Tips For Feeding Your Chickens

Many beginners may be confused about what to feed their chickens.  However, your feathered friends need foods with nutritional value. It is vital to learn everything about feeding your chickens when you decide to start raising a flock.

For starters, your chickens need higher protein content to boost growth. However, breeders and layers don't need as much protein to help slow down their growth curve; doing this gives them the chance for robust internal maturation. Your laying hens will need lots of calcium to ensure stronger shells.

All of this information can be somewhat confusing, especially when you are a newbie. Luckily, here are some great tips about feeding your chickens.

Scrap Food vs. Store-Bought Food
Most of us prefer feeding our backyard chickens with food scraps from the kitchen. Although it helps get rid of leftovers, is it ideal for your chickens? If you are raising chicken as a hobby and not for commercial purposes, you can feed your chicken with food scraps. However, expect an increased rate of mortality and sickness if chickens don't get adequate amounts of nutrients.

Store-bought chicken food, also known as commercial chicken feeds, has become quite popular over the past decades. High-quality chicken feeds can boost your egg production from less than 100 to about 300 per year. It is a feeding regime that provides all the nutritional requirements for your chickens. You can, therefore, maintain the health of your chickens.

What to Feed Your Chicken as a Treat
Your chickens need healthy treats incorporated into their current diet, and learning the different types of treats for your chicken will help ensure you raise a healthy flock. However, always ensure they get 90% feed, and only 10% treats every day.

The best treats for your chickens should be natural, wholesome, and healthy like PopWorms! treats. Mealworms and scratch gains may also act like candy for your birds, but they can quickly spoil their diet. Ensure you stick to healthy treats with a mix of minerals, vitamins, and amino acids in every bite.

How and When to Feed Your Chicken
Your chickens need the right amount of carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Commercial feed brands have formulated feeds that provide optimal nutrient amounts for each age and type of chicken. But, using the wrong chicken feeding formula can lead to retarded growth, weak bones, reduced egg production, or kidney damage.

Chicks need to be fed constantly from day 1 to ensure healthy growth. Ensure you refill whatever they eat continually. Adult chickens, on the other hand, need about 80 to 120 grams of food per day. It will also help if you can scatter some food, so the chickens can forage away. Always ensure you give your chickens the right type of feed.

Is Free-Ranging Enough?
Although free-ranging allows your chickens to access natural nutrients and vitamins, it is not enough to sustain them. You need to incorporate commercial feeds and treats in their diet as well. Doing this will help reduce the sickness and mortality rate within your flock.

The Bottom Line
Feeding your chicken isn't an exact science, and you shouldn't stress about it. Start by ensuring your chickens get well-balanced rations. Mix commercial feeds and food scraps to ensure you raise a healthy flock with average egg production. Also, don't forget to include a few treats to keep your chickens happy. 
 
At PopWorms!, we provide natural, wholesome, and healthy treats for your feathered friends.  BE SURE TO VISIT Popworms! now to take advantage of our online sale WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!!