What can you feed chickens at home
When purchasing egg breeds of chickens for home breeding, owners want to make a good profit. In this case, it is very important to know what to feed the chickens, the composition of the feed for adult layers. Many farmers know that full return is possible with proper bird care and feeding. Chickens should have a varied diet so that they can lay large eggs with good shells. It is necessary to obtain the full range of useful minerals, which are included in chicken feed. Organization of proper feeding for chickens within the household, the diet of farm chickens is a difficult task even for experienced farmers, and what to say about novice poultry farmers.
How to feed laying hens
All tables, which indicate the rate of how to feed laying hens at home and the number of important elements, contain very average figures. As an example, they indicate that for laying hens, a daily rate of half a gram of table salt is needed, chalk or grass with oil cake 2 g, beets. But what can not be fed to chickens, where you can find such chickens and young animals so that the calculation is accurate. In Altai, green fodder is grown on saline soil, which is of particular value for local farmers, since, based on the results of feeding with such fodder, the animal does not have to add fodder salt to the mixture.
In mountainous areas, there is a deficiency of iodine and the hens living there need to get more iodine than hens living closer to the sea. Can chickens and young animals be fed the same way? For one district, young stock data will be overestimated, and for another, on the contrary, underestimated. In order to properly formulate the diet and feed for chickens, it will be necessary to conduct tests for the suitability and content of certain elements in grams in the feed.
For this, they also donate chicken blood for biochemical analysis, which is a little difficult. This problem can be solved in 2 ways: feeding chickens with specialized feed and wheat, or simply preparing food yourself, creating a full-fledged diet for your layers, then the egg will be of high quality. If we exclude a very critical shortage or even an overabundance of important elements, a living organism is able to independently regulate the assimilation of important substances within a month.
Features of feeding hens
In a private backyard, keeping and feeding according to the norms is simply not possible if you start from the norms presented in the textbooks and try to create a diet for feeding chickens using them. In addition to elements known to many like proteins, fats and the most popular vitamins, laying hens also need less well-known and less obvious substances, which are not emphasized by poultry owners.
The most important element in laying hens is calcium.The proportion of calcium and phosphorus added to the diet of domestic hens should also be specific, without the method of rash on the eye, take the proportion four to one.
As a rule, grain feed, beets and grass contain sufficient amounts of phosphorus, ensuring the norms for feeding laying hens at home, so there is no need to worry about this and from additives you can limit yourself to feed chalk, cake or limestone. In the process of feeding laying hens in a private farm, the norm of nutritional components can pretend to be the state of the eggs. The most difficult thing in this can be called the fact that in the case of a deficiency or an overabundance of one or another component, a chain reaction is caused in the process of assimilating the remaining nutrients, and therefore it is difficult to determine which product needs to be reduced and what to increase, which feed to give chickens in summer and winter ...
Calcium
How, how many times a day to feed the chickens, how to make a calculation so that each bird receives all the necessary substances in the right amount? First of all, calcium should be included in the diet. Without calcium, it is impossible to build a complete diet for layers. The content of this element should be in the region of 2 grams. If egg production is high, then an insufficient amount of calcium can significantly affect the condition of not only eggs, but also the chickens that carry them. When you do not feed correctly, any breed of chickens will not be complete.
Because of this, not only the number of eggs will decrease, but the shell will become less durable, and the level of plasticity of the bones of layers will also increase. This type of bone is called gutta-percha. The hen should do a sitting posture and produce a product - a quality egg. The amount of calcium that laying hens are able to "give" to eggs from the resource of their bones will be sufficient for only four eggs. In the future, the hens will give out eggs with a film. For young animals, they use chalk, shells and a feed sulfur preparation, this is a special mixture that you can make yourself.
Cholecalciferol
If you are giving special raw food for layers, then you need to look at the percentage of fat-soluble vitamin in it. If there is a sufficient amount of limestone in the feeders, the chicken eats bran constantly, and the eggshell does not have the required hardness indicator, then in such cases it is necessary to check the feed for the concentration of this element. If the amount of vitamin is insufficient, calcium will not be absorbed well enough.
The constant presence of limestone has little effect, therefore, a sufficient amount of this element is required in the feed, or long walks of the bird on the street. With a deficiency of fat and nutrients, you can give fish fat with worms in moderation. Some farmers are so concerned about the quality of eggs and meat that they sometimes give their poultry one or two pieces of red caviar.
