So we tried this and WOW. We were getting 6 to 8 eggs a day. Started giving them the beans and pasta when I let out in the morning. A week later we are up to 12 to 14 eggs a day. Thank you Lead Farmer 73.
We have 53 in our mixed flock, but only 10 or 11 hens that are mature enough to lay. We have another 20 hens that won't start laying for several months, and 10 olive Eggers we just hatched. We have 6 roosters we can't part with. My wife and I are total newbies. She called me yesterday and said we had 17 eggs!! We even got a few small fairy eggs. It all started when we started giving them the beans and pasta in the morning. They are happy and very active. We got bit by the chicken bug bad 😅.
If you soak the beans for two days, changing the water several times, you will sprout the beans and they become super nutritious. All kinds of vitamins appear virtually out of nowhere. Thanks for the easy recipe for chicken feed that works.
yes, chick peas and lentils r AMAZING, they literally begin sprouting w/in hours. My chooks get mostly human food, i ferment the commercial stuff w sprouted oats - they're not even interested in that now, go figure. God bless
My 9 hens literally stopped laying eggs in July 2022. Finally I was reading comments on an “it’s the feed!” Video and someone said to start giving them rice and beans. Within that week I started doing it my hens started laying again! I make a batch of beans and rice and feed it to them every day! And kale micro greens that I grow. I do throw them a bit of homemade scratch here and there- black oil sun flower seeds, corn, split peas, oats and flaxseed. You are so right! Stop feeding them commercial feed- it’s like cardboard- literally!!! Thank you for getting the word out !
That's what is freaking me out a bit. I didn't hear about this feed thing until winter, so I figured it was people that didn't know about the winter slow-down. But now I'm reading it started in summer
My hens all just slowed down and stopped laying.... I will need to try this! I couldn't figure out why, since most were not that old and they have a chill healthy lifestyle.
Omg. I really didn't take this serious. But my husband kept nagging me to try and now the chicks are addicted. Thank you. And I mean THANK YOU. It is incredible how much my chimkims love that. Henrietta and the nugget crew as well as Juniper and the berry crew thank you too
@@JasonusTillery i think so. They probably need a few extra greens etc besides the oatmeal as they mature. As far as i can read, they need to be switched to adult feed around 18 weeks ( since this is when they start laying eggs, and need a lot more calcium, from seashells etc)
Did you should do that beans contain a toxin that always kills chickens literally always fatal. The phytohaemagglutinin is always lethal unless it's soaked for at least 24 hours and boiled down for at least 2 then drain and rinse throwing the water out. Not Mentioning that the very beginning is going to get somebody's chickens killed if they don't watch the whole video. Hell I'm not watching it all and haven't heard it mentioned once
@@heatherlynnjohannesen9845 Right ON! I just did what the video said and I have raised chickens for five years I was so mad at myself for following blindly. thankfully My chickens refused to eat them. I did a video where my chickens said no way. My research said even if you cook them down completely that to feed in MODERATION. I will never blindly follow again.
@@BergenBounty Thank you for your comment. That was just what I had in the back of my mind. Beans are toxic for chickens and should not be fed abundantly to your flock. You just confirmed what I remembered to have read and learned
I have 14 chickens, I keep track of how many eggs I get everyday, and what colors. They all have different egg cycles. So I ALWAYS get eggs everyday, even in molting season. I average 280 sometimes 300 eggs per month. I give them away to friends. We can’t possibly eat that many. Chickens are so easy to care for.
This is country boy down home farming. I love it! Our grandparents did these things. They knew what they were doing. Then the commercial feeds hooked everyone to their products and it seems like we were sabotaged. Gotta be said. We should all go back to what worked back in the day. Old ways are he best ways. Good looking birds my friend. 🙂
My mom remembers her grandparents would have this dishpan that would over the day accumulate all the food bits and in the evening it would get tossed (mucky water and all) to the chickens who would be waiting for it!
Ah yes, that is what chickens have been historically fed. Beans and pasta. I thought that chickens mostly scavenged and occassionally got some low grade grain and kitchen scraps.
Feeding mostly grains to livestock increases the levels of omega 6, which can be toxic to our systems when consuming that product. Low quanity grains and natural foods are healthy for them and us.
@@leadfarmer73 Growing up in the South, I never saw my grandparents give feed to their chickens, the chickens roamed around and foraged for food and ate whatever my grandparents threw out to them to eat. We always had an abundance of eggs.
Thanks for an alternative feed suggestion. For the best eggs, you need to give them fresh greens and bugs as well. The easiest way is let them on to your lawn. The chlorophyll and bugs helps with nice coloured yolks. They will stop eating their own eggs if they get enough calcium from oyster shells or crushed up egg shells. Greetings from northern Alberta, Canada.
The pork plant used the scraps, grissle and trimmed fat for cat food producers. Yeah, you are supposed to have cows or sheep or at least rabbits to crap everywhere and let the chickens scratch the crap into the ground to get the worms that come up for the poo. Then the chickens don't need much or any feed because they get earthworms and meal worms. Someone said frozen Japanese beetles from the traps, which sounds like a good idea. People get whole bags of those disgusting beetles hanging from trees. Instead of burning the freaks, maybe freeze them and see if the chickens want them. 🤮
Don’t forget that they will get parasites from bugs and free ranging as well- Wet summer here lots of birds and dogs getting round worm… It will mostly affect younger birds but liquid goat wormer 3ml per gallon for 3-5 days - with a 7 day break then repeat…. Also coccidiosis thrives in wet soil if u notice blood in the stool. I try to nip these things in the bud because it will contaminate the soil for months or years…
This worked! My chickens always start laying again in mid February, but not this year. I just made a big batch of pasta and pinto beans, and sure enough 3 days later they are laying! Amazing - thank you!
its the protein. Chickens require protein. They are faster at catching mice than cats and will eat them. Give them left over meat, meat bones with plenty of meat left on and they are happyyyyyy.
@@katerinachelmis568 I had to google this and I can't believe it, beans really are high in calcium. I've recently given up dairy so it's good to know I don't have to worry about calcium since I eat quite a bit of beans.
My dad is 85 years old and has backyard hens in suburban California. He dumpster dives behind the grocery outlet and gets organic salad bags and feed them to his hens. He also saves the egg shells crushes them and feeds them to the hens. He grew upon a farm in Oklahoma.
I don’t even have chickens but I love listening to you talk and how passionate you are about this subject. You make me want to get some chickens. Good work sir!
@@ahime937 get some quail! You can raise a bunch inside in a dog kennel, and they go from hatchlings to the dinner table in 8-12 weeks, and they start laying eggs around 10-12 weeks. Quail eggs are delicious, and surprisingly not much smaller than chicken eggs. Quail are relatively quiet also.
I feel so lucky watching this video!!! I wish all we have chickens knows this. It’s extremely important to know because YES!!! It’s healthy to them and work in a good way to lay eggs. God bless 💙🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 everyone here. 😊
We tried your way... and it works!! Just wanted to give you a shout out and say thank you for sharing your story! Our chickens are so happy and calm now. Great video
Hey Lead farmer. We have our chickens and we have been feeding them the beans with pasta and just giving them food scraps with their feed. Our girl, Rhode Island Red layed her first egg this morning. Thank you so much Lead for your videos. I appreciate you brother. God Bless you and Lady Lead and your family ❣️
Those are some happy chickens. I gave my girls cooked oatmeal every morning. Plus, I grew culinary herbs- lemon balm, peppermint and parsley. I sprinkled the finely chopped herbs on their oatmeal. Healthy girls that laid eggs everyday. Excellent video, Lead. I'm sure your subs appreciate all your expertise. Thank you, sir. Blessings to you and your family.
I grow dandelions chicory, chick weed, miners lettuce arugula wild on my property. It’s all over. If you have excess land plant these and a few others. These plants will re seed themselves every year and you can eat them all as well.
I started a worm farm in a plastic bin. Now, I feed some of my kitchen and garden waste to the worms. The worms double their population every 90 days, so I can feed the chickens fresh worms regularly. Also, I have the added benefit of collecting the worm castings and urine as amazing fertilizer for my garden. My next venture is to start raising black soldier fly larvae. They are actually more efficient at utilizing food scraps, and they make an excellent protein source for the chickens. My local store sells a 5 gallon bucket of dried larvae for $60!
Same here! I've got a mealworm farm and earthworms! So far so good chickens love them! And about to start the black soldier soon! They seem really easy!
This is a great idea. I quit buying pellets when I was getting 3 eggs from 45 hens in the spring. I make a dry mix of dollar store oatmeal, stone ground cornmeal or grits, and a wild bird seed mix that has sunflower seeds. But it's the same cost as feed. If I do this plus scraps and my dry mix, I'll need much less of everything. We sacrifice so much in the name of convenience, and corporate power keeps growing. Back to our roots! Thank you, friend!
