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110 Comments | Jill Winger |    Last Updated: October 9, 2020

Homemade Chicken Feed Recipe

homemade chicken feed recipe

Let’s say you’re a first-time chicken owner, and you’re ready to tackle this backyard chicken gig.

You can’t resist the temptation at the feed store, so you find yourself driving home with a box of chirping, fuzzy yellow chicks in your lap. At $3-$4 per chick, that’s a small price to pay for beautiful, home-raised hens that will give you your own eggs for free, right?

Wrong.

Here’s the problem… There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and no such thing as a free egg.

As many of you already know, those fluffy yellow chicks (aka the gateway drug to homesteading…) are actually one of the cheaper aspects of keeping chickens. Once you succumb to the magnetic draw of feed-store chicks, expect to keep opening your wallet for:

  • A chicken coop/run (here’s my guide for chicken coops, by the way)
  • Chicken Feed (if you want organic or non-GMO feed, expect to pay the big bucks)
  • Waterers/feeders
  • Shavings/bedding
  • Heat lamps (if you use them)
  • Electricity for the coop
  • And any other random chicken accessories that might strike your fancy.

Of all the items on the above list, the one we chicken-addicts talk about the most is the feed. Why? Because buying good chicken feed at the store is so expensive it’s almost physically painful.

For example, this organic, non-GMO brand on Amazon is $38 for just 25 lbs. (affiliate link)

Ouch.

homemade chicken feed recipe

So, homemade chicken feed has to be cheaper, right?

Eh, maybe. But don’t count on it.

In fact, more often than not, by the time you hunt down all the (semi-strange) ingredients you need to build a good homemade chicken feed, it’ll actually cost you more… And if you want to keep your flock healthy and producing well, you must make sure you are feeding them with the proper balance of protein, energy and nutrients. Unfortunately, you can’t just toss them some corn and call it good…

I’ve been ordering a custom-mixed feed from the local feed mill for 2 years now. (It’s the whole grain, non-GMO recipe you’ll find in Natural Homestead: 40 Recipes for Critters & Crops, in case you’re wondering)

Unfortunately, it’s not super easy to put together, and I could only find ONE mill in my area who would even attempt to help me with it.

So, when I saw that my favorite permaculture chicken guy, Justin Rhodes, had a favorite non-fussy homemade chicken feed formula he uses and loves, I was all over it.

I asked him if I could share it with you today, and he said YES. (Thanks Justin!)

(By the way—his YouTube channel is my #1 fav—you gotta check it out!)

A Few Important Notes About This Homemade Chicken Feed:

  • As stated above, this is Justin Rhode’s recipe. I personally use a custom-mix that my local feed mill helps me to put together. The recipe for that mix is in my Natural Homestead book. However, it is a more complicated formula (with more difficult ingredients), so I wanted to share Justin’s simpler option.
  • You do not have to grind the grains– just feed them whole.
  • There are no lentils in the recipe. The photos in the post (with lentils in them) were shot a while ago, and I thought they’d be a good fit for this post. This particular recipe does not contain lentils.
  • Since I have my feed mill custom-mix me a different recipe, I do not have price breakdowns for this particular recipe.

Natural Homestead feed

Simple Homemade Chicken Feed Recipe Formula

(This post contains affiliate links)

  • 30% Corn
  • 30% Wheat
  • 20% Peas
  • 10% Oats
  • 10% Fish Meal
  • 2% Poultry Nutri–Balancer (where to buy)
  • Free Choice Kelp (where to buy kelp)
  • Free Choice Aragonite

Mix together and feed as you would any other chicken feed. Since you are using whole grains, it should not loose it nutritive content as quickly as more processed feeds.

About the Ingredients:

  • If you want this to be organic/non-GMO, you’ll need to source organic/non-GMO corn, etc. That may or may not be possible in your area.
  • If you want to purchase kelp in larger quantities, I often get the 50 lb bags of Thorvin Kelp from Azure Standard. I also feed kelp to my cows, goats, and horses.
  • The Poultry Nutri-Balancer is a vitamin/mineral supplement designed to keep your flock in tip-top shape. Even if it’s slightly more complicated for you to source, I wouldn’t skip it. Here’s a dealer locater to see if you can find it in your local area.
  • Aragonite is a source of calcium, which is vitally important, especially for layers. Another calcium option is crushed egg shells.

