How to Make Your Own Chicken Feed: A Complete Guide & Recipes

Making your own chicken feed transforms the way you raise backyard chickens. After mixing my own feed for seven years, I can confidently say the benefits extend far beyond the 20% cost savings. This comprehensive guide will show you exactly how to make your own chicken feed, providing you with recipes, tips, and the knowledge you need to create a nutritious and cost-effective diet for your flock. The rich orange yolks, glossy feathers, and robust health of my flock tell the real story of how to make your own chicken feed work for you. Let me walk you through everything I’ve learned about creating nutritious, cost-effective feed that your chickens will actually thrive on.

What do Chickens Actually Need in Their Diet?

Before you learn how to make your own chicken feed, understanding what chickens actually need nutritionally will save you from expensive mistakes. I learned this lesson the hard way when my first homemade batch left my hens producing soft-shelled eggs because I’d miscalculated the calcium content.

What Role Does Protein Play?

According to poultry specialists at Penn State Extension, protein is the cornerstone of a chicken’s diet, essential for everything from egg production to feather growth and muscle development. Layer hens require 15-18% protein for optimal egg production, with 16-17.5% being the sweet spot I’ve found works best. This percentage maintains consistent laying without overtaxing their systems. Broilers, on the other hand, have different needs; they require higher levels during their growth phases—up to 22% for the first few weeks—then tapering down as they mature.

The protein source matters as much as the percentage. Split peas provide approximately 24% protein and cost significantly less than commercial protein supplements. I’ve experimented with various legumes, and while my chickens initially turned their beaks up at lentils, mixing them with more appealing ingredients like sunflower seeds eventually won them over.

How Important is Nutrient Balance?

Beyond protein, chickens need a careful balance of macronutrients for energy, fat for vitamin absorption, and minerals for bone health.

• Carbohydrates: Provide the energy needed for daily activities and maintaining body heat. Grains like corn, wheat, and barley are excellent sources.
• Fats: Aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and contribute to feather health and egg quality. The minimum crude fat content should be 2.7%, though I aim for 3-4% to ensure those fat-soluble vitamins get properly absorbed. This becomes especially important during molting season when feather production demands extra nutrients.
• Minerals: Crucial for skeletal structure, eggshell integrity, and overall metabolic function. Laying hens need a total of 9-10% calcium in their diet to produce strong shells, a significant amount that is best provided through a combination of sources.

The Role of Essential Vitamins and Minerals

A balanced feed goes beyond the main macros. Here are some of the critical micronutrients to consider:

• Calcium: As mentioned, this is vital for eggshells. An imbalance leads to soft-shelled or shell-less eggs. Offer free-choice oyster shell rather than mixing excessive calcium into the main feed, allowing each bird to self-regulate based on their laying cycle.
• Phosphorus: Works in conjunction with calcium for bone health. A proper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio (2:1) is important to prevent leg problems.
• Sodium: Needed for hydration and electrolyte balance. This is typically provided through a small amount of salt in the mix.
• Vitamins:
  • Vitamin A: Important for vision and immune function. Found in leafy greens and yellow corn.
  • Vitamin D: Essential for calcium absorption. Chickens synthesize this from sunlight, but a feed supplement is crucial, especially in winter.
  • B Vitamins (especially B-12): Support metabolism and nervous system health. Brewer’s yeast is an excellent source.

Understanding these nutritional needs is the foundation of a healthy flock and a successful feeding program. With this knowledge in hand, let’s look at how to make the numbers work for your budget.

Is Making Your Own Chicken Feed Cheaper?

Let’s address the financial elephant in the coop. Based on my detailed cost tracking over the past year, homemade feed costs me approximately $0.80 per pound compared to $1.00 for comparable non-GMO commercial feed—a 20% savings that adds up quickly. This shows how to make your own chicken feed is not only a nutritional win but a financial one, too.

What’s a Real-World Cost Breakdown?