@@rosemaryopeibi8122 they need cooking. From what I have read there is a toxin in raw beans, peas and lentils. Also raw potato is toxic. Sprouting seems to get rid of the toxin in some but you have to research this.
Thank you Buddy. I agree, my girls get the same stuff, black, red, navy beans mixed with oatmeal, rice, grits, elbow macaroni. Plant the beans after they've soaked a couple days and in 8 wks, free beans. Works for me, i had quite a crop of beans 😮
As someone who has no experience farming nor does anyone in my family I want to thank you. I feel like this is my calling and trying to learn as much information as I can before starting.
LOL! You remind me of me! I too ended up cooking for my 15 girls. You should add some greens. Grass or weeds are fine. This is what I did for their special treat. I went to Walmart and bought a big block of deer bait. I put it in a 5 gallon bucket and left it outside in the rain for one week. Then I put the top on and left it closed for two weeks. When I opened the bucket up it was full of huge maggots that had been eating the corn and stuff in the bait block. I would give the girls a scoop full of maggots every other day, they loved it, never got sick, and the bait block lasted for 6 months.
When I was a child my Father fed our dogs rice with used cooking grease and eggs. We fed our chickens rice with beans and or pasta and beans and achieved the same results. Chickens stayed healthy and egg production continued 😊👍
Hey genius, check into what food contains the most natural Arsenic than any other food and I bet you’d change your tune real fast! Those poor animals. And whoever’s eating them eggs…
Also tell her to save the egg shells crush em up & feed it back to them. The shell is almost entirely made of calcium carbonate& they need calcium to make strong eggshells.
@@daughter-of-christ is there any studies that prove this? How can they associate a egg with egg shells when their sense of smell isn’t even strong and they have almost zero memory they forget each other is a few days
I'll be darned. I just got chickens and I had heard about the companies messing with the feed. I bought a bag of feed, my friend who has chickens told me to use the bagged stuff. My chicken book says use the bagged stuff, not "home made junk". These comments from your community are better advice than what I'm currently getting. I'm going to subscribe.
Copy nature don't do this. I'd never feed an animal anything toxic. Phytohaemagglutinin occurs naturally in several kinds of raw beans, including broad beans, white kidney beans, and red kidney beans. This toxin causes gastroenteritis. This is ignorant advice. Well cooked leftovers are ok here and there. Forcing hens to survive on raw beans and whatever is just wrong.
Grow your own beans. I bought a bag of beans with 15 varieties. I have 20 seeds of each one and planting them. I'll do a video when I get ready to plant them. I'm glad your chickens are doing better. They do look much better. And they definitely are acting different. I'm glad you found a solution. Thanks for sharing and have a great day and happy gardening and stay blessed 😘🤗🙏🏽🙏🏾🙏🙏🏻🐓🐓🐔🐔🐣🐥
Does it matter which beans? I was given a case of garbanza beans and pasta (what? a blessing! On time!) Do you got gassy on those eggs? I'm gonna ask Lady Lead! 😝 Don't bee 🐝 getting nervous!
I've been watching several homesteaders who have been making their own feed that includes beans, split peas oats and wheat grain, high protein makes sense which means if you can give them your own who needs the feed stores. I also grow my own veggies and fruit so yes, you're on track too. Kudos to you.
I ran out of feed early this month and feed my silky chicks rice and garbanzo beans and they love it and you are right it really has saved on water. Less bickering too! So glad you made this video for affirmation.
I sent this video to my mother since she has chickens. Thank You for taking the time to help us save money and live better! Continued success and abundance 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Do not use it. It is a scam. And poor diet.... There is nothing at all wrong with the feed. Chickens stop laying eggs for a variety of reasons. Hens may lay fewer eggs due to light, stress, poor nutrition, molt or age. Some of these reasons are natural responses, while others can be fixed with simple changes and egg laying can return to normal.
@@jeanhedger3717 Hens may live in backyard flocks for 6-8 years, and most flocks will produce eggs for 3-4 years. The level of egg production, egg size, and shell quality decrease each year. Most commercial layers are kept for 2-3 years as their egg production decreases after this time.
Very healthy looking flock. I raised chickens for a boy scout merit badge. My Granny taught me to give them access to my garden (another BSA merit badge). They would eat all the bugs. The vegie scraps, included beans n corn bread (I grew up poor). Great advice sir, you know what your doing.
I definitely don't give chickens access to my garden they scratch your seedlings up they will eat all your lettuce,spinach leaves plus anything green leafed really
Wow! I’m definitely going to give this a try! The price of grain has risen so much in the last two years, per kilogram dried pinto beans and pasta are the same price, and once they’re boiled per kilogram they work out cheaper than dry grains. Thank you for this tip. Sunny greetings from South Spain 🌞
My brother you are on to something, I got off the store bought feed and feeding them table scraps. They started laying again but, when I gave my hens beef fat off of Hamburger meat I doubled my egg production. Just thought I'd share with you my friend!
When I had chickens I never threw the cooking fat away. I always mixed it into their feed which I mixed up with hot water and let it stand. They get more nutrition out of it that wasy with the presoaking.
You’re so right, I feed my chickens a lot of food that my family and I eat and they also free range for a couple of hours 4 times a week. Mine always lay well and are very healthy.
Wow that is crazy I was giving mine tractor supply feed They all stopped laying eggs and they fight over the food almost like there's nothing in it and that stuff's expensive. I got to say this is phenomenal. 👍 New subscriber here.
Same here! We've been feeding them TCS feed for 2 years now. They use to produce eggs like no other. They all stopped laying last summer, they recently " resumed" not really 1 to 2 eggs from a 11 bird flock every few days, and our duck too. Horrible! My flock was better off with the Walmart poultry feed "Vibrant Life" lol
I send you one big thank you on behalf of my chickens. For a long time i have been unhappy about the commercial chicken food I fed them, as were they. It has been watching your video and my switch went over, I will be feeding them pasta and beans mixed with some oyster shell, kelp and olive oil every day from now on. I also have started experimenting with fermented and sprouted seeds and grains. Feeding my chicks had become so much nicer, thank you!😀
I feel the same and thank you for your comment on what you would also feed them. I've never thought of a bit of olive oil added but yes to the kelp and oyster shells. Grand idea! :) If you have started this new diet please do up date us. Love to know how you like it and how much of each(food) you use.
That's how my grandma used to do it in Carribbean, she never buying food, and chickens always laying eggs , lettuce , cornmeal porridge as well she give them ..what ever she cooks.. Great video again Mr Lead 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽💚💚💚💫👋🏽💎🦋🇬🇧
I was given 5 year old lady chickens and they lay happily for me often with this feed 😊 thank you for this video! I put in a whole heap of seasonings for their health also, lately they've been having cajun pasta and beans with cayenne pepper 😊 My brother loves my chicken food 😂
The MAIN reason they eat eggs is because they need the calcium to make new shells. If you feed them an “egg-maker mash/crumbles/pellets”, that has enough calcium. If you don’t, they will eat an egg as fast as it is laid. A substitute is to add oyster shells. At the least, save all old egg shells, crush them to 2-4mm flakes and feed them that.
My grandmother was as country as you could get. She lived through the great depression and knew all the little secrets. She raised chickens for eggs and meat but also to barter with. She traded eggs for milk that was so fresh that it was still warm from the cow. When her chickens slowed down on laying, she would add some chili powder and crushed shale to their feed and they would begin laying again. Chili powder gives them minerals that they need and makes them healthier. Shale goes to the gizzard and helps them grind their food better.
Wow !! so glad I bumped into your channel, I have been wondering how I am going to feed my birds without buying the garbage that's being called chicken feed,, my mind just started imagining the possibilities of what you are doing so thank you so much for sharing.
When I stopped feeding my lovely chickens that H....F.... a bag of feed and starting give them Sardines, Tuna Fish, Oyster shells, and Poultry Grit within one day, my chickens started back laying eggs.... Thank you for letting us know, we not losing our minds. They also love blueberries, strawberries and leftover lettuce.... Yes, they eat really good!!!
For chickens to lay eggs they need protein, so this is amazing. Also the more greens that you incorporate into their diet the darker orange, your yolk will become think about it all the eggs you buy from the store the yolk is yellow that’s because they’re not giving him no greens they’re just giving him grain the feed you’re doing an amazing job on your chickens look great❤
I buy my feed from the Amish farmer down the road, and I’ve never had any issues with my chickens whatsoever. I don’t buy commercial feed from any stores.
I did the same with my chickens. I heard PP didn't have the full 16% protein. Whether that was true or not, I know what has a ton of protein...beans! so I put pinto beans in my Foodie, aka Instapot, covered with water and cooked for 1 hour. The girls went crazy over it. Within 2 days they went from laying 2-4 eggs a day to 9-12. Yesterday I got 15 eggs! This will help offset the rising cost of feed. An FYI regarding raw uncooked beans... Beans (Dried or Raw) Black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans… any type of dry or raw bean is poisonous to chickens. Beans contain a compound called phytohaemagglutinin, which is highly toxic to chickens. As LeadFarmer73 said, cook those beans first!
