Sunday, February 28, 2016

Feeding the Poultry

Some folk often wonder what they can feed their poultry other than commercial stuff. I know first hand that over the colder months the cost of layer ration can go up considerably as the birds do not free range. This is a frustrating time of year, the poultry seem to eat their way through bags of feed whilst laying very few eggs.
It can help to add a few scraps into their diet. This gives them a bit of variety and can help cut cost slightly. I give my ducks, turkeys and chickens a few scraps each day. Usually plate scrapings, meat scraps we cannot eat (cut up with no bones in) tea dregs, and any other bits and bobs that may be past consumable for us. I find they will not eat citrus fruit or juice, chili, onion or garlic.
We also have Kefir grains that increase in size rapidly. When we have too many grains I give them to the poultry, they love it. It gives them a good dose of probiotics and it helps increase egg production. Make sure the food is small enough for them to eat easily, nobody want a choking chicken or a blocked crop.

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