Raising chickens requires high-quality feed that provides proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals in balanced amounts. Most complete rations contain proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals in balanced quantities for optimal performance.
Mash feed for chicks or laying hens consists of crushed whole grains mixed with animal protein meal and other supplements to produce a nutritionally complete feed ration for chicks or hens. Quality pellet binders reduce fines while increasing pellet durability.
Contents
Protein
Chickens need proteins in order to develop and plume up their feathers, and sources include soybean meal, wheat bran, ground corn, fish meal (which provides omega-3 essential fatty acids), canola oil and suncured alfalfa meal.
Since pelleting causes amino acid losses, supplemented levels of lysine and methionine may be included as part of a feed formulation. Manufacturers also often add fats that provide energy and some flavor enhancement for added variety and taste in diet.
Mineral supplements including calcium, chlorine, copper, iodine, iron manganese magnesium molybdenum phosphorus potassium selenium and zinc are widely used to ensure that chickens receive all of the nutrition they require for good health.
Some egg farmers offer pelleted and whole grain mixture feed that allows hens to choose their food themselves, providing more roughage and fiber that benefits digestive health. This form of feed is commonly known as crumble form feed.
Fats
Chicken food contains fats to provide energy and enhance digestibility. These may come from vegetable oils, lard, or poultry fat. The amount of fat found in a diet determines how much energy birds gain from it.
Carbs provide another source of energy for chickens. With more calories per gram than protein, carbohydrates provide additional dietary support during egg production and muscle development. A proper carb ration for laying hens should include protein, lysine, methionine, crude fats and calcium for optimal egg production and growth.
Many feed manufacturers use beet pulp or alfalfa meal to add fiber, as well as supplements like coccidiostats and antibiotics, which work against coccidiosis bacterial diseases in chickens. Furthermore, many manufacturers make mash variety chicken feed that’s often left for chickens to peck at themselves and scratch over, but lacks as many nutritional benefits compared to pelleted or crumbled feed varieties.
Minerals
Chickens need the same variety of vitamins and minerals that humans need in order to remain at peak performance, whether through supplement feeds or eating leftover scraps. To ensure maximum health benefits from their ration, all essential vitamins and minerals should be included as part of its content.
Commercial feeds contain all of the nutrients chickens require for optimal health, from proteins and fats to trace nutrients such as potassium and sodium for electrolyte balance and iron, copper, and iodine for metabolic functions. Vitamin A for vision health; D3 for calcium absorption; and various other essential vitamins supporting digestion and immunity are also vitally important.
According to their breed of chicken, different feeds have been designed specifically to meet their unique nutritional requirements. Layer pellets are compact cylinders designed to minimize waste while still providing necessary vitamins and nutrients necessary for producing strong eggs from laying hens. Other possible feed choices for laying hens may include mash, crumbles or whole grains.
Vitamins
Chickens require a range of vitamins and minerals in their diet for metabolism processes and to produce eggs of high quality. While free-range foraging or scraps may provide some of these micronutrients, providing your flock with a complete feed such as pellets or mash with these micronutrients will ensure they meet daily dietary requirements.
Chicken feed manufacturers combine the necessary ingredients to formulate nutritionally complete rations for chicks, adult chickens and layer hens. For instance, they may include lupins or peas to boost protein and fatty acid composition; plant proteins such as soybean, canola or sunflower meal; animal byproducts like fish meal; bone meal; feather meal are among their arsenal.
Commercial products often provide protection from diseases that quickly spread among chickens in crowded conditions, while also including chelated minerals (like our Mega Mineral), that enhance digestion of minerals in their digestive system and help them thrive. They may even include multivitamins for an added dose of vitamins every day!