Right On!!! Thank you. I have been saying this for about a year now “ something is wrong with this feed”. All of a sudden just no eggs at all. Something definitely changed in the food we have to buy.
Thank you. I'm waiting for my little "chick-a-poos" to arrive. How wonderful to get "real" advice from people like Lead Farmer 73 who care enough about others to post this video. We are all connected!
My only concern is are they getting all their nutrients with just these two ingredients? I'm watching another video where it's more complex so i am curious.
Thank you for this video. I just have 3 backyard chickens and was considering having to rehome them because I couldn't afford to get a bag of feed for them. It's been getting really financially hard. This will help so much! Thank you thank you, your video is a God sent. ❤🙏 Thank you and God bless you sir.
Thank you for your experimentation and posting videos. I lost my rooster in December and 3 hens in January. I am so sad. I believe it was the chicken layer feed. I no longer feed them layer feed. Scraps, sprouts, sunflower seeds, chicken scratch from Amazon, baked broken egg shells, grit and some molasses coated goat feed. They lay daily eggs now. The had stopped laying last fall and winter. I will add beans and pasta for variety now! ❤🐓
That's what I've heard from other chicken owners, as well. Just keep a big compost pile, where you throw your scraps and let them sift through it for scraps and bugs. It also helps the compost pile.
I heard from others on RUclips that they came out with a chicken feed that was making the chickens sick. You have to make your own feed. A couple called Doug and Stacy talked about the chicken feed being bad. Just make you own, buy the products and combine them. Good luck in what you do.
I tried this but instead of macaroni noodles I used spaghetti noodles that I broke into 2 inch long pieces... my chickens think they are worms! LOL it's hilarious to watch them grab 'em and slurp 'em up or run around the coop thinking they got a live one hahaha I've also noticed I don't need to fill my water containers nearly as much as I used to. During the hot summer days I'll throw a bag of frozen corn out there too and they love it. Even with all the additions, it's significantly cheaper than store bought food and there's literally no waste. They finish EVERYTHING before dark and no more random rats showing up trying to get pellets left behind!
We have been sprouting rye (2 cups) and lentils (1 cup). Soaking 24 hours doubles the volume of the food. But we continue to sprout for a full week. It will fill a full-sized chaffing pan and feed our flock of 17 ladies and gents. This is great option this time of year when our ground is buried under 6+ inches of snow. Plus, our ladies have not stopped laying all winter.
Could you explain this further? I am not understanding what you are saying to do. Where do you get rye? and do you cook the lentils or soak the dry lentils in water overnight or 24H? and what do you mean by sprouting for a week?
@@monehorman6744 You can use most whole grains and beans that you can buy from a grocery store. You are not cooking them, but soaking and sprouting. I use the ratio 1 cup of beans (usually lentils more bang for the buck) and 2 cups of whole grains (wheat berries, barley, rye, etc.). All these can be bought in small amounts at the grocery store. But you can get large bags of horse oats and field peas at the feed store ($15-20 for 50 pounds). These go dry and uncooked into a half gallon mason or sprouting jar. Fill with water and soak 12-24 hours larger beans may need the full 24, but lentils only need 12. The beans and grains will double in volume. Drain the water off and let sit in the jar with a sprouting lid or cheese cloth over the open jar. Rinse and drain every day for 3 days. They will sprout roots after 2 days and have 1/2 to 3/4 inch roots at 3 days. After 3 days tansfer them to a sprouting tray as if you were sprouting microgreens. We use stainless chaffing/catering pans with small holes drilled in the bottom to drain excess water, because they were free. Every morning they get sprayed with water and put on a shelf. After 1 -2 days in the tray, the greens will be about 1/2 inch. I continue to let them grow until the greens are like grass, usually a total of 7-8 days from first soak. So in a week, we grow a two sq ft lawn of grains, greens, and protein for our flock. It is perfect for us in upstate New York, where we have snow and frozen ground 4 months of the year. Plus it's a cheap natural supplement to their normal chicken feed.
@@bmoss9604 TY for the kind reply. I know it took you awhile to write and post that. Much respect. yet, you write "supplement to their normal chicken feed". It appears most of us want to lose the 'normal chicken feed". When suppliers learn we aren't getting eggs? They say, oh, you need more feed. The difference for us: With feed, no eggs. Off the feed? At least there is hope! Thanks again for your gracious and kind post.
@@timisaac8121 We have a feed hopper that is full of normal layer feed. Really, the layer feed is their supplemental feed. They mostly eat fermented grains, fodder, compost, and whatever they get from the yard.
Great video. Most of my store feed is wasted; chickens hate it. I've tried other commercial feeds and still get a lot of wasted feed. Tomorrow I'm cooking beans and pasta (or maybe rice). Thanks and may God bless.
Shalom family, I just got 12 chick's 2 days old. This was so helpful for my 7 month old hens. I agree with the feed , it's not good. This was awesome information 👏🏿 👌🏾. Blessings to you and your Queen.
The current situation with chicken feed is absolutely disgusting, someone somewhere screwed up big. It's even affected commercial farmers and their hens aren't laying, making egg prices even higher.😒More encouragement to do it yourself the right way. Thank you LF for always providing low-cost, productive solutions to these issues. I started making my own ACV thanks to you, and will never buy it again. Even gave it away as Christmas gifts
Thanks! I’ve been doing oatmeal, black oil sunflower seeds, fruit and veggie scraps and we’re not missing a beat on egg production. But think I’ll definitely try some beans and pasta too ❤️
Beans and pasta are a complete protein, just like beans and rice. Obviously it’s working since they are laying better and their feathers look better and they are happier
Thanks. You just made a fan. Add to this that beans are something I can grow to cut down costs, it's a win win. Another thing that will help them lay, though it's seasonal, is apples. I process a lot of apples in the fall and last year I was getting 15/17 eggs from 17 hens a day when I fed them the peels and cores. I don't know why it works, but it does.
Wow, great video! Our chickens had stopped laying - NOT 1 egg in months. We switched to using goat feed from a local hay and grain company that mixes their feed and we're averaging 12+ eggs a day again. I'm going to try the beans and pasta!! Great idea and thank you - I LOVE your videos!!
You buy yourself a good local feed and ferment it for your birds, they will love it. Fermented food allows your chickens to benefit from all the nutrients in the feed and allow feed to last longer. Great video, I'm getting my beans and pasta ready tonight. Thank You
Great video. I raised chickens for years when I was younger. Clever way to get them to stop eating eggs by putting the wooden eggs in there, and then that beans, pasta and shells cocktail makes them look healthy (in addition to producing eggs). Going to follow these videos now.
The wooden eggs, I use ping png balls, are placed in the nest to let the hens know that this is a safe place to lay and predators won't get to the eggs. They eat their eggs when their calcium levels are low. They are saying they need more calcium.
Great video and great solution. I add since years also stinging nettles in the low percentages to there feed (you could go up to 2/3). - These are full of minerals and vitamins. Oistershell, that is a great idea! I give the crushed egg shells back for laying hens. - You can grind up your pasta-bean feed for newly hatched chicks and add 1/3 stinging nettles! Then they will thrive without having to buy special food.
I started to do this and finally found out what it's like to not have screaming hungry chickens! we have been feeding commercial feed for 2 years now and I just thought that chickens were loud. NOPE! since doing this I now have happy and quiet chickens! I will also throw in some dehydrated greens from the summer and dehydrated veggies for an added bonus. They love it!
Try to give them dehydrated foods that has been soaked in water first. The dehydrated food will rehydrate in the stomach and cause it to burst. Plus, two/three days soaking will make more feed with fermentation. This will improves digestion for the birds. Sprouting dried beans is one the best foods for all your animals. @@bevami1
Yessir! All the people who said their chickens stopped laying complained about the chicken feed. My birds free range, but I grow pumpkins and corn and squash to feed them. Frozen from last year doesn’t matter either.
Thank you for this video I knew something had to be wrong because both of my hens have completely stopped laying. I believe they are manipulating the feed in some sort of way
I'm new to chickens. Mine should be starting to lay soon, however, the layer feed I'm using, they don't want any of it, I had already started giving them scraps, rice, beans, fruit they go crazy over it. Lead, I like that feeder, did you make it? Thank you for sharing!
Yeah, I have noticed that my cats aren't eating like they used too but it's the same feed brand we have been getting that they loved up until a week or so ago.
@@cynthiabourgeois5254 exactly.. my dogs have ate the same food for years. Suddenly stopped eating. Other friends and even strangers at Walmart and Costco have told me the same thing.. as we stare dumbfounded on what dog food to buy. I've heard they are putting birth control in the food. Purina is being sued.
We had a few chickens when I was a kid and my parents used to make bran mash mixed with kitchen scraps to feed them.The droppings went onto a rhubarb patch in the back garden. I’m now 80 years old so this is a long time ago.