Here’s what my last 100-pound batch actually cost:

• Split peas (30 lbs): $18.00
• Hard red wheat (25 lbs): $12.50
• Whole corn (20 lbs): $8.00
• Barley (15 lbs): $7.50
• Oats (10 lbs): $5.00
• Supplements (kelp, DE, minerals): $12.00
• Total: $63.00 ($0.63/lb)

Compare this to commercial organic layer feed at $45-50 per 50-pound bag, and the savings become obvious. For my 25-bird flock consuming roughly 7 pounds daily, I save approximately $400 annually—enough to pay for coop improvements or that automatic door I’ve been eyeing.

Are There Any Hidden Costs?

While the direct savings are significant, it’s important to account for initial investments. Storage containers initially cost me $80, though plastic trash cans from the hardware store work perfectly. Time investment matters too—mixing 100 pounds takes me about 30 minutes now, though it took an hour when I started. A mixing hoe speeds the process considerably. Another factor is the cost of buying in bulk. You need to have the upfront capital to purchase 100-200 lbs of ingredients at a time.

Sourcing Your Ingredients: Where to Find the Best Deals

The key to cost-effective homemade feed is smart sourcing.

• Local Farms and Co-ops: Many local farms sell grains and legumes in bulk. This is often the most cost-effective option and allows you to support your local economy.
• Feed Mills: Don’t be afraid to contact your local feed mill. They may offer wholesale pricing for raw grains or even custom-mix a batch for you.
• Online Retailers: For hard-to-find supplements like kelp meal or brewer’s yeast, online retailers can be a great resource, especially if you buy in large bags to reduce the per-pound cost.
• Grocery Store Bulk Bins: For small-scale chicken keepers, some ingredients like lentils, oats, or sunflower seeds can be found affordably in the bulk section of health food stores.

The financial benefits are clear, but the real power of homemade feed comes from customizing it. Let’s explore some proven recipes that deliver a perfect balance of nutrition and savings.

What are the Best Recipes for Laying Hens?

Through years of experimentation and adjusting based on my flock’s response, I’ve refined several recipes that consistently deliver results. Each targets different needs and budgets while maintaining proper nutrition. These recipes are a fantastic starting point for any backyard flock looking to learn how to make your own chicken feed.

What is a Simple Whole Grain Recipe?

This straightforward recipe from Justin Rhodes has become my go-to for consistent egg production:

• 30% Whole corn (30 lbs per 100 lbs feed): Provides energy and fat. The whole kernels keep them busy.
• 30% Hard red wheat berries (30 lbs): A great all-around grain for energy and protein.
• 20% Split peas (20 lbs): The primary protein source at 24% protein.
• 10% Whole oats (10 lbs): Adds fiber and B vitamins.
• 10% Fish meal (10 lbs): A complete protein with essential amino acids.
• 2% Poultry Nutri-Balancer (2 lbs): A pre-made supplement that ensures all vitamins and minerals are included.
• Free-choice kelp and aragonite: These are essential supplements to be offered separately.

The beauty of this formula lies in its flexibility. When fish meal prices spike, I substitute with additional split peas and sunflower seeds. However, it is crucial to be conservative with substitutions and always re-calculate your feed’s protein and nutrient content to ensure you maintain a balanced diet for your flock. For example, if you replace a high-protein ingredient like fish meal with a lower-protein grain, you risk creating a nutritional deficiency.

This approach aligns with the advice that “there is a linear increase in the production of the antibodies specific to the E. coli infection at 2 weeks of age when the level of vitamin E in the diet was increased from 150 IU/kg to 300 IU/kg” (Feed Strategy, 2023), showing that even small adjustments can have a big impact on health.

Can You Share a High-Performance Layer Recipe?