Phosphorus
How to feed hens for laying hens, to replenish phosphorus reserves in the body, as well as to slaughter carcasses with developed limbs and heads. Calcium cannot be assimilated without phosphorus, but this is not a cause for concern, because this element is abundant in grain feed and even milling waste, those very bran. It is better to add sunflower grain to the diets of chickens of any breed, feed them with flour, barley, wheat, corn, oats, sprouted rye so that the birds will bite. If wet mixtures are prepared for laying hens for a month, based on bran, there is no need to worry about the lack of phosphorus.
Some farmers feed a special compound feed called purina. But it is better not to feed the birds with buckwheat, as it is impossible, as well as sugar beets. The best option would be to replace buckwheat with barley or other cereals. If you follow the correct recommendations, then the chick from birth will receive all the necessary substances for full development. In more detail, the diet and how to feed the laying hens can be studied in a photo or video.
Sodium
Even the presence of cholecalciferol and chemical analysis of the feed does not guarantee good eggs with perfect shells. Calcium will not be absorbed properly if sodium is deficient. This component is found in table salt and is also known as sodium chloride. Every day the bird should take 0.5-1 gram of salt. But in the case of adding salt, you can turn around the opposite result and the animal will become worse and most likely the reason is an overabundance of the component. Chickens eating waste of human food tend to suffer from an excess of salt. Because of this, assimilation may be slowed down.
Manganese
Due to the lack of this component also thin shell and decline egg production rate... Along with the thinned shell, with an insufficient amount of manganese, the so-called "speckled" is observed, which is a zone with a thinned shell, which can be seen when examining the egg in the light. Manganese is needed in the amount of 50 milligrams per day.
In addition to the above components, you need to know what else to feed the hens daily:
- 50 mg zinc
- 10 mg iron
- 2.5 mg copper
- 1 mg cobalt
- 0.7 mg iodine
Poultry metabolism depends not only on trace elements, but also on amino acids. Without them, the body will not be able to assimilate trace elements and minerals. Synthesis of protein for eggs without the presence of amino acids will be impossible. During the laying of eggs, chickens need useful elements and it is very important to know how to feed a hen, and what to cook. Here you need to be careful, since an overdose of vitamin food supplements is likely, and this is somewhat worse than just a lack of vitamins. Farm chicken should receive proper nutrition on a regular basis.
After the most famous and often indicated in the lists of chemical compositions of vitamins A, D, E of group B, for chickens such vitamins as K and N and their calculation are important. You can learn more about the diet of chickens correctly at home in a photo or video.
Excess calcium in chickens
How to feed laying hens, what is the best way to feed domestic chickens so as not to harm them? When eliminating the problem of insufficient calcium, you can face a similar problem: a thick, rough shell. This phenomenon can be observed in the case of an excess of calcium or insufficient amount of water. Due to water problems, eggs will linger in the oviduct. To eliminate this problem, for this it is necessary to organize the diet of the chickens so that they have constant access to water, including in the winter. Heated drinkers can be installed.
The second reason for the eggs retained in the oviduct can be called the length of daylight hours during winter periods. In such cases, the rate will decrease, and calcium will continue to be supplied during feed intake. It will be necessary to increase daylight hours by means of artificial light sources and replace part of the feed saturated in laying hens with whole grain, corn, barley. In young chickens, the first egg-laying may occur with insufficiently good shells. This problem does not need to be solved, since it goes away two weeks after the end of the process of forming the reproductive system in young chickens.
The main diet of layers
The basis of the diet of birds is cereal grains, which include corn, barley, oats, or a mixture of these. It is also important to add soybeans, like peas, which, together with cereals and flour, are given in an amount of one tenth of the total. However, it is important to remember that the protein dosage must be observed and administered carefully. It is also worth noting that in the case of drawing up a diet, do not forget about the low fiber content in the feed for layers. If the content is higher, then the nutrition of the layers and egg production will be reduced.
You cannot do without it, because fiber in moderation is necessary to stimulate the digestive tract.It is imperative to feed wheat to give fresh greens, but you should not feed wild lettuce. Many farmers in the summer feed their chickens with cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, apples. In the spring do mash with cake and sunflower seeds. You can feed with grain, in the summer, especially in the country with your own hands, it is easy to make mash with grain and vegetables, cake. Month-old chickens can be fed with adult food, only without fanaticism.