I just saw this video about a week ago and I want to say thank you I fed pinto beans that I fermented and rice and when I didn't have the rice I had pinto beans and pasta My black hand who had not been laying for over a month and a half laid the most beautiful egg after being on this stuff for a week thanks again information was great
I saw this video and started the next day. You are right...they eat it up and seem so happy. I think it's working very well so far. Eggs increased the 2nd week but that could be the weather. Still this is cheaper than the feed store. Thanks so much for sharing this great idea.
You can feed them veggie scraps from your garden. Like the outer leaves of cabbage, spinach leaves etc. Also add the ground up egg shells ( to a powder) in the food. They need the calcium laying eggs and other vitamins from the greens.
I keep an aluminum pan in the oven to collect egg shells. Once it's full, I pre-heat the oven then turn off to fully dry and that still has wetness. I then crush the shells with my hands. It's strangely satisfying! The crushed shells are then either fed back to the chickens or put in the garden.
@@mrspleasants8529 I am aware. Heard the same that's why I suggest to break them to the point that they do not resemble an egg. Even grinding into a powder and adding it to the feed.
Thank you for this. This is the first time my girls have just up and quit laying. Usually come Winter, they still give me a couple eggs but this year they just stopped. I'm getting ready to put some pinto beans on the stove and follow your instructions. I bet this is cheaper on the budget too!!!
WOW , Im 57 , and have raised bantams and full size chickens over many many years. I love being open minded and always willing to learn. Thank you for this video and info. / OHIO
Going to start this diet you have shared with my birds. You are exactly right about their behavior when eating typical feed , always bickering and fighting , scrapping for the water bowl , Thanks for sharing and cant wait to see the results, God Bless
This is so much fun! Appreciate the common sense approach. Gonna get after this with my 50 birds and more on the way. Thanks for keeping it real&fun! Cracked me up too. Love it!
This is nice. If everyone who had chickens did this, a progressive world it would be. Thanks for helping everyone out. Never stop addressing us as Fam.
Love it. You are the man! I started given my girls prenatal and now they lay egg’s machines. But, this cost $$ and plus dry feed. I will definitely save a lot of time and money by just keeping it simple ❤ Beans and pasta and possibly beans and rice. Amazing, thank you.
I heard this has been happening to a lot of people who own chickens. They stated something is in the feed. This is a awesome solution! Thanks for the info!
Nothing is IN the feed. Some feed seems to be lower protein then listed. But no added toxins or anything. I have a video showing I feed PP 16% layer feed and kitchen scraps and get 7 eggs a day from my 11 hens. My comments section on that video is absolutely flooded with people that use PP and have had 0 egg issues. Only about 5% of people are experiencing an issue with the feed. It would be the opposite if they added things to prevent eggs. So the most logical answer so far is some of the mills received lower quality ingredients. Could have been a lower quality crop from the farmers. Could have been lower quality hops from the local brewer. Could have been cheaper soybean meal bought by the mill. But certainly, undeniably nothing being added to the feed.
Two hens 0:33 that were given to me for not laying, last 16 days I've had two eggs everyday oatmeal spinach slice of bread for breakfast organic scratch and a handful of mealworms water
So we tried this and WOW. We were getting 6 to 8 eggs a day. Started giving them the beans and pasta when I let out in the morning. A week later we are up to 12 to 14 eggs a day. Thank you Lead Farmer 73.
How many birds do you have?
We have 53 in our mixed flock, but only 10 or 11 hens that are mature enough to lay. We have another 20 hens that won't start laying for several months, and 10 olive Eggers we just hatched. We have 6 roosters we can't part with. My wife and I are total newbies. She called me yesterday and said we had 17 eggs!! We even got a few small fairy eggs. It all started when we started giving them the beans and pasta in the morning. They are happy and very active. We got bit by the chicken bug bad 😅.
It's better to give them azola as snacks
HEB has frozen cooked mussels for 3 bucks a pound. They make a great nutritious treat for chickens or dogs. Watch your fingers...
@@halberttorraca3392pasta like corn, is not good for chickens in the summer. They have a hard time in the heat without feeding them starch
If you soak the beans for two days, changing the water several times, you will sprout the beans and they become super nutritious. All kinds of vitamins appear virtually out of nowhere. Thanks for the easy recipe for chicken feed that works.
changing the water several times is key otherwise you'll fart up a storm lol
I also soak my whole corn also and mix it with the pasta and red beans
yes, chick peas and lentils r AMAZING, they literally begin sprouting w/in hours.
My chooks get mostly human food, i ferment the commercial stuff w sprouted oats - they're not even interested in that now, go figure. God bless
And they prob can eat it raw, lentils, garbanzo they all sprouts, I'd give them sunflower seeds which is also sproutable
Sprouted beans lose nutrition. People made up something, and got others to believe it.
My 9 hens literally stopped laying eggs in July 2022. Finally I was reading comments on an “it’s the feed!” Video and someone said to start giving them rice and beans. Within that week I started doing it my hens started laying again! I make a batch of beans and rice and feed it to them every day! And kale micro greens that I grow. I do throw them a bit of homemade scratch here and there- black oil sun flower seeds, corn, split peas, oats and flaxseed. You are so right! Stop feeding them commercial feed- it’s like cardboard- literally!!! Thank you for getting the word out !
Grow black soldier fly larvae,it's so easy!
They love sunflower seeds
@@aladrasullivan9018what system do you use ?
That's what is freaking me out a bit. I didn't hear about this feed thing until winter, so I figured it was people that didn't know about the winter slow-down. But now I'm reading it started in summer
My hens all just slowed down and stopped laying.... I will need to try this! I couldn't figure out why, since most were not that old and they have a chill healthy lifestyle.
Omg. I really didn't take this serious. But my husband kept nagging me to try and now the chicks are addicted. Thank you. And I mean THANK YOU. It is incredible how much my chimkims love that. Henrietta and the nugget crew as well as Juniper and the berry crew thank you too
It is ok to feed this to the baby chicks? We have some coming on Saturday.
@@volleronlinewe always fed newborn chicks watery oatmeal. They love it !
@@voicessamples7396what about 6 week old chicks . Could the eat the pasta and beans or still do the watery oatmeal
@@JasonusTillery i think so. They probably need a few extra greens etc besides the oatmeal as they mature. As far as i can read, they need to be switched to adult feed around 18 weeks ( since this is when they start laying eggs, and need a lot more calcium, from seashells etc)
I’m always so glad, thrilled beyond reason when people get together and push good farming. Stop using chemicals Farmers. This is so great!
Amen.
Did you should do that beans contain a toxin that always kills chickens literally always fatal. The phytohaemagglutinin is always lethal unless it's soaked for at least 24 hours and boiled down for at least 2 then drain and rinse throwing the water out. Not Mentioning that the very beginning is going to get somebody's chickens killed if they don't watch the whole video. Hell I'm not watching it all and haven't heard it mentioned once
@@heatherlynnjohannesen9845 Right ON! I just did what the video said and I have raised chickens for five years I was so mad at myself for following blindly. thankfully My chickens refused to eat them. I did a video where my chickens said no way. My research said even if you cook them down completely that to feed in MODERATION. I will never blindly follow again.
@@BergenBounty Thank you for your comment. That was just what I had in the back of my mind. Beans are toxic for chickens and should not be fed abundantly to your flock. You just confirmed what I remembered to have read and learned
@@victordelafuente5466 I was lucky my chickens were smarter than me. They said nope! Go read about this mom.
I have 14 chickens, I keep track of how many eggs I get everyday, and what colors. They all have different egg cycles. So I ALWAYS get eggs everyday, even in molting season. I average 280 sometimes 300 eggs per month. I give them away to friends. We can’t possibly eat that many. Chickens are so easy to care for.
I eat 300 eggs a month.
We pick up the expired greens at the store. The yokes are orange with greens.
11 hens 7 eggs a day every day. My only egg crisis is I can't give them away fast enough.
If your smart you'll cover your coop. Until all this crap blows over ... LITERALLY
Shit, can those eggs or something. You can can them whole.
This is country boy down home farming. I love it! Our grandparents did these things. They knew what they were doing. Then the commercial feeds hooked everyone to their products and it seems like we were sabotaged. Gotta be said. We should all go back to what worked back in the day. Old ways are he best ways. Good looking birds my friend. 🙂
We haven't been considered admirable, or cool, but we are coming back. My wife's health improves when I cook with my garden produce.
My grandfather loved chemical fertilizer. He always had ammonium nitrate, sulfur,...I don't know how he lived as long as he did.
My mom remembers her grandparents would have this dishpan that would over the day accumulate all the food bits and in the evening it would get tossed (mucky water and all) to the chickens who would be waiting for it!
Ah yes, that is what chickens have been historically fed. Beans and pasta. I thought that chickens mostly scavenged and occassionally got some low grade grain and kitchen scraps.
Feeding mostly grains to livestock increases the levels of omega 6, which can be toxic to our systems when consuming that product. Low quanity grains and natural foods are healthy for them and us.
