What to Feed Chickens

Have you ever wondered while enjoying the succulent pieces of chicken as what makes it so amazingly delicious? Yes, finest ingredients and a brilliant chef are obvious but what is also crucial is the quality of the fowl used. The healthier the fowl, tastier will be the preparation. And what makes a fowl healthy? Correct, if you say a healthy and balanced diet.

Whether you raise fowl for eating, reared exclusively for eggs or exhibitions or for keeping as pets, chickens need to be fed with nutritious food. Getting feed for domesticated fowls is not a difficult task. But have you ever asked yourself what to feed chickens to ensure their good health? Most of the essential nutrients required by chicken in their daily meals are available at home and those which are not can still be procured easily from a pet store. Some items are even free of cost!

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WHAT TO FEED CHICKENS

Grains All kinds of whole food grains are enjoyed by the chickens. One can also mix different grains together and then offer the mixture to the chickens.

Greens Finely chopped kitchen trimmings or garden parings are excellent for the chickens to nibble on. One can also give grass and weeds to them for eating.

Proteins Soybeans boiled in milk is a protein rich meal for the chicken which is easy for the owner to provide, yet sea fish is the best source of protein for the chickens. As these sea foods are not only a source of protein but also of hundreds of minerals essential to the chicken. If allowed, chickens will gleefully dig out worms for themselves which are also a rich source of protein.

Grit An indispensable part of what to feed chickens, these angular pieces of crushed hard rock even granite works as a tooth for the chicken to help them digest their food. Without grit, they will die as eating will be impossible.

Water A clean dish of clear drinking water must always be available to the chickens. They sip water after every few minutes hence their supply of clean drinking water should never ever get disrupt.

Calcium For hens to lay eggs comfortably a long calcium rich diet is imperative. Milk, crushed oyster shell, grounded bone and even green vegetables are rich source of calcium.

Vitamin A and D are other vital nutrients for chickens. Apart from all these, the chickens also need salt in their diet to supply them with mineral contents. The best source is kelp found on every sea beach.

Chicken owners can either provide these nutrients to their flock by themselves or can shop it from any decent pet store. The feed available thus, is complete in terms of all nutrients. There is absolutely no need to supplement the feed by providing any extra food which in fact might prove detrimental to the health of the chickens. Commercially, what to feed chickens depends on the stage of a chicken’s development. For example, chick starter for the baby chicks, then chicken grower for the growing ones, calcium rich feed for the egg laying ones!

If you’re ready to build a chicken coop check out this complete guide and design plans.