Complete chicken feed is the cornerstone of your backyard flock’s health and productivity. Every ounce of this nutrient-rich food promotes optimal bird wellbeing and growth.
Your chicks need 38 nutrients in order to start strong, grow strong, and lay strong. Begin feeding a complete chick starter from day 1 up until week 18 when switching over to layer feeds.
Chicken feed comes in several forms; most commonly it takes the form of mash, although pellets and even crumble are available for your chickens to feast upon.
Contents
Grower Feed
Once chickens reach chick or pullet stage they no longer require starter feed; rather they need grower food which aids their continued development without overloading them with vitamins and minerals more suited for fully grown hens (ie layer feed).
As broiler birds now require additional energy for growth and reproduction, production feed can contain higher crude protein levels as they need additional nourishment to support this. It may also contain higher calcium concentrations to promote stronger bones for supporting laying or to store up for later use.
Food for chicks usually comes in the form of pellets; however, it can also come as mash mixed with water to form a mushy texture which is easier for baby chicks to digest than pellets. Furthermore, medicated or unmedicated versions may also help protect against parasites like Coccidiosis that could pose risks to health.
Layer Feed
To produce high-quality eggs, chickens require high-quality complete feed. A well-fed flock is healthier and experiences fewer issues like feather picking, egg binding and aggressive behavior. Feeding snacks such as vegetables, fruits or mealworms dilutes their complete nutrition and can result in health issues for their inhabitants.
Chicks should receive starter feed until they reach 18 weeks, when it should be switched over to layer feed specifically tailored for table egg production. Layer feed typically has more protein (16-18%) and calcium for stronger eggshells.
High-quality layer feed should contain prebiotics and probiotics to support gut microbes of chickens and prevent disease by encouraging natural immunity. Our comprehensive layer feed comes in various formats including mash, crumbles or pellets with All Natural, Non GMO and USDA Certified Organic options available.
Crumble
A flock of chickens needs a balanced diet for health and growth. While you could make your own feed from scratch, commercially prepared complete poultry feed provides all of the essential ingredients your flock requires.
Complete poultry food comes in various formats, such as pellets, mash and crumble. Pellets and mash provide complete nutrition through a blend of grains and protein sources; both have their own advantages.
Pellets are manufactured using mashed feed ingredients which are then compressed into hard, compact pellets for ease of feeding and storage. By contrast, crumble is composed of whole pellets broken apart into coarser pieces reminiscent of oatmeal texture resembling oatmeal porridge. Many chicken lovers prefer crumble as it more closely mirrors their flock’s natural diet which allows their birds to pick at it more readily, helping to minimize wasteful consumption of feed.
Pellets
Pellets are compressed sawdust and wood shavings used as fuel. Because of their compact form, pellets are easier to store and handle than wood chips – which require additional transport costs and storage costs if stored indoors. Unfortunately, making pellets requires lots of energy – both to dry the feedstock used as feedstock, and run any necessary equipment involved in production.
Pellet feed offers numerous advantages to farmers and chicken owners. It provides uniform nutrition while being easy for chicks to consume. Plus, pellets require significantly less storage space than crumbles!
Organic poultry manure pellets make an excellent garden fertilizer and an easy way to improve tired soil. Packed with nitrogen – responsible for leaf and stem development in plants – scatter these organic pellets throughout your garden in autumn for slow release of essential nutrients through winter to nourish crops – they’re like using composted manure itself!
