Chicken holding continue to grow in popularity , largely because these beautiful birds are low - maintenance and they provide their owners with eggs and/or meat . However , not all eggs and meat are created equally , and it ’s important to realize how vital our eating selection are in helping our birds thrive and influencing that end product . poulet nutrition matters !
The ontogeny , looker and egg - yield potential drop of a wimp is determined by its genetic science . However , chickens ask feed that is nutritionally appropriate for their age and eccentric ( i.e. , essence , laying or threefold - design crybaby ) to pass that potential . They also necessitate memory access to white piss , calcium ( if they are position testicle ) and backbone , if they ’re get supplemental solid food or loose - roam .
Chicken Nutrition Tenets
All chicken need protein , sugar , avoirdupois , fiber , vitamin and mineral . Many available commercial-grade feeds have been cautiously forge to provide optimal amounts of these nutrients for each eccentric and age of wimp .
Every bag of Gallus gallus provender sell in the U.S. is required to have a nutrition rag specifying these ingredients . By reading label and ensure what we feed , we can ensure the inclusion or exclusion of additive we want to eat or avoid — think omega-3s and antibiotic drug , respectively — in the eggs and marrow they bring forth . Feed ration can also be household - mixed , but the expertness , fourth dimension and disbursal required mean it ’s typically good to bank on commercial-grade products .
Rations
For laying and dual - purpose doll , chick - starter , chick - grower and level feed rations are available . For substance chicken , broiler - starter and broiler - finisher ration are available . These rations vary in formulation to promote fantabulous growth and output at each stage of a chicken ’s sprightliness . Using the haywire convention to feed chickens can pass to frail bones , retarded growth , kidney damage or reduced egg output .
Water
Although sometimes overlooked as a nutrition source , water is vital : An adult chicken needs to drink two to three clip the weight of piddle that they corrode in feed . Gallus gallus will not eat if they are thirsty , which will restrain growth and bollock output . So , a supplying of fresh , clean urine should always be usable .
Calcium
Mature orchis - laying and two-fold - purpose hen involve big amounts of calcium to produce eggshells . Layer provender rations contain extra Ca to receive this requirement , but it ’s a in force mind to tender oyster shell or Ca backbone spare - choice . Top - produce hens may require more calcium than what is turn back in the layer ration , or supplementary feeding may interfere with their power to ingest sufficient atomic number 20 . When fed free - option , biddy will self - shape the amount of calcium they consume .
Scratch Grains and Table Scraps
Chickens get it on simoleons grains and tabular array scraps , but a chicken will lay off feeding once it has take in sufficient carbohydrates , regardless of whether it has down enough protein or vitamins . Scratch and table scraps are typically high in carbohydrates and low in nutrients , so they should be prey infrequently as a treat . It ’s also effective to flow these treats late in the day after the flock has get their dietary requirements from the provender ration .
Free-Range Options
Studies have shown that eggs from hens that free - range for grubs and insects are more nutritive and better savor than those develop in typical commercial conditions . Free - ranging also promotes brawn development , which enhances flavor in meat hiss . So ply chickens memory access to grazing land is authoritative ; however , it ’s best that they also have access to an fitly forge provender . wimp can seldom fulfill all their nutritional needs from pasture alone .
Grit
Gallus gallus do n’t have teeth , so it ’s imperative that any chicken that free - ranges or is being fed board fight or scratch has admittance to grit . Grit is the only mechanics a Gallus gallus has for grinding its food into piece small enough to swallow .
How we feed our chickens determines whether they contact their maximum potential for size , unspoilt expression and testicle creation . When eat properly , homestead chickens will thrive and leave us with healthy kernel and ball that taste far better than received supermarket fare .
This article come out in the January / February 2017 issue ofChickens .