Homemade Chicken Feed Notes:

  • I like how flexible this chicken feed formula is– you can make a small amount or a large amount.
  • No doubt, I will get some emails over this post. There are websites/books/etc that turn feeding chickens into rocket science, and admittedly, you DO need to be careful in how you are balancing rations. However, I always go back to the fact that great-Grandma was keeping her flock productive long before there were shiny bags of “Chicken Chow” at the feed store, so I hesitate to overcomplicate the matter. Plus, when someone with WAY more chicken experience like Justin Rhodes has consistent success with a recipe like this, I trust that.
  • Over the years, I have received emails from people in an absolute panic over what to feed their chickens. GMO/non-GMO, organic/non-organic, homemade/purchased—there is, indeed, a lot of options out there. But here’s the deal—we can’t control every aspect of our lives. Even if you (or your chickens) are eating the most perfect diet in existence, you/they will still likely be exposed to toxins in the air, soil, water, etc. This is just a side-effect of living on an imperfect planet.  Therefore, my conclusion is I will do the best I can, and even if I can’t source the perfect ingredient, I will be at peace knowing I did the best I could and they are still eating 100% better than industrially-farmed chickens. Seriously guys—please don’t lose sleep over chicken feed.

how to cut your chicken feed bill

Cut Your Chicken Feed Costs Even More!

Not only did my friend Justin generously allow me to publish his feed recipe, but he’s teaching a special LIVE webinar this Sunday, (June 26th, 2016 at 3pm EST) (since it’s now past the LIVE webinar, I’ve got good news, Justin has some Chicken Tips Videos you can watch for FREE) and sharing 20 of his best stunts for reducing chicken-feed costs! Like I mentioned before, I always appreciate Justin’s information– it’s meaty, specific, and actionable. Without fail, he always shares tips I would have never thought of on my own!

Get Your FREE Chicken Tip Videos Here.

Other Homestead Chicken Posts You’ll Like:

  • 15 Ways to Save Money on Chicken Feed
  • Saving Time by Using Chickens on the Homestead
  • Beginner’s Guide to Laying Hens
  • Fly Control for the Chicken Coop
  • 8 Ways to Use Chickens in the Garden
  • Herbs for Nesting Boxes

How to Make Homemade Chicken Feed (A Simple Formula)

110 Comments | Raise Your Own Chickens & Eggs

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Reader Interactions

110 Comments

  1. Colleen says

    June 22, 2016 at 6:47 am

    Hi Jill! Absolutely love your blog! I have gleaned so much information and inspiration from you.
    I also live in Wyoming, north of you, around Torrington. I was wondering where you sourced your legumes, also the Nutri-Balancer?

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 22, 2016 at 4:22 pm

      Hey Colleen– you can get the Nutri-Balancer here: http://www.newcountryorganics.com/shop/animal-health/vita-stuff/poultry-nutri-balancer-10-lb-bag.html

      And in the past, I’ve gotten my legumes from azure standard.com

      reply to comment
      • Catherine says

        May 14, 2017 at 3:51 pm

        I went to this page and went through all the hoops of entering addresses etc only to find they charged almost $18 to ship a $23 product. Do you have any other sources or substitutes? Thank you!

        reply to comment
        • SB says

          May 26, 2017 at 12:50 pm

          I live near Sheridan and there is an Azure Standard drop here. They sell the nutri-balancer. What I can’t seem to find is fishmeal..

          reply to comment
          • Anna w says

            July 13, 2020 at 5:24 am

            Where is a good source of fish meal? I can’t find it on azure. Is there something I can sub?

      • Cassie says

        June 23, 2019 at 5:19 pm

        A) You don’t have to feed chickens…pasture raised chickens receive no feed mix. I only feed my birds in the winter, the rest of the year they’re free ranging. I only pin them up at night.
        B) Organic is non-gmo, so you don’t have to pay for both labels.
        C) Tractor Supply has an organic feed in a 40# bag for $26, it’s by Nature’s Best.

        reply to comment
        • Diane says

          October 24, 2019 at 6:54 am

          That’s what I use. I ferment some of it (mash!) in which I add treats (meal worms, marigold petals, kale, whatever I have at the moment; sometimes scrambled eggs!

          reply to comment
        • cindi perron says

          March 27, 2020 at 12:24 pm

          this is a pelleted feed though, isn’t it? i like to ferment my chicken feed and you can’t ferment the pelleted feed.

          reply to comment
          • Marilynclark says

            January 7, 2021 at 2:34 pm

            Yes you can ferment pelleted feed.