Sometimes, for good growth, they feed raw corn, which also improves the taste of the meat. Chickens need to start a balanced regimen as early as possible so that they get used to the daily routine. In between meals at home, you can give seashells or feed worms. The main thing is that the fattening is carried out in accordance with all the rules and the daily rate is observed.
Dry food
In the case of self-preparation of chicken feed, you need to adhere to a specific percentage. Dry food for laying hens is not contraindicated and at different times some breeds also use this type of food. To correctly draw up a chicken diet, you can read the reviews of the owners of layers and draw certain conclusions for yourself. Chicken does not eat barley, mash with rice, pasta or bacon.
At home, it is correct to give the following necessary proportions of food in the diet of layers per day:
- 70% grain
- 7% must be fed with wheat
- 8-15% meal / cake
- 4-6% fish, meat or bone flour
- 3-6% yeast dressing or yeast
- 3-4% feed fat
- 3-5% feed meal
- 7-9% mineral and vitamin admixtures
In the case of a dry type of groundbait, it is best if the bird is given a full-feed combined feed, which contains everything you need. Combined feed is given no more than 120 grams per day for one chicken.
Combined feeding
The diet of chickens per day should be compiled taking into account all the characteristics of the bird. In the case of a combination feed, the birds will be fed 4/5 of grains and additives, while the remainder is wet feed. In the case of a combined type of feeding for chickens, animal protein is allowed, a product that is found in dairy and meat foods. In addition to flour, they are prepared from fish, bones or even blood, whey and grass are also given to the bird. Many farmers practice feeding with cottage cheese.
Alternatively, dried bread is soaked in a dairy product prior to feeding. Fresh bread is contraindicated for chickens. The reason for this is that in the goiter of animals it can stray into a single sticky piece, and this can lead to undesirable consequences. You can also combine feeding with cake, mushrooms, dandelions, flour. How to feed laying hens so that the birds do not have stomach problems, then such grass as: clover, dandelions and nettles must be pre-treated with boiling water.
When the chicken eats the food combination, the egg will be of excellent quality. Extruded feed may be appropriate for young or small chickens. This food is completely balanced and contains everything you need. For one chick, you need to give one serving with boiled potatoes, chalk, green dill with nettles. Also, note that you should not overuse corn or provide constant shells. The expense will be higher.
Norms and diet of laying hens
The birds in question tend to open their food with their paws, the brood hen scatters food with grain throughout the space, therefore most of the owners give preference to feeding at intervals. Better to feed with grain, wheat or oats. In summer at this time, the hen eats it well. Cooking recipes are always simple. You just need to mix different types of cereals with vegetables and fruits, then the daily diet will be balanced. Different breeds prefer different types of feeding, here you need to look at the nature of the birds.
Can be fed with insects, edible food waste.If the chicken eats it, then it's good, then the egg will be strong and voluminous. The portion should be such that the birds eat everything in one go. If it is a concentrate, then the dosage is most often indicated on the package, taking into account the age and weight of the bird. At the same time, in the case of poultry farms, the laying hens are provided with constant feeding, which is more profitable from the financial side, if we start from the need in the form of especially intensive egg laying in such factories.
In the case of feeding a bird with a specific schedule, feeding in the winter period of time should be carried out at least 3 times a day, and in the summer time about 5 times.
Bird feeders
Can be done for chickens so-called bunker feeders based on a sewer pipe. It will cost quite cheaply, but the animals will have regular access to their food, and they will not be able to dig out the food. This type of feeder must be protected from above in the form of a canopy to protect the feed from rainwater. You can also make do-it-yourself drinkers on a similar basis.
If you understand the needs of animals at a sufficient level, then all desire to do this will disappear and in general, it will be easier to purchase store eggs. However, in reality, not everything is as complicated as it might seem. Layers are characterized by independent regulation, and therefore it is enough just not to overdo it with the dosage of one or another component per day and the bird's body will independently bring the indicator to the desired level.
In addition, pellets can be used to feed poultry. Using it automatically can be cheaper than making healthy mash yourself. The composition and price of the feed mixture is different. The cost depends on many factors. If you follow the proper care, then you will raise healthy and active birds. It is better to give the remains of food to other animals if they eat it, for example for a cat or a dog. Cats can be fed many foods without harm to their health.
What can not be fed to a chicken?
- It is not recommended to give a bird one celandine per day, this herb is harmful in large quantities. How much should be given correctly per day so that the hen gives a good egg can be seen in special tables.
- You cannot feed with clean potatoes, bacon, from which the hen grows overgrown with fat.
- Potato peelings.