For peak laying periods, this recipe delivers exceptional results and is great for farmers’ markets:

• 19 cups split peas: High protein base.
• 14 cups hard red wheat: Energy and fiber.
• 12 cups pearl barley: A good source of energy, though less digestible than wheat.
• 10 cups millet: A small grain that’s highly digestible.
• 8 cups whole oats: Excellent for fiber.
• 1/2 cup kelp meal: Provides trace minerals and iodine, which darkens yolk color.
• 1/2 cup garlic powder: A natural anti-parasitic and immune booster.
• 1/2 cup food-grade diatomaceous earth: Helps with internal parasites and moisture absorption.

This mix produces those deep orange yolks customers love. The kelp adds omega-3 fatty acids while the garlic provides natural immune support—my vet commented on how rarely my flock needs intervention.

What is a Diverse Grain Mix Recipe?

For those wanting maximum variety, this recipe incorporates multiple grain sources:

• Base Mix: 4 cups oat groats, 4 cups black oil sunflower seeds, 4 cups hard red wheat berries, 2 cups soft white wheat berries, 2 cups kamut, 2 cups millet, 2 cups whole corn, 1 cup lentils, 1 cup sesame seeds, 1 cup flax seeds.
• Supplements: 1/2 cup brewer’s yeast, 1/4 cup kelp granules.

The sesame seeds, though pricier, pack 25% protein and my chickens absolutely devour them. Flax seeds boost omega-3 content significantly—I notice the difference in yolk color within a week of adding them.

These recipes are a fantastic starting point for any backyard flock, but they are just one part of a complete feeding system. Let’s delve into the past to see how traditional farmers kept their birds healthy.

How Did Farmers Feed Chickens in the Past?

What did farmers feed chickens in the old days before commercial feed existed? Understanding traditional methods provides valuable insights for modern sustainable feeding.

What was the Traditional Farmstead Approach?

My grandmother’s farm journals from the 1940s reveal a simple system: cracked corn, wheat, and oats supplemented with kitchen scraps and free-range foraging. Chickens received table scraps including vegetable peelings, stale bread soaked in milk, and meat scraps. This “waste nothing” approach sustained healthy flocks for generations. The Amish communities near me still follow similar principles, focusing on whole grains rather than processed feeds. They typically mix equal parts corn and wheat with smaller amounts of oats and barley, allowing extensive pasture access for protein from insects and greens.

How Can We Adapt Historical Methods Today?

Modern homesteaders can incorporate these time-tested approaches while maintaining optimal nutrition. I designate one day weekly as “forage day,” scattering scratch grains to encourage natural foraging behaviors. Kitchen scraps supplement but never exceed 10% of total intake—the 90/10 rule keeps nutrition balanced.

The Benefits and Risks of Fermented feed

Fermented feed, or “Fodder,” is a time-tested technique that makes nutrients more bioavailable, improves gut health, and reduces feed consumption by up to 30%. The process is simple:

1. Soak: Place grains (e.g., barley, wheat, oats) in a non-metal container with water.
2. Wait: Let the mixture ferment for 3-5 days, changing the water daily. You’ll know it’s ready when it has a slightly sour, yeasty smell.
3. Serve: Drain the water and serve.

The main risk is botulism if the fermentation process goes wrong. Always use a clean container and ensure a pleasant, sour smell. If it smells rancid or rotten, discard it. One of the primary benefits of fermenting feed is its ability to improve digestive health. As a researcher from Afrimash.com noted, “The fermentation process breaks down anti-nutrients, such as phytates, which can hinder the absorption of essential minerals like calcium and phosphorus.” This means your birds can get more out of every bite.

Past practices remind us that feed is more than just grains in a bucket—it’s a system. With that in mind, let’s get into the specifics of which ingredients to include in your own mix.

What Should You Include When You Make Your Own Chicken Feed?

Creating a complete feed requires understanding each ingredient’s contribution to overall nutrition. Here’s what I’ve learned about essential components and optimal ratios.

What are the Core Grains?

