It sounds like there are plenty of reasons to utilize it! 😎

[@myriamgiovannini3298]

@@CFarnwide yes what I do I made screens with bird netting, over the lemma, so you dont get critters coming to eat it, or you will be the popular bird buffet home.

[@aksaleskikaya6953]

🍎

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Thanks!

[@dheller777]

Can't hardly afford store bought feed. I think making your own is even more expensive. Probably not cost effective for me to do.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

It can be cheaper if you are producing large quantities, but maybe not amounts for small backyard flocks.

[@Lilman3000]

Don't most just buy cracked corn and grit. That's it.

[@kathymcleod1460]

Don't peas have to be cooked before you feed them.

[@HobbyFarmGuys]

Peas can be fed cooked, raw or frozen. Beans however should always be cooked

[@randyjosephson]

I have 40 chicks for egg layers I’m interested in an electric grinder for feed what would you gents recommend for me? Thanks Randy J.