The Perfect Chicken Feed.

Here is a break down of the common grains in terms of nutrition for poultry

Maize is the highest in energy of all the grains, has 3% fat, but is lower in protein at 8%. Good for yolk color, and is excellent if crushed first.

Wheat is about 13% protein, lower in energy then maize and much lower in fat at just 1.5%.

Oats is about 10 % protein and very high in fiber at 12%, making it useful as a ‘filler’ feed.

Barley is around 9 % protein , 2% fat and 8% fiber.

If you need a whole grain like barley you really should supply insoluble grit ( like pea sized road grit ) so that the birds gizzards can grind up the grain to extract the nutrients .

There are disadvantages to feeding some of these grains. Their quality will vary due to harvest conditions, storage time and possible contamination by yeasts and moulds, and the mycotoxins produced by these.

Barley is a filler type grain. It produces firmer, whiter fat in the meat chickens. The barley kernel has little spike-lets which can make some birds reluctant to eat it as a whole grain. It also has a hi Beta Glucan content; this is poorly digested by birds, and because it absorbs water in the gut it leads to sticky wet dropping if feed in excess.

The recommended for oat feed is 500g/100 birds scattered around as a scratch feed as its nutritive value is low. to much oats can lead to excessive thirst and wet droppings.

Grains on their own should probably form about 60% of s birds diet, preferably a mixture of what grains are available and preferably the grains should be lightly crushed . The balance of the diet should be protein-rich, consisting of a high protein pellet. plus meat and bone meal and scarps from the house and what ever veges and free range fodder is available.

Hens are omnivores and will eat a varied diet. A balanced diet of fiber, protein, carbohydrate and fat is needed to grow and produce eggs. If allowed to choose a chicken will do pretty well, but faced with only one grain and nothing else you may run into problems .