• Wheat: An excellent energy source and provides 12-15% protein. I prefer hard red wheat for its higher protein content. Avoid using more than 40% of the mix to prevent digestive issues.
• Corn: Provides easily digestible carbohydrates and adds appealing color to eggs. It’s best limited to 30-35% to prevent excessive weight gain. During summer, I reduce corn to 25%.
• Barley: Offers good energy but should stay below 20% due to its lower digestibility.

Where Can You Get High Protein?

• Split peas: A game-changer at roughly 24% protein. They are economical and readily available. Green or yellow varieties work equally well.
• Fish meal: Provides complete protein with excellent amino acid profiles. When unavailable, substitute with dried mealworms or increase legume proportions.
• Black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS): A chicken favorite, delivering 17% protein and beneficial oils for glossy feathers. Limit these to 10-15% to control feed costs.
• Soybean Meal: A common commercial protein source. It’s highly effective but I personally prefer non-GMO or organic alternatives.

Which Supplements are Critical?

• Kelp meal: Just 1-2% of the total mix provides trace minerals, vitamins, and that deep yolk color customers notice. The iodine content supports thyroid function.
• Brewer’s yeast: Adds B vitamins and 35% protein. I buy animal-grade in bulk, avoiding the premium prices of human-grade products.
• Mineral Premix: These are pre-formulated blends that ensure all micronutrient needs are met. This is a great way to guarantee a balanced diet.

The Importance of Grit and Oyster Shells

This is a critical, often-missed part of chicken nutrition.

• Grit: Chickens don’t have teeth. They need grit (small, insoluble rocks like granite or quartz) in their gizzard to grind up food. Without it, they can’t properly digest whole grains. Always offer free-choice grit in a separate container.
• Oyster Shells: The primary source of calcium for eggshell production. While some commercial feeds may contain a high percentage of calcium carbonate (up to 9.6% of the total mix) to meet this need, the best practice is to offer oyster shell as a “free-choice” supplement. This allows each hen to consume the precise amount of calcium she needs based on her laying cycle, preventing potential health issues from over-supplementation.

Now that you know what to put in your feed, let’s discuss how and when to serve it to your flock.

Regional Ingredient Sourcing: A Global Guide

Ingredient availability varies significantly around the world, so adapting your recipes to what is locally and affordably accessible is key to success.

• North America (USA & Canada): Corn and soybean are staples, especially in the Midwest, where large-scale production makes them highly affordable. Look for local grain elevators or co-ops. In the Pacific Northwest and the Plains, wheat and barley are more readily available and often less expensive. Online bulk suppliers are a great resource for hard-to-find items like kelp meal or specific seed mixes.
• Europe: Grains like wheat, oats, and barley are a strong staple throughout the continent. Many countries have robust local agriculture, so building relationships with local farms and agricultural co-ops is an excellent way to secure high-quality ingredients at a lower cost.
• Australia & New Zealand: Sorghum, a heat and drought-resistant grain, is a common substitute for corn. Other locally-grown grains like wheat and triticale are widely used. Check with local farmers’ markets or agricultural supply stores for the best deals.
• Developing Regions (Africa, Asia, Latin America): The key here is to leverage local staples. Millet and sorghum are excellent substitutes for corn and are often more readily available and affordable in many parts of Africa and Asia. Chickens in these regions also rely heavily on foraged greens, insects, and carefully managed kitchen scraps to provide a diverse and complete diet. For example, in Nigeria, many small-scale poultry keepers rely on a mix of local grains and food waste to supplement their birds’ diets.

Understanding the safety of individual foods is just one piece of the puzzle. The next step is to understand how your feed can make your hens lay more and better eggs.

What Foods Will Make My Hens Lay More Eggs?

Maximizing egg production requires strategic ingredient selection beyond basic nutrition. Through careful observation and record-keeping, I’ve identified foods that consistently boost laying rates.

What Protein-Rich Foods Boost Laying?

Increasing protein to 17-18% during peak laying seasons noticeably improves production. Dried mealworms, though expensive, create immediate results—I reserve these for spring production ramp-up. Fish meal works similarly while costing less per pound of protein delivered.

