One of the reasons we’ve
held back from growing
our own chicken feed grains for so long is that we were
a bit scared of the processing step. But it sounds like there are
two options that are suitable to the backyard scale.
Some
grains can be fed whole, but nearly all grains are more digestible if
they are ground. If you’re grinding grain into flour for
yourself, you can use the same hand-cranked mill to grind a bit of
grain for your chickens. On the other hand, if we really get into
growing our own feed we’ll probably find a way to make or buy a better
mill.
Old timey farmers knew
that sprouting was even better than
grinding. If you’re willing to put in a little extra time, you
can sprout all of the grains you feed your animals, a process that
makes them even more nutritious. This would probably be our
processing option of choice, especially in the winter.
Stay tuned for several
less conventional chicken feed options in upcoming posts.
Meanwhile, check out our homemade chicken
waterers that
provide clean water for your hens.
| This post is part of our Homemade Chicken Feed series. Read all of the entries:
|