4 min into this I went into the kitchen to start making beans!!! Thank you Sir!
😂😂 right?!
me too! LOL
I'm seeing more and more people feed thier animals REAL food with great results!
it looks like this is going to be the only thing we can do because of the continuing of the erosion of our society
@@leadfarmer73 maybe blessing in disguise...they definitely look healthier!
Same for dogs and cats. Dog food jumped to 84 a bag! Everything we've been told has been rubbish.
One day at a time breaking the cycle!
split oeas good protein
@@leadfarmer73 Growing up in the South, I never saw my grandparents give feed to their chickens, the chickens roamed around and foraged for food and ate whatever my grandparents threw out to them to eat. We always had an abundance of eggs.
Thanks for an alternative feed suggestion. For the best eggs, you need to give them fresh greens and bugs as well. The easiest way is let them on to your lawn. The chlorophyll and bugs helps with nice coloured yolks. They will stop eating their own eggs if they get enough calcium from oyster shells or crushed up egg shells. Greetings from northern Alberta, Canada.
Or egg shells from breakfast. Dogs and puppies can have ground egg shells for natural feeding. If dog food went bye, bye some people would be lost.
The pork plant used the scraps, grissle and trimmed fat for cat food producers. Yeah, you are supposed to have cows or sheep or at least rabbits to crap everywhere and let the chickens scratch the crap into the ground to get the worms that come up for the poo. Then the chickens don't need much or any feed because they get earthworms and meal worms. Someone said frozen Japanese beetles from the traps, which sounds like a good idea. People get whole bags of those disgusting beetles hanging from trees. Instead of burning the freaks, maybe freeze them and see if the chickens want them. 🤮
I rekon...chooks in cages peck eggs due to boredom...I've never lost an egg to a peck.....🤓
Don’t forget that they will get parasites from bugs and free ranging as well- Wet summer here lots of birds and dogs getting round worm… It will mostly affect younger birds but liquid goat wormer 3ml per gallon for 3-5 days - with a 7 day break then repeat…. Also coccidiosis thrives in wet soil if u notice blood in the stool. I try to nip these things in the bud because it will contaminate the soil for months or years…
It will also get them picked of by predators
This worked! My chickens always start laying again in mid February, but not this year. I just made a big batch of pasta and pinto beans, and sure enough 3 days later they are laying! Amazing - thank you!
its the protein. Chickens require protein. They are faster at catching mice than cats and will eat them. Give them left over meat, meat bones with plenty of meat left on and they are happyyyyyy.
It’s more than just the protein, beans are higher in calcium than milk. They need the calcium to form the eggs shells
@@katerinachelmis568 I had to google this and I can't believe it, beans really are high in calcium. I've recently given up dairy so it's good to know I don't have to worry about calcium since I eat quite a bit of beans.
Have been looking for this kind of information for a long time. Thank you so much!!!
My dad is 85 years old and has backyard hens in suburban California. He dumpster dives behind the grocery outlet and gets organic salad bags and feed them to his hens. He also saves the egg shells crushes them and feeds them to the hens. He grew upon a farm in Oklahoma.
I don’t even have chickens but I love listening to you talk and how passionate you are about this subject. You make me want to get some chickens. Good work sir!
Get some.
And you can make yogurt better than store bought!
@@Pieter_Auper I would love to, but I live in a condo and we are not allowed. ☹️
@@ahime937 get some quail! You can raise a bunch inside in a dog kennel, and they go from hatchlings to the dinner table in 8-12 weeks, and they start laying eggs around 10-12 weeks. Quail eggs are delicious, and surprisingly not much smaller than chicken eggs. Quail are relatively quiet also.
@@sharilynfritz247 might be problems to much calcium not so good.
I feel so lucky watching this video!!! I wish all we have chickens knows this. It’s extremely important to know because YES!!! It’s healthy to them and work in a good way to lay eggs. God bless 💙🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 everyone here. 😊
We tried your way... and it works!! Just wanted to give you a shout out and say thank you for sharing your story! Our chickens are so happy and calm now. Great video
Hey Lead farmer. We have our chickens and we have been feeding them the beans with pasta and just giving them food scraps with their feed. Our girl, Rhode Island Red layed her first egg this morning. Thank you so much Lead for your videos. I appreciate you brother. God Bless you and Lady Lead and your family ❣️
Those are some happy chickens. I gave my girls cooked oatmeal every morning. Plus, I grew culinary herbs- lemon balm, peppermint and parsley. I sprinkled the finely chopped herbs on their oatmeal. Healthy girls that laid eggs everyday. Excellent video, Lead. I'm sure your subs appreciate all your expertise. Thank you, sir. Blessings to you and your family.
Try adding oregano it keeps them healthy since it’s a natural antibiotic.
@@Fritz0616 Another excellent herb !
I grow dandelions chicory, chick weed, miners lettuce arugula wild on my property. It’s all over. If you have excess land plant these and a few others. These plants will re seed themselves every year and you can eat them all as well.
Nice
Thats interesting.Can l feed broiler chickens also with pasta and beans
I started a worm farm in a plastic bin. Now, I feed some of my kitchen and garden waste to the worms. The worms double their population every 90 days, so I can feed the chickens fresh worms regularly. Also, I have the added benefit of collecting the worm castings and urine as amazing fertilizer for my garden. My next venture is to start raising black soldier fly larvae. They are actually more efficient at utilizing food scraps, and they make an excellent protein source for the chickens. My local store sells a 5 gallon bucket of dried larvae for $60!
Same here! I've got a mealworm farm and earthworms! So far so good chickens love them! And about to start the black soldier soon! They seem really easy!
I Just Started A Worm Bucket With my GrandChildren YesterDay!
Also crickets are another good easy protien you can add. I hope to do all 3.
I'd like to learn more about this.
It's so expensive for worms
This is a great idea. I quit buying pellets when I was getting 3 eggs from 45 hens in the spring. I make a dry mix of dollar store oatmeal, stone ground cornmeal or grits, and a wild bird seed mix that has sunflower seeds. But it's the same cost as feed. If I do this plus scraps and my dry mix, I'll need much less of everything.
We sacrifice so much in the name of convenience, and corporate power keeps growing.
Back to our roots!
Thank you, friend!
@SaltyShaman I've also seen a diy soldier fly larvae bin that I'd love to try.
Thanks!
@SaltyShaman dry oatmeal or cooked?
Thanks for the video. Please,do I need to cook the beans and the pasta or just soaked in a normal water or hot water? Thanks.
@@rosemaryopeibi8122 they need cooking. From what I have read there is a toxin in raw beans, peas and lentils. Also raw potato is toxic. Sprouting seems to get rid of the toxin in some but you have to research this.
@SaltyShaman do you have to give the mealworms potatoe for water
Thank you Buddy. I agree, my girls get the same stuff, black, red, navy beans mixed with oatmeal, rice, grits, elbow macaroni. Plant the beans after they've soaked a couple days and in 8 wks, free beans. Works for me, i had quite a crop of beans 😮
As someone who has no experience farming nor does anyone in my family I want to thank you. I feel like this is my calling and trying to learn as much information as I can before starting.
I knew nothing about hens 3 years ago, youtube is great teacher, i hatch most of my hens, and still have 25 from last summers batch of babies
Me too.
Except this video is ridiculous. The feed he makes is not just pricey, but poison. May as well feed your chickens minced beef.
Same! I always wanted to start a farm. I consume all the farming content available and dream of rows of fruit trees, vegetables and chicken coops.
Thanks for sharing this.
Beans have a high protein content and that's what the company feed has been so deficient in lately. This is genius Lead. Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Thank you so much
Also those same bags of bean can be soaked and planted and left to dry on vine for easy continuous supply of food
Chickens probably metabolize those plant proteins better than we do as well anyway. 🤔🤓🍻
@@sunnybunnyfreespirit I was wondering about that, thanks!
@@alsaunders7805 not true
LOL! You remind me of me! I too ended up cooking for my 15 girls. You should add some greens. Grass or weeds are fine. This is what I did for their special treat. I went to Walmart and bought a big block of deer bait. I put it in a 5 gallon bucket and left it outside in the rain for one week. Then I put the top on and left it closed for two weeks. When I opened the bucket up it was full of huge maggots that had been eating the corn and stuff in the bait block. I would give the girls a scoop full of maggots every other day, they loved it, never got sick, and the bait block lasted for 6 months.
@JR-Kk6ce I've never heard of a deer bait block. Would you mind telling me what are in those? Black fly maggots provide lots of good protein!
Bro is IN LOVE with his birds GOD IS GOOD HALLELUJAH!!! :D
When I was a child my Father fed our dogs rice with used cooking grease and eggs. We fed our chickens rice with beans and or pasta and beans and achieved the same results. Chickens stayed healthy and egg production continued 😊👍
How many eggs did the dogs lay?
@@banjohappy lololololo. Nunyer binnis.
@@banjohappy😂
we used to feed our dog that too! I felt bad at the time, thinking it was bad for him!