How Do Calcium and Minerals Affect Laying?

Free-choice aragonite (ground coral) allows hens to self-regulate calcium intake. I noticed fewer soft shells and increased laying frequency after switching from oyster shell alone to offering both aragonite and oyster shell options.

The Role of Green Feed?

Fresh greens dramatically affect egg quality and quantity. During winter, I sprout wheat and barley in trays, providing fresh greens when pasture access is limited. Alfalfa meal mixed at 5% maintains production through seasonal transitions.

The Role of Light Exposure

Hens need about 14-16 hours of light per day to maintain consistent laying. If your coop doesn’t get enough natural light in winter, a simple light on a timer can make a significant difference.

Beyond just egg production, a proper diet is your first line of defense against disease. Let’s look at how to use feed to keep your flock in top health.

How to Prevent Diseases Through Diet

A strong immune system is a chicken’s best defense against illness, and a balanced diet is the cornerstone of that defense. This is a crucial benefit of learning how to make your own chicken feed with quality, whole ingredients.

The Gut-Health Connection

A healthy gut microbiome is essential for nutrient absorption and fighting off pathogens. Fermented feed, rich in probiotics, introduces beneficial bacteria that crowd out harmful ones like Salmonella and E. coli. The acidity also helps to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

Vitamin and Mineral Fortification

Specific nutrients are crucial for immune function:

• Vitamin A: Deficiency can lead to a compromised immune system and higher mortality rates, especially from infections. You can fortify your feed with sources like yellow corn, leafy greens, and a vitamin premix.
• Vitamin E: This powerful antioxidant is vital for a robust immune response. You can supplement with sources like wheat germ or sunflower seeds.
• Zinc and Copper: These minerals are known to have antimicrobial properties that can help regulate the gut’s microbial populations.

The Role of Physical Form

“The gizzards of birds fed pelleted diets were better developed compared with other birds whose gizzards were atrophied when fed ground diets since they had no hard particles to grind down” (Feed Strategy, 2023). This expert observation reinforces that feeding whole grains instead of finely ground pellets forces chickens to use their gizzard, which in turn helps develop it into a strong “barrier.” A well-developed gizzard with a low pH can kill off pathogenic bacteria before they reach the rest of the digestive system.

Now that you know how to build a preventative diet, let’s troubleshoot some of the common mistakes that can undermine your efforts.

What Common Mistakes Should You Avoid?

Learning from others’ errors saved me considerable time and money. Here are critical mistakes I’ve witnessed or made myself. Knowing how to make your own chicken feed requires avoiding common pitfalls.

Ignoring the 90/10 Rule and Legal Risks

The 90/10 rule exists for good reason—treats shouldn’t exceed 10% of total intake. I once let kitchen scraps reach 20% of my flock’s diet, resulting in decreased laying and feather quality within weeks.

Important Legal Note: Be aware of local laws regarding feeding kitchen scraps. In many regions (and in some countries, like the UK and Australia), it is illegal to feed chickens any food that has come into contact with meat or animal products, including leftover meat scraps, eggs, or even food that was on a plate with meat. This is a biosecurity measure to prevent the spread of diseases like Foot-and-Mouth or Avian Influenza. As a biosecurity expert on Business Queensland noted, “Swill may contain viruses that cause serious diseases such as Newcastle disease or infectious bursal disease that can be passed on to poultry that are fed swill.” Always verify your local regulations before feeding food waste.

Why is Proper Feed Storage Important?

Moisture destroys feed faster than any other factor. After losing 50 pounds to mold my first year, I invested in airtight containers and never looked back. Metal trash cans with tight lids work perfectly, keeping feed fresh for months. Improper feed storage can also attract rodents.

Why Do I Need to Adjust Feed Seasonally?