      • Jenny says

        May 30, 2020 at 12:19 am

        Jill, I know this is a few months old, but I am just now seeing it. (I go away for awhile sometimes, but I always come back to you. ?)

        I agree SO MUCH about your comment that grandma wasn’t getting into the science of it! I sometimes get exhausted with people insisting that things have to be perfect for the chickens to do well. Chickens haven’t been around for thousands of years because of Tractor Supply.

        reply to comment
      • Muhammad Imran khan Babar says

        August 3, 2020 at 2:02 am

        Hum…good

        reply to comment
    • Jody says

      May 19, 2017 at 7:10 pm

      What are the exact ingredients you use, I’m getting more and more confused as I am reading your post. I feel when someone asks you an ingredient you give a round about answers. Can we just have your recipe you took a picture of and pinned on Pinterest please. We all would love to use it! Thank you

      reply to comment
  2. Jenny says

    June 22, 2016 at 7:58 am

    I to am from wyoming. I love your blog. It gives hopefully homesteaders like myself hope that it is possible with the crazy wind..sudden weather changes.. poor soil! :). I would also love info on where you get your chicken feed! Thanks for blogging!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 22, 2016 at 4:22 pm

      Hello fellow Wyoming-ite! So glad you’ve been enjoying the blog. I get my other chicken feed recipe custom-mixed at the Z&W Feed Mill in Torrington, WY.

      reply to comment
      • Kari says

        June 22, 2016 at 6:08 pm

        Is the mix ground up or left whole?

        reply to comment
        • Jill Winger says

          June 22, 2016 at 8:38 pm

          It’s left whole.

          reply to comment
          • Colleen says

            June 23, 2016 at 12:48 pm

            I called them yesterday and they don’t have any kind of peas. Is there a substitute you use?

          • Jill Winger says

            June 25, 2016 at 3:32 pm

            I personally use a custom-mix that the mill helps me to put together. The recipe for that mix is in my Natural Homestead book. However, it is a more complicated formula (with more difficult ingredients), so I wanted to share Justin’s simpler option here. In the past, however, I’ve gotten peas from azure standard.com

          • Lori says

            January 29, 2017 at 5:57 am

            Can they have field peas?? I have read that they shouldn’t….but I remember reading somewhere that either my goats or chickens could because I purchased them:{ I also purchased barley?!?!?! and I am making sure that they don’t have to be sprouted? So much great info filling my head haha..and very new to animals. Trying to get a healthy mix and then I forget who said what for which animal:}

          • Jill Winger says

            February 7, 2017 at 12:22 pm

            I have seen chicken feed recipes calling for field peas. 🙂

          • Sharon says

            May 2, 2018 at 7:57 pm

            You can purchase the peas from any grocery store. They are split peas.

      • Renee Brooks says

        December 11, 2017 at 4:34 pm

        If I wanted to purchase this in Torrington, what would I ask for? I was mixing my own but it’s so messy. I bought a mix in Fort Collins but it’s layermash and I’d like whole grain.
        Thanks,
        Renee Brooks
        Cheyenne, Wyoming
        ( we met this summer at the meet up)

        reply to comment
  3. Nicole says

    June 22, 2016 at 9:30 am

    I see lentils in the pictures but no other mention or ratio in the recipe? Thanks for clarifying!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 22, 2016 at 4:21 pm

      Sorry about that– there are no lentils in the recipe– this was just a photo I had taken a while back and wanted to use it.

      reply to comment
      • Tasha Donaldson says

        April 28, 2020 at 7:20 pm

        Can you give lentils to chickens though? I thought whole wheat wasn’t good too?

        reply to comment
  4. Kate says

    June 22, 2016 at 9:33 am

    In the photos, it looks like you used red lentils instead of oats?