Hey genius, check into what food contains the most natural Arsenic than any other food and I bet you’d change your tune real fast! Those poor animals. And whoever’s eating them eggs…
I just shared this video with my mom in PR. She’s been getting fewer and fewer eggs with the feed that's available to her. Thank you so much!
Also tell her to save the egg shells crush em up & feed it back to them. The shell is almost entirely made of calcium carbonate& they need calcium to make strong eggshells.
@@dellaangel thank you so much! I will
@@dellaangel the egg shell has to be baked in the oven first or they could start to eat their eggs
@@daughter-of-christ is there any studies that prove this? How can they associate a egg with egg shells when their sense of smell isn’t even strong and they have almost zero memory they forget each other is a few days
@@dianeespinoza8647 I haven’t seen any studies but I’ve seen several people who’ve raised chickens say this.
We all know what's wrong with the feed THEY was just hoping that we didn't know? Those HIGHER-UPS are 😈 evil. Great video 🙂
They are Satanic.
Exactly.. almost like all the corporate foods are more poisonous every day..
Yep messing with the feed so our chicken can't lay eggs
Yes! We all need to stick together. There are more of us then them!
@@stevesilver7437 absolutely...
I'll be darned. I just got chickens and I had heard about the companies messing with the feed. I bought a bag of feed, my friend who has chickens told me to use the bagged stuff. My chicken book says use the bagged stuff, not "home made junk". These comments from your community are better advice than what I'm currently getting. I'm going to subscribe.
Copy nature don't do this. I'd never feed an animal anything toxic. Phytohaemagglutinin occurs naturally in several kinds of raw beans, including broad beans, white kidney beans, and red kidney beans. This toxin causes gastroenteritis. This is ignorant advice. Well cooked leftovers are ok here and there. Forcing hens to survive on raw beans and whatever is just wrong.
Grow your own beans. I bought a bag of beans with 15 varieties. I have 20 seeds of each one and planting them. I'll do a video when I get ready to plant them. I'm glad your chickens are doing better. They do look much better. And they definitely are acting different. I'm glad you found a solution. Thanks for sharing and have a great day and happy gardening and stay blessed 😘🤗🙏🏽🙏🏾🙏🙏🏻🐓🐓🐔🐔🐣🐥
Does it matter which beans? I was given a case of garbanza beans and pasta (what? a blessing! On time!)
Do you got gassy on those eggs? I'm gonna ask Lady Lead! 😝 Don't bee 🐝 getting nervous!
I've been watching several homesteaders who have been making their own feed that includes beans, split peas oats and wheat grain, high protein makes sense which means if you can give them your own who needs the feed stores. I also grow my own veggies and fruit so yes, you're on track too. Kudos to you.
That's a genius idea 💡
I ran out of feed early this month and feed my silky chicks rice and garbanzo beans and they love it and you are right it really has saved on water. Less bickering too! So glad you made this video for affirmation.
The government is screwing with the feed. For all farm animals. THEY CANT CONTROL US IF WERE SELF SUSTAINABLE. good job sir
I sent this video to my mother since she has chickens. Thank You for taking the time to help us save money and live better! Continued success and abundance 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
thank you Etta. I hope this helps your mom out
@@leadfarmer73 god bless you sir
Do not use it. It is a scam.
And poor diet.... There is nothing at all wrong with the feed.
Chickens stop laying eggs for a variety of reasons. Hens may lay fewer eggs due to light, stress, poor nutrition, molt or age. Some of these reasons are natural responses, while others can be fixed with simple changes and egg laying can return to normal.
Thank you sir!! I'll tell my daughter
@@jeanhedger3717 Hens may live in backyard flocks for 6-8 years, and most flocks will produce eggs for 3-4 years. The level of egg production, egg size, and shell quality decrease each year. Most commercial layers are kept for 2-3 years as their egg production decreases after this time.
Growing up in Jamaica we didn’t buy chicken feed, there food was all over the yard. Fantastic one!
What did the chickens eat in your yard in Jamaica?
@@JaneThatcher89Marijuana
Very healthy looking flock. I raised chickens for a boy scout merit badge. My Granny taught me to give them access to my garden (another BSA merit badge). They would eat all the bugs. The vegie scraps, included beans n corn bread (I grew up poor). Great advice sir, you know what your doing.
Beans and cornbread is good. I grew up on that too.
I definitely don't give chickens access to my garden they scratch your seedlings up they will eat all your lettuce,spinach leaves plus anything green leafed really
Rodley,
Most folks would say you grew up Rich, just didn't know it . . .
@@fjb4932 I know it now. Our house was a converted garage with no indoor plumbing. I know now that it was a great childhood.
It's starting to look like those of us who grew up poor have better life skills.
Wow! I’m definitely going to give this a try! The price of grain has risen so much in the last two years, per kilogram dried pinto beans and pasta are the same price, and once they’re boiled per kilogram they work out cheaper than dry grains.
Thank you for this tip.
Sunny greetings from South Spain 🌞
And beans are over 20% protein!!!
My brother you are on to something, I got off the store bought feed and feeding them table scraps. They started laying again but, when I gave my hens beef fat off of Hamburger meat I doubled my egg production. Just thought I'd share with you my friend!
When I had chickens I never threw the cooking fat away. I always mixed it into their feed which I mixed up with hot water and let it stand. They get more nutrition out of it that wasy with the presoaking.
Mine love ground beef is well but for some reason I can't get them to eat beans I wonder if I'm using the wrong kind of beans
Led I tried this and it made my chicken calm too. Thanks I'll put the oyster shells next time and I actually got eggs
You’re so right, I feed my chickens a lot of food that my family and I eat and they also free range for a couple of hours 4 times a week. Mine always lay well and are very healthy.
I just went back to 100% feeding my birds from my own kitchen
My chickens get our food scraps, they love them.
Don't forget to play them polka music, chickens love polka,
Wow that is crazy I was giving mine tractor supply feed They all stopped laying eggs and they fight over the food almost like there's nothing in it and that stuff's expensive. I got to say this is phenomenal. 👍 New subscriber here.
Same here. No more
Same here! We've been feeding them TCS feed for 2 years now. They use to produce eggs like no other. They all stopped laying last summer, they recently " resumed" not really 1 to 2 eggs from a 11 bird flock every few days, and our duck too. Horrible! My flock was better off with the Walmart poultry feed "Vibrant Life" lol
My grandparents raised chickens and they always had a slop jar for all the food leftovers which went to the chickens.
I send you one big thank you on behalf of my chickens.
For a long time i have been unhappy about the commercial chicken food I fed them, as were they.
It has been watching your video and my switch went over, I will be feeding them pasta and beans mixed with some oyster shell, kelp and olive oil every day from now on.
I also have started experimenting with fermented and sprouted seeds and grains.
Feeding my chicks had become so much nicer, thank you!😀
I feel the same and thank you for your comment on what you would also feed them. I've never thought of a bit of olive oil added but yes to the kelp and oyster shells. Grand idea! :) If you have started this new diet please do up date us. Love to know how you like it and how much of each(food) you use.
I've been using Nutrena layer pellets and all my kitchen scraps and leftovers. My chickens never stop laying. They are very happy girls!
That's how my grandma used to do it in Carribbean, she never buying food, and chickens always laying eggs , lettuce , cornmeal porridge as well she give them ..what ever she cooks.. Great video again Mr Lead 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽💚💚💚💫👋🏽💎🦋🇬🇧
@@dianag.thomasmba5416 Exactly q💯🎯
I'm going to try this my birds aren't laying much.
Mine too!
I was given 5 year old lady chickens and they lay happily for me often with this feed 😊 thank you for this video!
I put in a whole heap of seasonings for their health also, lately they've been having cajun pasta and beans with cayenne pepper 😊
My brother loves my chicken food 😂
No, your chickens like Mexican food and so do I!
cayenne is so good for your health, opens restricted veins , arteries, helps during a heart attack, asthma, check it out. I was amased
I live in Southern South Dakota and my chickens have totally stopped laying . Thank you for the video and I'm gonna give it a shot
Cayenne I've ben told helps them to lay better.
Helps Circulation?
Also anything that is hot. Like peppers will kill and prevent parasites
We have been doing the beans and pasta for a week. Remarkable. Egg production has improved! Thanks
We need a class action lawsuit against monsanto and chicken feed company they own
It's actually literally gonna take scorched Earth to get rid of that type of vermin.
This is genius. Humanity at its best. Thanks for the tip
The MAIN reason they eat eggs is because they need the calcium to make new shells. If you feed them an “egg-maker mash/crumbles/pellets”, that has enough calcium. If you don’t, they will eat an egg as fast as it is laid. A substitute is to add oyster shells. At the least, save all old egg shells, crush them to 2-4mm flakes and feed them that.
I feed my pups real food too, cause like you said, the animal feed ain’t right!! Have a good day Mr. Farmer
Me too. I raw feed my pups. Nobody gets sick. Commercial food- all my other dogs died young from weird things.