Summer and winter require different feeding strategies. Increasing corn content by 5-10% during winter provides extra energy for warmth. Conversely, reducing energy-dense ingredients during summer prevents heat stress and maintains laying consistency.

Ignoring Your Flock’s Feedback

Pay attention to your chickens. Are they eating the feed eagerly or leaving certain ingredients behind? Are they producing healthy eggs with strong shells? Your flock’s health is the best indicator of your feed’s success.

Avoiding these common pitfalls is essential, but what about creating specific feed mixes for every stage of your flock’s life? Let’s get into the details.

Homemade Feed for Every Life Stage

Different life stages have different nutritional requirements. Feeding a one-size-fits-all feed can lead to health problems or poor performance.

For Chicks (0-8 Weeks): Starter Feed

Chicks need a high-protein diet for rapid growth and feather development. A chick starter feed should be finely ground or “crumbles” to be easily digestible.

Recipe for 10 lbs of Chick Starter:

• 5 lbs (50%) Ground Corn: Energy.
• 3.5 lbs (35%) Ground Split Peas/Soybean Meal: High protein for growth.
• 1 lb (10%) Ground Oats: Fiber.
• 0.5 lbs (5%) Brewer’s Yeast/Fish Meal: B vitamins and protein.
• Vitamin/Mineral Premix: Per package instructions.

Note: Chicks do not need extra calcium in their feed. Offer chick-sized grit separately.

For Pullets (8-20 Weeks): Grower Feed

Pullets are no longer growing as rapidly but still need moderate protein and a balanced diet.

Recipe for 10 lbs of Grower Feed:

• 4 lbs (40%) Whole Corn: Energy.
• 2.5 lbs (25%) Whole Wheat: General nutrition.
• 2 lbs (20%) Split Peas: Protein.
• 1 lb (10%) Oats/Barley: Fiber.
• 0.5 lbs (5%) Black Oil Sunflower Seeds: Fat and protein.

Note: At this stage, they still do not need extra calcium. Continue to provide free-choice grit.

For Roosters: Maintenance Feed

Roosters don’t need the high calcium of laying hens. Overfeeding calcium can cause health problems like kidney issues.

Recipe for 10 lbs of Rooster/Non-Laying Feed:

• 5 lbs (50%) Whole Corn: Energy.
• 2.5 lbs (25%) Whole Wheat: General nutrition.
• 2 lbs (20%) Split Peas: Protein.
• 0.5 lbs (5%) Oats: Fiber.

The nutritional needs of your flock will change throughout their lives, and so should their feed. By understanding these life-stage requirements, you can ensure every bird in your coop is getting exactly what it needs to thrive.

How to Calculate Your Feed’s Nutritional Content

You’ve got your ingredients, but how do you know if your recipe is hitting the right numbers? The math is simple and empowers you to be your own nutritionist. While the math is straightforward, you can also use one of the many online feed calculators available to quickly check your work and experiment with different ingredient ratios.

The “Pounds-and-Percentage” Method

This is the easiest way to calculate your feed’s protein percentage. It works on the principle that if you have a 100 lb batch, the percentage of an ingredient is equal to its weight in pounds.

1. List Ingredients and Protein Content: Look up the guaranteed minimum protein content for each of your ingredients. For example:
   • Whole Corn: 9% protein
   • Split Peas: 24% protein
   • Hard Wheat: 15% protein
2. Multiply and Sum: For each ingredient, multiply its percentage in your recipe (as a decimal) by its protein content.
   • (0.30) * 9% (Corn) = 2.7%
   • (0.30) * 15% (Wheat) = 4.5%
   • (0.20) * 24% (Split Peas) = 4.8%
   • (0.10) * 10% (Oats) = 1.0%
   • (0.10) * 50% (Fish Meal) = 5.0%
3. Total Protein: Add the results to get your total protein percentage.
   • 2.7% + 4.5% + 4.8% + 1.0% + 5.0% = 18.0% Total Protein

This simple calculation gives you the confidence to know you are meeting your flock’s nutritional needs. Next, we’ll look at a more specialized approach for a particular breed.