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 22, 2016 at 4:21 pm

      Sorry about that– there are no lentils in the recipe– this was just a photo I had taken a while back and wanted to use it.

      reply to comment
  5. Laura says

    June 22, 2016 at 9:37 am

    I love this! My grandpa raised ducks and chickens for years and years without any commercially made prepackage stuff. 🙂 Would this work for ducks or do they need different food ingredients? I am new to raising ducks and would love to feed them something that is good for them! Thank you so much 🙂

    reply to comment
    • Amelia says

      June 22, 2016 at 1:32 pm

      We have ducks, and they eat the same things as the chickens. They only need extra niacin as ducklings, but other than that, they can eat chicken food.

      reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 22, 2016 at 4:20 pm

      Our ducks just eat the same stuff as our chickens. 🙂

      reply to comment
      • Suzanne says

        October 6, 2016 at 1:33 pm

        I like to give my ducks a banana or two a week as an added snack

        reply to comment
      • Cory says

        April 19, 2018 at 6:45 pm

        Hello I just started with 5 chickens
        And I am having so much fun one thing they love are mealworms

        reply to comment
    • Tina Abrahamson says

      November 6, 2016 at 12:44 pm

      Justin has a YouTube channel up right now and he has 2 ducks in with all of his chickens. He feeds them the same thing as the chickens. He soaks the grains overnight.

      reply to comment
  6. Kathy says

    June 22, 2016 at 9:41 am

    We LOVE Justin’s daily vlog! Watching their sweet family working together motivates us
    To get out and do the same! Great post today – Tool box #76 is tops!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 22, 2016 at 4:20 pm

      Thanks Kathy! And yes, Justin’s Vlogs are the best!

      reply to comment
  7. Ali says

    June 22, 2016 at 10:06 am

    I am having a hard time sourcing the fish meal. Any tips on where to find this? I live in California so I don’t think it should be this hard but I’ve actually been looking for a couple weeks already as we watch Justin’s vlog so I already had the recipe, but have had no luck finding it. I can get nutri balancer from azure standard (for a pretty penny…$97!!!) but can’t find the fish meal anywhere. I don’t feel like this can be skipped as its a vital protein source.

    reply to comment
    • Janet says

      June 22, 2016 at 11:12 am

      I’m in northern Canada where everything is hard to source so much buying online. I get fish meal (and kelp meal) from Amazon – free shipping. 🙂

      reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 22, 2016 at 4:20 pm

      This is part of the reason DIY chicken feed can be so complicated, unfortunately. I get fish meal through my local feed mill (I actually use a more complicated recipe that they custom-mix for me. Justin was just kind enough to let me include his formula here for folks who don’t want to make my more complicated version).

      reply to comment
    • VTompkins says

      July 30, 2020 at 9:02 am

      I get fish meal out of our lake. Go fishing, keep everything you catch and run it through the chum grinder. Feed it to the chickens about once a month. If chickens can eat bugs, they can eat fish too.

      reply to comment
  8. linda says

    June 22, 2016 at 3:47 pm

    baby chick starter and grower for broilers!! good basic recipes ??? I have ground grains before, for chick starter, balancing act gets very interesting, any suggestions???

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 22, 2016 at 4:18 pm

      Unfortunately for starter/grower, I always just use commercial feed. Anytime I’ve looked into it, it’s gotten too complicated trying to balance out the required ingredients.

      reply to comment
      • Sandi says

        April 12, 2017 at 11:54 am

        Thank you Jill for this post. I have been following you and Justun Rhodes for a bit now. I got my first pullets a few weeks ago. They are about 5-6 weeks old now. I have been feeding the commercial starter/grower crumble and they are doing great. I what age would it be best to switch them over to the feed recommended by you and Justin? Do they need to be transitioned to the change in feed or can they go from the starter to home made feed without issue? Thank you. I look forward to your reply.

        reply to comment
  9. Nancy Sims says

    June 22, 2016 at 9:11 pm

    Hi Jill!
    You now I am a lover of all your stuff…blog, facebook, I get excited about e-mail….I have a question..you mention the feed is $38 for 25 pounds…..I’m wondering how much a chicken eats in a day…..or how long does that 25 pound bag last for how many chickens?