People feed ain't so right either. :-( "They" would prefer we were sick and didn't have our own food sources!.
My grandmother was as country as you could get. She lived through the great depression and knew all the little secrets. She raised chickens for eggs and meat but also to barter with. She traded eggs for milk that was so fresh that it was still warm from the cow. When her chickens slowed down on laying, she would add some chili powder and crushed shale to their feed and they would begin laying again. Chili powder gives them minerals that they need and makes them healthier. Shale goes to the gizzard and helps them grind their food better.
Yes! I grew up on a farm,and mine did that as well!
what is crushed shale??
@@abtaladil03 Shale is a type of rock. Sometimes found near rivers, its a dark/black flaky rock.
Dried red chili pepper has more nutrients than ANYTHING else
Our chickens ate leftovers. The spices n vege oils keep them healthy.
Wow !! so glad I bumped into your channel, I have been wondering how I am going to feed my birds without buying the garbage that's being called chicken feed,, my mind just started imagining the possibilities of what you are doing so thank you so much for sharing.
When I stopped feeding my lovely chickens that H....F.... a bag of feed and starting give them Sardines, Tuna Fish, Oyster shells, and Poultry Grit within one day, my chickens started back laying eggs.... Thank you for letting us know, we not losing our minds.
They also love blueberries, strawberries and leftover lettuce.... Yes, they eat really good!!!
The chickens feathers and coats look so lustrous and full, Thank you for the video!
So nice of you
For chickens to lay eggs they need protein, so this is amazing. Also the more greens that you incorporate into their diet the darker orange, your yolk will become think about it all the eggs you buy from the store the yolk is yellow that’s because they’re not giving him no greens they’re just giving him grain the feed you’re doing an amazing job on your chickens look great❤
Shows that our food controls our behavior! health and wellness to your family!
That’s great! You make me want to raise chickens again. The f store bought feed in bags is being poisoned intentionally.
I buy my feed from the Amish farmer down the road, and I’ve never had any issues with my chickens whatsoever. I don’t buy commercial feed from any stores.
I did the same with my chickens. I heard PP didn't have the full 16% protein. Whether that was true or not, I know what has a ton of protein...beans! so I put pinto beans in my Foodie, aka Instapot, covered with water and cooked for 1 hour. The girls went crazy over it. Within 2 days they went from laying 2-4 eggs a day to 9-12. Yesterday I got 15 eggs! This will help offset the rising cost of feed. An FYI regarding raw uncooked beans...
Beans (Dried or Raw)
Black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans… any type of dry or raw bean is poisonous to chickens. Beans contain a compound called phytohaemagglutinin, which is highly toxic to chickens.
As LeadFarmer73 said, cook those beans first!
Cook. Split peas. Lintels ??
How much cooking would be required in a crock pot? Should I cook them until they are soft or just for a couple hours?
@@nchistorydiggers8808 soak overnight cook 4-6 hours till tender. High temp 4. Low. Temp 6. Need to be tender.
@NC History Diggers I cooked mine until tender. Same as if I were eating them. I would assume overcooked would be better than undercooked.
Right On!!! Thank you. I have been saying this for about a year now “ something is wrong with this feed”. All of a sudden just no eggs at all. Something definitely changed in the food we have to buy.
Thank you. I'm waiting for my little "chick-a-poos" to arrive. How wonderful to get "real" advice from people like Lead Farmer 73 who care enough about others to post this video. We are all connected!
This man is a legend
I'd love to see a 1 month update of this.
Doubting ?
I agree. It's been a month since the video posting. An update would be great.
Yup
But WHY not? Wouldn’t it just be Best!
My only concern is are they getting all their nutrients with just these two ingredients? I'm watching another video where it's more complex so i am curious.
You're a genuine, chicken food is designed to create an egg shortage, a control game we're all aware of in todays world, thank you for sharing this
Truth Sistah!!!!..
Exactly my brother's got 14 chickens and they don't lay I have two and I get 2 a day they're flabergasted
I don't even own chickens (yet) but I'm so happy I came across your video!! Thank you!
Thank you for this video. I just have 3 backyard chickens and was considering having to rehome them because I couldn't afford to get a bag of feed for them. It's been getting really financially hard. This will help so much! Thank you thank you, your video is a God sent. ❤🙏
Thank you and God bless you sir.
Our pleasure!
Thank you for your experimentation and posting videos. I lost my rooster in December and 3 hens in January. I am so sad. I believe it was the chicken layer feed. I no longer feed them layer feed. Scraps, sprouts, sunflower seeds, chicken scratch from Amazon, baked broken egg shells, grit and some molasses coated goat feed. They lay daily eggs now. The had stopped laying last fall and winter. I will add beans and pasta for variety now! ❤🐓
My dad kept chickens in the seventies, ours only ever had table scrapes and the bugs they could find round the garden. They were also just fine.
That's how it was done at our house too.
That's what I've heard from other chicken owners, as well. Just keep a big compost pile, where you throw your scraps and let them sift through it for scraps and bugs. It also helps the compost pile.
wow, Idk what I'd do with 30 chickens running around the neighborhood.
I don see bugs anymore, tears. (In Sf bay area.)
God don't make any junk. Natural pest control and fertilizer that can be eaten.
I heard from others on RUclips that they came out with a chicken feed that was making the chickens sick. You have to make your own feed. A couple called Doug and Stacy talked about the chicken feed being bad. Just make you own, buy the products and combine them. Good luck in what you do.
I tried this but instead of macaroni noodles I used spaghetti noodles that I broke into 2 inch long pieces... my chickens think they are worms! LOL it's hilarious to watch them grab 'em and slurp 'em up or run around the coop thinking they got a live one hahaha I've also noticed I don't need to fill my water containers nearly as much as I used to. During the hot summer days I'll throw a bag of frozen corn out there too and they love it. Even with all the additions, it's significantly cheaper than store bought food and there's literally no waste. They finish EVERYTHING before dark and no more random rats showing up trying to get pellets left behind!
We have been sprouting rye (2 cups) and lentils (1 cup). Soaking 24 hours doubles the volume of the food. But we continue to sprout for a full week. It will fill a full-sized chaffing pan and feed our flock of 17 ladies and gents. This is great option this time of year when our ground is buried under 6+ inches of snow. Plus, our ladies have not stopped laying all winter.
Could you explain this further? I am not understanding what you are saying to do. Where do you get rye? and do you cook the lentils or soak the dry lentils in water overnight or 24H? and what do you mean by sprouting for a week?
@@monehorman6744 You can use most whole grains and beans that you can buy from a grocery store. You are not cooking them, but soaking and sprouting.
I use the ratio 1 cup of beans (usually lentils more bang for the buck) and 2 cups of whole grains (wheat berries, barley, rye, etc.). All these can be bought in small amounts at the grocery store. But you can get large bags of horse oats and field peas at the feed store ($15-20 for 50 pounds).
These go dry and uncooked into a half gallon mason or sprouting jar. Fill with water and soak 12-24 hours larger beans may need the full 24, but lentils only need 12. The beans and grains will double in volume.
Drain the water off and let sit in the jar with a sprouting lid or cheese cloth over the open jar. Rinse and drain every day for 3 days. They will sprout roots after 2 days and have 1/2 to 3/4 inch roots at 3 days.
After 3 days tansfer them to a sprouting tray as if you were sprouting microgreens. We use stainless chaffing/catering pans with small holes drilled in the bottom to drain excess water, because they were free.
Every morning they get sprayed with water and put on a shelf. After 1 -2 days in the tray, the greens will be about 1/2 inch. I continue to let them grow until the greens are like grass, usually a total of 7-8 days from first soak.
So in a week, we grow a two sq ft lawn of grains, greens, and protein for our flock. It is perfect for us in upstate New York, where we have snow and frozen ground 4 months of the year. Plus it's a cheap natural supplement to their normal chicken feed.
@@bmoss9604 TY for the kind reply. I know it took you awhile to write and post that. Much respect. yet, you write "supplement to their normal chicken feed". It appears most of us want to lose the 'normal chicken feed". When suppliers learn we aren't getting eggs? They say, oh, you need more feed. The difference for us: With feed, no eggs. Off the feed? At least there is hope! Thanks again for your gracious and kind post.
@@timisaac8121 We have a feed hopper that is full of normal layer feed. Really, the layer feed is their supplemental feed. They mostly eat fermented grains, fodder, compost, and whatever they get from the yard.
Such a great food! I sprout grain for my chickens and bunnies and they love it.
Dont forget Lead, you can get a bag of lentils from the dollar tree and sprout them in jars for the chickens as well.
It is good to see someone rejecting corporate feed - I have long felt this was the way - I love that calmness was an effect - pretty cool.
Great video. Most of my store feed is wasted; chickens hate it. I've tried other commercial feeds and still get a lot of wasted feed. Tomorrow I'm cooking beans and pasta (or maybe rice). Thanks and may God bless.
