Homemade egg layer feed mix recipes in use

Badchickenpun · Tuesday at 10:05 AM

There are a ton of recipes on here and online.
My head is spinning. I can't tell which recipes are actually being used or just being shared for info purposes.

Could you post what homemade egg layer recipes that you actually currently use? and have great luck with?
The proof is in the pudding of course.
Hoping to find a few corn and soy free recipes...
Bonus points if you know the rough cost per lb for your mix...

nuthatched · Tuesday at 10:35 AM

Look up Justin Rhodes, (avoid garden betty, her feed is the worst)his recipe is a good base to start with but unless you have a grainery near by, home made recipes are going to cost $$$$, because you'll have to bulk ship in every ingredient, including but not limited to, wheat/cracked corn, soy, fish meal/byproduct meal/swine blood meal, vitamin and mineral powders (Which don't keep for very long) , kelp, etc.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/another-homemade-recipe-attempt.1502345/

Badchickenpun · Tuesday at 11:11 AM

nuthatched said:
Look up Justin Rhodes, (avoid garden betty, her feed is the worst)his recipe is a good base to start with but unless you have a grainery near by, home made recipes are going to cost $$$$, because you'll have to bulk ship in every ingredient, including but not limited to, wheat/cracked corn, soy, fish meal/byproduct meal/swine blood meal, vitamin and mineral powders (Which don't keep for very long) , kelp, etc.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/another-homemade-recipe-attempt.1502345/

I saw both of those. I am trying to stay away from corn and soy (don't ask) is it feasible to make a mix without corn and soy?

nuthatched · Tuesday at 12:10 PM

Badchickenpun said:
I saw both of those. I am trying to stay away from corn and soy (don't ask) is it feasible to make a mix without corn and soy?

Not really. Corn yes, but not really soy. It's the best source of some amino acids that chickens really need.
Here's a thread on it, see post #3, storm crow is very knowledgeable about feed, is good at explaining all the scientific stuff and always offers sound advice.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/need-advice-on-soy-free-corn-free-feed.1506358/

saysfaa · Tuesday at 2:03 PM

Badchickenpun said:
...is it feasible to make a mix without corn and soy?

For most people, no.

It is possible but, except for a few people in unusual situations, it is much, much more expensive or difficult or both. For example, lean beef or fish contain the methionine that is difficult to provide with plants only, without soy or being far off an acceptable range on something else -like lipids. But most people would find meat too expensive to use as an ingredient in chicken feed.

Even then, there is a much higher risk of an unbalanced diet for two main reasons. First, the nutritional composition of the ingredients varies tremendously. Feed companies can test as needed but the equipment is to expensive for individuals to do so. Even sending it to a lab is too expensive. The second reason is the chickens pick out their preferred parts so high ranked chickens get the favorite ingredients and low ranked birds get what is left. Neither gets a good diet.

Homemade egg layer feed mix recipes in use

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