How Can You Make Kienyeji Chickens Grow Faster?

Indigenous chicken breeds like Kienyeji require modified approaches for optimal growth. These hardy birds thrive on diverse diets but benefit from strategic supplementation.

Why are Kienyeji Breeds Different?

Kienyeji breeds are excellent foragers and generally more resilient than commercial hybrids. They require a more diverse diet to thrive and benefit greatly from free-ranging. However, for fast growth, they need a high-protein starter diet.

What’s a Good Growth-Promoting Recipe?

For Kienyeji growers, I increase protein to 20-22% for the first 8 weeks:

• 35% corn
• 25% soybean meal (or fish meal)
• 20% wheat
• 10% split peas
• 5% sunflower seeds
• 3% mineral premix
• 2% limestone

This higher protein jumpstarts growth while maintaining the dietary diversity these breeds prefer. After 8 weeks, I gradually reduce protein to 18% for continued development without excessive fat deposition.

How Does Feeding Frequency Affect Growth?

Young Kienyeji benefit from three daily feedings rather than twice. The additional meal at midday maintains steady nutrient availability during rapid growth phases.

Kienyeji breeds are a great example of how tailoring your feed to the specific needs of your flock can have a huge impact. Let’s see how this same philosophy can help you feed your birds for free.

Can You Feed Chickens for Free or Cheaply?

Economic hardship shouldn’t prevent chicken keeping. Here are strategies I’ve used during tight financial periods:

How Can I Feed My Chickens for Free?

• Restaurant and Grocery Scraps: Many establishments gladly give away vegetable trimmings or day-old bread.
• Grow Fodder: One pound of wheat seeds produces 6-7 pounds of fresh fodder in 7 days. All you need are seeds, water, and growing trays.
• Seasonal Gleaning: Ask local farmers if you can gather remaining crops from their fields after harvest.
• Mill Food Grounds: This is an innovative and highly sustainable option if you have an at-home food mill composter. The resulting dry, nutrient-rich grounds can be added to your feed mix. The grounds provide a great source of minerals and fiber. You can safely add Mill food grounds as up to 5% of your total feed mix. This not only provides a high-quality food source for your birds but also helps reduce your household food waste.

What Are Some Cheap Feed Solutions?

• Bulk Buying: Joining buying cooperatives or splitting orders with other chicken keepers reduces per-pound costs significantly.
• Garden Waste: Don’t throw away garden weeds or overripe vegetables. Most of them are great for chickens.
• Mealworms: You can farm your own mealworms at home with a simple setup for a continuous, free protein source.

Whether you’re looking to save money or simply be more sustainable, these methods show that a healthy flock doesn’t have to break the bank. With a little resourcefulness, you can find abundant, affordable food sources.

How Do You Properly Mix and Store Feed?

Once you’ve decided to make your own chicken feed, proper mixing and storage are essential steps to ensure quality and safety.

What are Professional Mixing Methods?

• The Mixing Tub: Use a large, dedicated mixing tub. Start with the largest ingredients first, followed by smaller grains, and finally the fine powders and supplements.
• The Wet-Dry Method: To ensure fine powders (like kelp or DE) don’t settle, mix them with a small amount of oil first. This coats the powders and allows them to adhere to the grains. Then, mix this “wet” mixture thoroughly with the dry ingredients.

Best Practices for Long-Term Storage

• Airtight Containers: Use metal or thick plastic containers with tight-fitting lids to keep out moisture and pests like rodents.
• Location: Store feed in a cool, dark, and dry place. Drastic temperature swings can cause condensation, leading to mold.
• FIFO (First-In, First-Out): Always use the oldest feed first to ensure freshness.

Proper mixing and storage are the final steps to ensuring the quality and safety of your homemade feed. Now, let’s explore how a community approach can make this whole process even easier.

Should You Work with a Local Feed Mill?

