Feed is one of the biggest recurring expenses associated with owning backyard flocks. By purchasing in bulk, you can save both money and avoid worrying when more food will be necessary.
Medicated feeds can help your poultry avoid diseases. Some lacto-fermented varieties make these feeds even more digestible and increase nutrients, giving your birds the best health!
Day-old chicks require starter feed – commonly referred to as starter crumbles – with high levels of proteins to promote their healthy development into mature birds.
Contents
Starter Crumbles
Feed designed specifically to meet the nutritional requirements of chickens should contain essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals for them to thrive. Incorporating nutrients from insects like grubs is also key; their natural balance of amino acids such as lysine and methionine will benefit their wellbeing as much as anything.
Most feeds begin as mash, which is combined with warm water and then formed into pellets for easy digestion. By adding one more step to this process, crumbled feed can also provide nutritional benefits while mimicking more closely what chickens eat naturally. Crumbled feed is suitable for chicks as a starter/grower feed as well as young birds or smaller breeds who might have difficulty eating larger pellet pieces.
This all-natural feed features high levels of protein to promote optimal growth and development in flocks, Regano to strengthen gut health, and Diamond V XPC Ultra to maintain immune strength while supporting digestive wellbeing in flocks.
Grower Crumbles
Pellets are an increasingly popular variety of chicken feed, taking the mash process one step further by using heat and pressure to form compact cylindrical shapes that are easier for your flock to consume and reduce waste from windblown debris.
Pellets are another nutritious choice that offer a balanced diet for laying hens. Most veterinarians advise switching them over to high quality layer feed when they begin producing eggs (preferably by 20 weeks old).
Masterfeeds RWA 20% Organic Chick Starter/Grower Crumbles provide a nutritious diet designed for starting and growing laying chickens, turkey poults, ducklings, and geese. Packed with Diamond V XPC Ultra postbiotic, which studies have revealed supports innate immunity, adaptive immunity function, gut integrity, microbial diversity as well as added selenium protection from coccidiosis – with no soy or meat meal ingredients added – it contains vitamin A-D-E, as well as added selenium protection against Coccidiosis! Plus vitamin A-E, Choline chloride DL-methionine DL-methionine, Folc acid pyridoxine hydrochloride fortified with Menadione sodium Bisulfite Complex which supplies Vitamin K activity plus yucca schidigera extract.
Layer Crumbles
Choose this high energy, complete and balanced layer feed for your laying hens to encourage top egg production from their flock. Incorporating high levels of protein and calcium as well as marigold extract and optimized Vitamin E plus other beneficial vitamins and minerals that promote good health in chickens.
Layer crumble feed provides the same nutritional benefits as pelleted chicken feed, yet features a different texture for your flock to enjoy. Layer crumble feed usually does not require pelleting prior to distribution and may be easier to store and avoid spoilage than its pelleted counterpart.
If your flock is used to the creamy consistency of chick starter/grower crumbles, this crumble version should make the transition easy for them. Once they reach full size and start laying eggs, this would be a fantastic option to consider for their diet.
Broiler Crumbles
Some chicken owners prefer feeding their flock crumble rather than mash or pellets as its coarser texture makes it easier to manage, while some even claim that their girls simply prefer it!
Feeding poultry mash results in waste due to separation of coarse particles; pellets reduce this waste by decreasing the amount of fine ingredients and supplements that need to be given as feed. Their coarser size also stimulates their gizzard’s grinding action for improved digestion and weight gain.
Pelleted broiler feeds help improve feed hygiene and decrease dustiness in your barn, while selecting one with minimal fines can improve performance by helping avoid choking and feeding competition between broilers.
Kalmbach Organic 22% Chick & Broiler Crumble is an all-in-one feed designed to meet all nutritional requirements for starting and rearing heavy broilers, meat-type chickens and turkeys. Formulated with amprolium for increased control of coccidiosis.
