I want to buy some bulk grains at the grocery store for this winter.

[Uncle Will]

I'm using the same grains as everyone else, though my girls won't eat millet. In addition to the grains, for winter I really try to put all the table scraps out for my 5 girls. You want to see happy chickens? Watch chickens with that last half cup of cooked rice. Left over spaghetti is a scream to watch them eat and they love it. Cooked sweet potato skins, apple cores, stale bread, basically anything cooked. No bones, but they are omnivores so a little meat now and then is appropriate. They need some extra calories during winter to keep warm. Oh and crushed egg shells. Don't forget the crushed egg shells. Sounds a little gross, but its total recycling. The chickens are healthy and my refrigerator is a much healthier place since I no longer keep little containers of leftovers until they mold. Good luck!

 

[blondiebee181]

I feed table scraps all the time too...they love pretty much anything....Daisy even hopped up when I was eating pizza outside once and snatched a pepperoni off of it!

 

[blondiebee181]

hi when you say stay away from raw bean im worried. I am from England and i grew runner beans, my chickens managed to get to them and muched quite a few. This was a few weeks agao and they are fine should i be worried?

They will probably be okay....I'm not sure if fresh raw beans are the same as dried, uncooked beans (which is what I always hear are bad) I would fence your beans off just in case.

 

[evam]

Does anyone know if chickens can eat Sorghum otherwise known as broom corn. I grew it for the broom making, but now I have tons of grain that I would love to feed the chickens if I can.

 

[Susique333]

I grew up on a farm and we had soybean fields around us as far as the eye could see. The local birds always ate these soybeans, especially at harvest time. I do not remember anyone say they made birds sick?

 

[countrygoddess]

Does anyone know if chickens can eat Sorghum otherwise known as broom corn. I grew it for the broom making, but now I have tons of grain that I would love to feed the chickens if I can.

Yes, they can eat it. Not too much, though. Here's what the University of Kentucky has to say: Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is similar in composition to corn but contains the anti-nutritive factor tannin. Tannins (phenolics) inhibit digestive enzyme activity and form complexes with protein that resist digestion. The maximum amount of sorghum tannin that can be included in broiler diets without adversely affecting growth rate or feed efficiency is unclear. Research suggest that the maximum level for dietary tannins is between 1.3 and 2.5% tannin on a dry matter basis.

​

Sorghum is limiting in several amino acids, including lysine, methionine and glycine. There is very little data available on the effect of sorghum inclusion on meat yield and quality, but one study has shown a significant reduction in both eviscerated carcass weight and dressing out percentage of broilers reared on sorghum.

 

[countrygoddess]

I grew up on a farm and we had soybean fields around us as far as the eye could see. The local birds always ate these soybeans, especially at harvest time. I do not remember anyone say they made birds sick?

Raw soybeans have enzyme inhibitors that interfere with the utilization of nutrients. They must be roasted or steamed to break this enzyme inhibitor down. All the soy meal in any chicken feed you buy has roasted soy beans in it.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

We have been feeding our chickens and pigs locally-grown non-GMO ingredients including several cereal grains and cull peas. We've also fed the chickens bulk grains from Winco and from the local Latter Day Saints Bishop's Warehouse. We use the Pearson Square to figure proportions, buy a mineral supplement from a local grain supplier, and add oyster shell and eggshells for our layers. This summer we bought this Bravo grain mill from Premier 1 Supplies. It works great and is easy to use. If you have 220V available you can get the Ercolino grinder for more power. (I get no commission from Premier 1, we just really like their products!)

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Does anyone know if chickens can eat Sorghum otherwise known as broom corn. I grew it for the broom making, but now I have tons of grain that I would love to feed the chickens if I can.

 

[Hilatious]

I feed table scraps all the time too...they love pretty much anything....Daisy even hopped up when I was eating pizza outside once and snatched a pepperoni off of it!

That happened to me this summer! Eating tamales on the patio and it got stolen right out of my hand!