What Are the Benefits of Working with a Mill?

Many feed mills offer custom mixing services, grinding grains and combining ingredients precisely. Establishing relationships with mill operators opens possibilities unavailable to individual buyers. My local mill custom-mixes 500-pound batches using my recipe, costing only slightly more than hand-mixing while saving hours of labor.

How to Build a Coop-Buying Collective

A cooperative is a great way to access wholesale pricing.

1. Find your members: Start with a few local chicken keepers you trust.
2. Agree on a recipe: Everyone must agree on a base recipe to get a large, custom mix.
3. Appoint a coordinator: One person should be responsible for placing the order and coordinating pickup.
4. Rotate responsibilities: To keep things fair, rotate who organizes the order and who stores the bulk purchase.

Working with a local mill or forming a collective can take the stress out of mixing large batches, freeing you up to focus on other important aspects of your flock’s care, like adjusting their diet for the seasons.

How Should You Adjust Feed for the Seasons?

How Do I Modify Feed for Winter?

Cold weather demands 10-15% more calories for temperature regulation. I adjust my winter recipe to:

• Increase corn to 35-40% for extra carbohydrates and heat.
• Add cracked corn for slow-release energy.
• Incorporate black oil sunflower seeds for high fat content.
• Supplement with dried cayenne pepper for circulation.

How Do I Adapt Feed for Summer?

Heat stress reduces appetite, requiring nutrient-dense formulations:

• Reduce corn to 20-25%.
• Increase protein concentration to offset reduced consumption.
• Add electrolyte supplements during extreme heat.
• Incorporated cooling herbs like mint and parsley.

By simply adjusting a few key ingredients, you can help your flock stay comfortable and productive all year round.

What are Common Feed Problems and How Do You Fix Them?

What Should I Do If My Chickens Refuse New Feed?

Transitioning gradually prevents feed rejection. I mix 25% new feed with 75% familiar feed initially, increasing new feed proportions over 10 days. Adding appealing ingredients like mealworms or BOSS to new mixtures encourages acceptance.

How Can I Identify a Nutritional Deficiency?

Careful observation reveals nutritional gaps quickly:

• Feather loss: Often indicates protein deficiency.
• Soft shells: A classic sign of calcium insufficiency.
• Pale yolks: Can signal a lack of greens or beta-carotene.
• Lethargy: Often means a vitamin deficiency.

Troubleshooting Common Health Issues

Symptom	Possible Cause	Solution
Soft-Shelled Eggs	Calcium deficiency	Offer free-choice oyster shell and aragonite.
Feather Picking	Protein deficiency or boredom	Increase protein in the feed. Offer more forage.
Diarrhea	Imbalance in feed, too many treats	Reduce treats. Check for mold. Adjust feed ratios.

The journey to making your own feed is full of learning, but with the right knowledge, you’ll be well-equipped to handle any challenge.

The Complete Feeding System

Creating truly excellent homemade chicken feed extends beyond mixing ingredients. The journey to truly excellent homemade chicken feed starts with learning how to make your own chicken feed. Success requires understanding your flock’s specific needs, sourcing quality ingredients economically, and maintaining consistent feeding practices.

After years of refinement, my system produces healthy, productive chickens while reducing feed costs significantly. The deep orange yolks, glossy feathers, and robust health of my flock validate this approach daily. More importantly, knowing exactly what my chickens consume provides peace of mind no commercial feed can match. The financial savings justify the effort, but the improvement in flock health and egg quality provides the real satisfaction of knowing how to make your own chicken feed and doing it well.

Start simple with basic recipes, gradually adding complexity as comfort grows. Document everything—ingredient sources, costs, mixing ratios, and flock responses. This record becomes invaluable for optimizing your unique feeding program.

Making your own chicken feed transforms from intimidating challenge to rewarding routine surprisingly quickly. Your chickens will thank you with consistent production, vibrant health, and those gorgeous orange yolks that make every breakfast special.