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 25, 2016 at 3:36 pm

      Hi Nancy, Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s an easy answer for that. It depends on their age, what else is in their diet, if they are free-ranging, the time of year, etc.

      reply to comment
  10. linda says

    June 22, 2016 at 10:52 pm

    dried soybeans good for chickens?

    reply to comment
    • Patty says

      November 26, 2016 at 11:23 pm

      No! Don’t feed chickens soy! It transfers to the eggs and to the people that way them. And many people can’t have soy!

      reply to comment
      • JohnsonJ says

        March 3, 2017 at 8:39 am

        what if I’m the only one eating the eggs and I can have soy is it ok then?

        reply to comment
  11. Karina says

    June 23, 2016 at 9:03 am

    Thanks for the great info!
    We are new to chickens and so far have only fed them regular store bought feed because I just couldn’t figure out any other option in my area.
    Thanks to you, I can now work on this combo and see if I can make it work – Thanks again!
    ~Karina

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 25, 2016 at 3:35 pm

      Hope it works great for you Karina!

      reply to comment
  12. Debbie @ gmabeas.net says

    June 24, 2016 at 7:53 am

    Thanks for this post! I’ve been wanting to start making our own chicken feed and didn’t know where to begin. I will definitely be mixing up a batch for our hens very soon!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      June 25, 2016 at 3:31 pm

      Hope it’s a big success for you Debbie!

      reply to comment
  13. JChaney says

    June 27, 2016 at 4:51 pm

    Loved this today! Can you share the link for Amazon, my searches keep giving me garden fertilizers instead of fish meal and kelp meal. Thanks so much for your blog!

    reply to comment
  14. Shellee says

    June 27, 2016 at 8:07 pm

    Thank you for posting this. We are trying to come up with a more economical way to feed our chickens. What would you reccomend for meat birds? We are a small 1/8 acre farm that is looking to be more self sustainable. Feel free to check us out! mysocalledfarm.com

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      July 19, 2016 at 10:45 am

      Since we just had our first batch of meat birds this year, I gave in and just bought meat bird feed this year. But hopefully I’ll have a DIY recipe in the future!

      reply to comment
      • Kendra says

        January 23, 2021 at 12:41 am

        Very useful information to me. I live in Portharcourt and I am yet to know where I would buy the green peas and oat. I already bought the corn and wheat

        reply to comment
  15. Desiree says

    July 2, 2016 at 6:15 pm

    Thank you for this! I also am having a hard time finding fish meal…I tried doing a bit of research to find the purpose of it in chicken feed, and if there’s a substitute. It seems it serves as a protein, and either that or milled soybeans. I’m not sure if you have any knowledge about this, but I’m wondering if black sunflower seeds can be used in place of it? I know it’s Justin’s recipe, but just seeking any advice from experienced chicken peeps! 🙂

    reply to comment
    • Carissa says

      September 30, 2016 at 7:53 pm

      Soybeans are not healthy for chickens or us at all. Black sunflower seeds and oats serve as a protein to. My 20 or more chickens are free range and I make a mix of 50 lb bags of corn, oats, rye, barley, and wheat that I get from our local feed store for $7.00 – $12.00 per bag. I add 25 -50 lbs. of black sunflower seeds to my mix. I give them 12-16 oz of my mix a day. My mix supplies me for 10 to 12 months. I also give them what ever I have left over from our meals. You can also give them peas or any other vegetables and fruit you want. I give them pumpkins in the fall which supply them with a lot of vitamins for their health during the winter. Hope this can help you.

      reply to comment
      • Kaye greene says

        October 16, 2016 at 10:42 pm

        I live in South Carolina and new to this! My chickens will not touch pumpkin. Hummmm

        reply to comment
        • Elise says

          October 28, 2016 at 8:05 am

          I live in Oklahoma and my hens won’t touch pumpkin either. Even tried baking them to soften but they still won’t eat it. I thought maybe because they were pen raised on only bagged feed before I got them. But they like zucchini and other veggies from the garden,so I don’t understand it. Sure wish they would since after Halloween so many are available

          reply to comment
        • Michelle says

          December 25, 2016 at 3:22 pm

          I’m in CA and my chickens love all things winter squash!!

          reply to comment
      • Rachel says

        December 22, 2016 at 9:08 pm

        This is great info. Thanks!

        reply to comment
      • Angie says

        April 16, 2017 at 6:44 pm

        Carissa, how many chickens were you feeding have at the time you posted this?

        reply to comment
  16. Karen says

    September 9, 2016 at 11:33 am

    I use an even mix of organic oats, rye, wheat, barley, and BOSS which is fermented year round. The dinos also are on a rotational pasture system and get various food scraps along with farmed live mealworms. It costs me roughly $20/ month to feed them.

    reply to comment
  17. Kathryn McCrary says

    September 16, 2016 at 12:14 pm

    I have been using fish meal for my chickens but I’ve been advised that it’s not good for your chickens. Because of high Mercury count is this true, can someone help me on this?

