Chickens are natural foragers, but you may need to supplement their diet if they lack access to enough grasses, weeds, seeds and insects. Here are some alternative options for supplementation:
Sprouted and fermented grains make them easier for chickens to digest and can strengthen eggshell consistency, at an extremely affordable cost. Fodder supplements provide another simple and cost-effective solution to supplement chicken feed.
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Oats
Oatmeal is an integral component of breakfast bowls, but they’re also an ideal alternative feed source for your chickens. Packed full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals – Oats make an ideal healthy option!
Oats provide essential iron, magnesium, zinc and calcium nutrients for your chicken flock. Furthermore, their high protein content helps ensure they maintain a balanced diet.
Oats may cause stomach upset for your chickens if they’re not cooked or soaked first, as raw oats contain phytic acid which binds with important minerals like iron, zinc and calcium, preventing their proper absorption into their systems. Therefore it is wise to introduce small amounts of rolled oats as snacks or as extra energy sources into their diet; using oat groats are harder for their bodies to process and may swell up and cause irritation in their digestive systems.
Bugs
Biologists consider bugs to be distinct from insects; technically speaking they belong to Hemiptera order of insects. Bugs have mouthparts adapted for sucking animal or plant juices while their front wings cover delicate hind wings, unlike beetles which go through pupa or chrysalis stages before emerging as adults. Some bugs that make good protein supplements for chickens include black soldier fly larvae, mealworms (which can be grown at home), Japanese beetle larvae – these insects can all be mixed with ingredients or ingredients when creating homemade chicken feed!
Other inexpensive or free alternatives for poultry feed may include table scraps such as moldy food scraps and organic non-GMO seeds.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter can provide chickens with protein and other essential nutrients, but its high caloric intake could be harmful to them. Therefore, only give your bird small spoonfuls as treats rather than regularly including peanut butter in their diet. When shopping for natural peanut butter without added sugars or salts – or that has been processed with xylitol as this ingredient may be toxic to poultry – is best.
Consistently feeding chickens peanut butter may result in obesity and reduced egg production, and should only be offered as part of their normal diet in moderation. If you decide to feed your birds peanut butter, ensure it only contains peanuts with no other ingredients added – or, better yet, create it yourself so you can control its sugars and salt content!
Cheese
At its cheapest, feed your flock table scraps that do not include anything moldy or rotten. Mealworms (which you can grow yourself right in your living room!) and black soldier fly larvae provide additional protein-rich sources at minimal costs.
Cheese is comprised of four key components: milk, salt, culture and rennet (a coagulant that holds everything together). Cheese has long been eaten to preserve milk before its spoilage occurs; however, cheese does not come without risks: its high caloric and saturated fat content increase risk factors for heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Recent research suggests otherwise; recent evidence shows that saturated fat may not be as detrimental as once believed, with one study even finding that eating cheese may help prevent cognitive decline as we age. So it may be time to add cheese back into your diet! So go back to that cheese tower – maybe its time!