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      September 27, 2016 at 11:43 am

      Yes, fish products can contain mercury. It does depend on the fish meal, though. Most recipes only include it in small portions. Unfortunately, it’s hard (read: impossible) to find an absolutely “perfect” protein source, so sometimes you just do the best you can.

      reply to comment
  18. Liz says

    September 25, 2016 at 4:53 pm

    I’m excited to try the chicken feed recipe! Even if it works out to be the same cost as commercial feed, it won’t have that ‘commercial feed’ smell to it! The birds already get roadkill deer when we can find it (and are driving a vehicle conducive to transport… and it’s still there on the way home ;). We’re blessed to have ample garden space, so excess will be planted for birds next year.

    I have a question about the recipe, though. Are the proportions by weight or by volume??

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      September 27, 2016 at 11:23 am

      Awesome!
      and it can be either weight or volume.

      reply to comment
  19. April Benson says

    October 10, 2016 at 8:22 pm

    Wowzers! $38??? We pay $13 for a 25 lb bag on non-GMO, antibiotic free formulated at our loan mill. I also give them fruits and veggies from the garden and sunflower seeds as added bonuses. I also toss those things with Oregano for the natural antibiotic properties. I’m fairly new to chickens, but I’ve found that a lot of research before hand and talking to those I know who love and raise chickens for the best advice. I haven’t paid anything for my babies themselves either. A friend of mine who raises them gave us one and fertilized eggs. We borrowed another friend’s incubator to hatch them. There is always a way. We also managed to get our paws on a lot of used wood and have paid very little for our coup. Thankfully, we live on 3 acres so we are able to free range.

    reply to comment
  20. Vicky Keisler says

    October 12, 2016 at 5:27 am

    Hi Jill , I’ve read that you shouldn’t give chicken dried beans. Is it safe to add dried lentils and peas to the mix or could it hard them?

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      October 18, 2016 at 12:48 pm

      I’ve never had issues with feeding my flock dried lentils or peas. 🙂

      reply to comment
  21. Austin says

    October 26, 2016 at 6:09 pm

    Hey Jill, for your readers that don’t mind using regular feed I buy layer crumbles for $12 a hundred weight.

    reply to comment
  22. Debi says

    November 2, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    I’d love to communicate with you about my little girl chicken, her name is Linda. I have a concern but almost never on pintrist. Is it possible to communicate with you by phone or email?

    reply to comment
  23. Kimberley says

    December 17, 2016 at 9:16 am

    Did I miss the link for this Justin person’s YouTube videos? Scanning over again…

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      December 20, 2016 at 2:21 pm

      Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOSGEokQQcdAVFuL_Aq8dlg

      reply to comment
  24. Rodrigo says

    December 27, 2016 at 10:53 pm

    It is important to have an analysis of the eggs to have the right balance of omega 3 & 6 the Hens might need more proteins. If there’s no right balance in the eggs this could cause some free-radicals /oxidation and can be dangerously for your health. It’s always good to get a commercial feed. I didn’t see any flax seed in the feed ?

    reply to comment
  25. Rachel R. says

    January 10, 2017 at 5:24 pm

    I must confess to being very confused about why it’s so complicated to balance a chicken feed. What were people feeding chickens before commercial feeds? I wasn’t under the impression they went to a lot of trouble about it.

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      January 16, 2017 at 12:16 pm

      I agree, Rachel. And that’s a topic I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about. People have fed chickens for a long time before Purina came around… And the chickens survived and probably even thrived.

      reply to comment
  26. Randy says

    January 17, 2017 at 10:47 am

    Why does the recipe add up to 102%?

    reply to comment
  27. Marijo Varney says

    January 25, 2017 at 6:11 pm

    Hi Jill,

    I loved this blog post and all the posts I read of yours. I was looking at the the ingredients for the feed and was wondering what kind of oats are used. There are so many different kinds. When I was looking on Azure, they have feed grade corn and such. I would appreciate your help in this matter.

    reply to comment
  28. Lenice Baltar says

    February 9, 2017 at 9:52 am

    Where is the recipe? I can’t see it.
    Could you send me please?

    reply to comment
  29. Clark says

    April 12, 2017 at 12:14 pm

    I agree with some of your readers. What did people do years ago before store bought feed. I’m sure the pioneers didn’t worry about the ratio of this to that. Also where (if they did) would they get it? Chickens have survived and produced for many years……before all this.

    reply to comment
  30. Lori says

    May 7, 2017 at 3:03 pm

    I’ve read many time never to feed dry beans or peas to your chickens yet your showing it here….. ???? Just wondering why I read no no no but you say yes

    reply to comment
    • Lisa E Kark says

      May 24, 2018 at 2:59 pm

      Fermenting or sprouting is the key to helping your chickens enjoy these nutrients.:) These methods, along with all the prior ingredients lsited and more, make it possible for them to obtain and process MANY more nutrients than they othere is would…and it helps with their digestive systems 🙂

      reply to comment
  31. Catherine says

    May 14, 2017 at 3:26 pm

    Hi I was wondering what I could substitute for wheat? I have a friend with anaphylactic allergy to wheat.

    reply to comment
  32. Angela says

    June 10, 2017 at 4:55 pm

    You lost me when you said corn. Corn should never make up 30% of ANYTHING for a chicken. It’s like feeding a person 30% of their diet in sugar or candy. We only give it in the winter for them to add extra fat to their bodies. If chickens get too fat they don’t lay eggs! I’m calling this. They’d do better eating “crap food” from the local store than that mix. Anyone who knows chickens should know this already. Please people don’t take her word for it!!!

    reply to comment
    • C Hoeppner says

      August 19, 2017 at 6:59 am

      AGREE! Here in N. California we had Temps over 100° most of July. We have to stop ALL corn or they will overheat. Corn is a treat, not a staple.

      reply to comment
    • Ally says

      September 9, 2017 at 10:38 am

      Absolutely…. totally agree ‘re the corn.

      reply to comment
      • Richard says

        July 7, 2018 at 10:23 am

        Yes, the volume of corn in the recipe also concerned me!

        A lot more than any other site and used mostly to keep birds warm in the winter…

        reply to comment
        • Richard Stuart Gilbert says

          October 31, 2019 at 12:48 pm

          There’s too much corn fear. Corn is an excellent energy source that supplies vitamin A—the only common grain to do so—as well as Lysine. And chickens like it a lot. Their eating corn is not really analogous to our eating it. Historically poultry folk have fed half or more corn. 30% is a great amount. Ditto for wheat, which can cause digestive problems if above 30%.

          Justin’s mix is very well thought out. And all the pea hysteria. There is a LOT of bad info on the web, but this post is great.

          reply to comment
  33. yolk says

    September 4, 2017 at 11:45 pm

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    reply to comment
  34. Jennifer M. says

    November 30, 2017 at 10:04 am

    Folks thank you for all of the information, as I have read thru all of it. I can’t help but chuckle at listening to the prices of the ingredients and wonder “how is this saving any money”? Our local feed co-op sells an Organic Laying Mix for $8.50 for a 50 pound bag. Hard to beat!! Then you would have a bit of money in your pocket for fancy coops and treats. ?

    reply to comment
  35. Sam says

    December 2, 2017 at 8:12 am

    Hey Jill I was just wondering if those ratios are by weight or volume? Thanks and have a great day!

    reply to comment
  36. porno says

    December 2, 2017 at 9:40 am

    Thanks too my father who told me regarding this web site, this webpage is truly awesome.

    reply to comment
  37. Rachel says

    January 7, 2018 at 5:35 pm

    Thank you for the simple recipe! I’ve been hunting around and found several more complicated mixes, but I think this will be a good place for me to start.

    reply to comment
  38. Sue says

    February 17, 2018 at 1:18 pm

    I want the recipe not comments…where is it

    reply to comment
  39. The Mulhollands of Clonmel Farm says

    February 21, 2018 at 9:18 am

    We keep a dozen or so chicks for eggs, we’re vegetarians. We feed an organic feed for the girls. The fact is, in the old tyme days of gramma’s hens, they free ranged. Many were predated, many were eaten by gramma’s family. Very few lived past one or two years. Thay weren’t exposed to the toxic world we live in today. Most food was “organic” – LOL. It didn’t really matter what you fed them beyong corn or wheat.

    reply to comment
  40. Beth says

    March 12, 2018 at 9:54 am

    What is the protein % for this recipe? I’m wondering if I can feed it to both my broilers and my egg layers?

    reply to comment
  41. Judi Castille says

    April 12, 2018 at 3:36 pm

    Your blog is so helpful. We are building an extension to coop for feed as I want to mix my own and have started sprouting grains and fermenting. Loving having the chickens even though at sunset training them into coop is taking some time.

    reply to comment
  42. Helen says

    April 14, 2018 at 11:41 am

    Do you have to cook or soak anything in this recipe?

    reply to comment
  43. Richard says

    July 7, 2018 at 10:17 am

    Hello,

    Just wanted to let you know that there is an error in your link to 2% Poultry Nutri–Balancer (where to buy)

    the correct link is below

    https://www.fertrell.com/poultry-nutribalancer

    Thanks for the information

    reply to comment
  44. Lauren says

    February 27, 2019 at 1:30 pm

    Thanks! We are uncharacteristically snowed in here in Eugene, OR. There is a natural food store within walking distance that I can get bulk items at. Since this feed is expected to be quite short term, I am going to do some adjustments. Due to necessity, I am going to replace the vitamins with some marketed for people: multivitamin replacing the 2% vitamins and the Argonite being replaced with ground calcium carbonate vitamin). Additionally I will feed them some cheese and yogurt. If I cannot find bone meal, I have some beef collagen, mg++ and phosphorus to add to the food. Thank you for the recipe. Our little close to the coast, close to sea level valley town really shuts down when we get significant snow & this has been record breaking!

    reply to comment
  45. Deborah Noah says

    March 7, 2019 at 5:24 pm

    so…what if you can’t use corn…what are your suggestions? See, I am very sensitive to corn…so the chicken can’t eat corn if I want to eat their eggs. Now I can eat the meat if they eat corn….Fun Fun.
    I do play on using mill worms…but want more for them..

    reply to comment
  46. Vinny policastro says

    January 24, 2020 at 11:34 pm

    Hey I love the blog! I’m from Long Island, New York and I will be raising meat chickens this year. Does this recipe work for meat chickens as well?

    reply to comment
    • Kayla- Prairie Homestead Assistant says

      February 5, 2020 at 9:12 am

      In general, it should be fine. But I would look into it a bit more, as meat chickens need to be bulked up, while layers need to simply eat all the nutrients they need to produce and stay healthy.

      reply to comment
  47. George says

    March 27, 2020 at 11:09 pm

    I would like to try making poultry feed but have a question about your recipe. You list ingredients as a percentage of the total. Are you measuring by volume or by weight?

    reply to comment
  48. Sidney says

    October 6, 2020 at 2:56 pm

    Which is easier to raise, chickens or ducks? Are ducks healthier, less vet visits and health problems then chickens? Can I use duck poo in my organic garden, like I would with chicken poo?
    I don’t have any ducks or chickens yet, but plan on getting a few next year.

    reply to comment
  49. Theresa says

    October 12, 2020 at 1:23 pm

    Could you tell me what kind of peas this recipe calls for? Are they called field peas?

    reply to comment
  50. Darrell Sequeira says

    December 24, 2020 at 1:16 am

    It would greatly help if someone would clarify whether there is a risk giving lentils to chickens with scientific evidence. Clearly, there is divided opinion about this question.

    reply to comment
  51. Erin Milbyer says

    January 2, 2021 at 12:21 pm

    Hi Jill. Thanks for all the good info. I keep running across Justin Rhodes recipe but I just have one concern. Do you ever have issues with weight gain considering the high content of corn? And if I fermented this would the corn ferment well? I live in AK so this would be great for winter, just not sure about summer. Thanks!

    reply to comment
  52. Mark T Prescott says

    January 10, 2021 at 6:39 am

    I would like your evaluation of the feed I have been using. My 28 Jersey Giant chickens are 4 and a half months old, and just started laying. Their feathers are glossy and the weigh between 3 and 4.5 lbs. I feed my chickens 1 scoop each of cleaned oats, black oilseed sunflower seeds, and cracked corn; and a half scoop of alfalfa pellets and whole corn. This mixture gets soaked with water for at least an hour. I also free feed (transitioning from starter to layer crumbles), grit and calcium. Apples are cheap in Virginia, and I can buy 10 for $3.50. I like to sit with them, cut an apple in halves, and hand feed them as a apples as a treat.

    reply to comment

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