Shalom family, I just got 12 chick's 2 days old. This was so helpful for my 7 month old hens. I agree with the feed , it's not good. This was awesome information 👏🏿 👌🏾. Blessings to you and your Queen.
The current situation with chicken feed is absolutely disgusting, someone somewhere screwed up big. It's even affected commercial farmers and their hens aren't laying, making egg prices even higher.😒More encouragement to do it yourself the right way. Thank you LF for always providing low-cost, productive solutions to these issues. I started making my own ACV thanks to you, and will never buy it again. Even gave it away as Christmas gifts
In fact, you should add the ACV to their water or maybe their feed. I know it is good for them from experiences but don't know why.
thank you so much. the feed is even a different color and texture now.
No one screwed it up. It's deliberate.
Thank you for sharing your recipe with us.
@@vward4871 cant be a greedy capitalist if there is noone left to buy from you.
Thanks! I’ve been doing oatmeal, black oil sunflower seeds, fruit and veggie scraps and we’re not missing a beat on egg production. But think I’ll definitely try some beans and pasta too ❤️
Be careful on the beans and pasta,they're not getting the protein they need!
Pasta is not really protein, add a bit of tuna (the in water kind) or sardines everynow and then, gives them protein and aminoacids
Beans and pasta are a complete protein, just like beans and rice. Obviously it’s working since they are laying better and their feathers look better and they are happier
Angel Black that is greay, specially sunflower seeds for their feathers!
@@beckylavallee1 🤣
Thank you! I noticed my birds got skinny and prayed that God would show me how to fill them up.
Thank you!😊
We have been making our own, I ferment the grains. Good for keeping them healthy and mites off of them.
Thanks. You just made a fan. Add to this that beans are something I can grow to cut down costs, it's a win win. Another thing that will help them lay, though it's seasonal, is apples. I process a lot of apples in the fall and last year I was getting 15/17 eggs from 17 hens a day when I fed them the peels and cores. I don't know why it works, but it does.
Wow, great video! Our chickens had stopped laying - NOT 1 egg in months. We switched to using goat feed from a local hay and grain company that mixes their feed and we're averaging 12+ eggs a day again. I'm going to try the beans and pasta!! Great idea and thank you - I LOVE your videos!!
Mine get pig feed sometimes....they love it! I wet it down for them so it's easier to get into the crop and they get full and healthy
You buy yourself a good local feed and ferment it for your birds, they will love it. Fermented food allows your chickens to benefit from all the nutrients in the feed and allow feed to last longer. Great video, I'm getting my beans and pasta ready tonight. Thank You
Great video. I raised chickens for years when I was younger. Clever way to get them to stop eating eggs by putting the wooden eggs in there, and then that beans, pasta and shells cocktail makes them look healthy (in addition to producing eggs). Going to follow these videos now.
The wooden eggs, I use ping png balls, are placed in the nest to let the hens know that this is a safe place to lay and predators won't get to the eggs. They eat their eggs when their calcium levels are low. They are saying they need more calcium.
Chickens need meat!!! if they are eating their own eggs they're not getting enough meat 🥩 🥩 they need maggots and worms😊
Great video and great solution. I add since years also stinging nettles in the low percentages to there feed (you could go up to 2/3). - These are full of minerals and vitamins.
Oistershell, that is a great idea! I give the crushed egg shells back for laying hens.
- You can grind up your pasta-bean feed for newly hatched chicks and add 1/3 stinging nettles! Then they will thrive without having to buy special food.
I started to do this and finally found out what it's like to not have screaming hungry chickens! we have been feeding commercial feed for 2 years now and I just thought that chickens were loud. NOPE! since doing this I now have happy and quiet chickens! I will also throw in some dehydrated greens from the summer and dehydrated veggies for an added bonus. They love it!
Do you give them the dehydrated stuff dry or rehydrate?
Watch out for sourcrop add grit
Try to give them dehydrated foods that has been soaked in water first. The dehydrated food will rehydrate in the stomach and cause it to burst. Plus, two/three days soaking will make more feed with fermentation. This will improves digestion for the birds. Sprouting dried beans is one the best foods for all your animals. @@bevami1
Yessir! All the people who said their chickens stopped laying complained about the chicken feed. My birds free range, but I grow pumpkins and corn and squash to feed them. Frozen from last year doesn’t matter either.
Thank you for this video I knew something had to be wrong because both of my hens have completely stopped laying. I believe they are manipulating the feed in some sort of way
I don’t know what’s going on but I DO KNOW that don’t want any part of what they are selling. Lol
I'm new to chickens. Mine should be starting to lay soon, however, the layer feed I'm using, they don't want any of it, I had already started giving them scraps, rice, beans, fruit they go crazy over it.
Lead, I like that feeder, did you make it?
Thank you for sharing!
I have noticed none of my hens are going broody too! I want my hens to go broody so I can hatch out baby chicks.
Thank you for posting this. I switched feed 3 times before I figured out Purina was making most all the feed.
Purina = Nestle they were the ones making the dog food that was killing the dogs nasty corporations just imagine what the put in the human food
They are messing with the dog and cat food as well.. .My animals will not eat it.
Yeah, I have noticed that my cats aren't eating like they used too but it's the same feed brand we have been getting that they loved up until a week or so ago.
@@cynthiabourgeois5254 exactly.. my dogs have ate the same food for years. Suddenly stopped eating. Other friends and even strangers at Walmart and Costco have told me the same thing.. as we stare dumbfounded on what dog food to buy. I've heard they are putting birth control in the food. Purina is being sued.
@@katarascal3183 Purina killed my cat a year and half ago, his bladder was flull of crystals my vet could not flush out, I will never use purina again
We had a few chickens when I was a kid and my parents used to make bran mash mixed with kitchen scraps to feed them.The droppings went onto a rhubarb patch in the back garden. I’m now 80 years old so this is a long time ago.
I just saw this video about a week ago and I want to say thank you I fed pinto beans that I fermented and rice and when I didn't have the rice I had pinto beans and pasta My black hand who had not been laying for over a month and a half laid the most beautiful egg after being on this stuff for a week thanks again information was great
Even if it’s a few dollars more it seems worth it! It’s providing Real Food and taking back control from greedy corporations. Win Win!!!❤
That will be MUCH cheaper than commercial feed.
Love you guys
I saw this video and started the next day. You are right...they eat it up and seem so happy. I think it's working very well so far. Eggs increased the 2nd week but that could be the weather. Still this is cheaper than the feed store. Thanks so much for sharing this great idea.
You can feed them veggie scraps from your garden. Like the outer leaves of cabbage, spinach leaves etc. Also add the ground up egg shells ( to a powder) in the food. They need the calcium laying eggs and other vitamins from the greens.
You can give them the whole shells. They will eat them but it's best if broken up so they won't eat the eggs they lay.
I keep an aluminum pan in the oven to collect egg shells. Once it's full, I pre-heat the oven then turn off to fully dry and that still has wetness. I then crush the shells with my hands. It's strangely satisfying! The crushed shells are then either fed back to the chickens or put in the garden.
@@shashuwells500 I was always warned against whole or just broken up shells; it causes the chickens to cannibalise their own eggs.
@@mrspleasants8529 I am aware. Heard the same that's why I suggest to break them to the point that they do not resemble an egg. Even grinding into a powder and adding it to the feed.
@@shashuwells500so your comment wasn't really necessary at the end, as it's just repeating what the op said.
Thank you for this. This is the first time my girls have just up and quit laying. Usually come Winter, they still give me a couple eggs but this year they just stopped. I'm getting ready to put some pinto beans on the stove and follow your instructions. I bet this is cheaper on the budget too!!!
WOW , Im 57 , and have raised bantams and full size chickens over many many years. I love being open minded and always willing to learn. Thank you for this video and info. / OHIO
Are you in fl? I'm in need of bantam anything!! Hard to find here & I refuse to ship birds.
I’m raising chickens in Ohio too and can never seem to find the same feed consistently so finding this video is everything!
Going to start this diet you have shared with my birds. You are exactly right about their behavior when eating typical feed , always bickering and fighting , scrapping for the water bowl , Thanks for sharing and cant wait to see the results, God Bless
This is so much fun! Appreciate the common sense approach. Gonna get after this with my 50 birds and more on the way. Thanks for keeping it real&fun! Cracked me up too. Love it!
This is nice. If everyone who had chickens did this, a progressive world it would be. Thanks for helping everyone out. Never stop addressing us as Fam.
Love it. You are the man! I started given my girls prenatal and now they lay egg’s machines. But, this cost $$ and plus dry feed. I will definitely save a lot of time and money by just keeping it simple ❤ Beans and pasta and possibly beans and rice. Amazing, thank you.
I heard this has been happening to a lot of people who own chickens. They stated something is in the feed. This is a awesome solution! Thanks for the info!
Thank you
Nothing is IN the feed. Some feed seems to be lower protein then listed. But no added toxins or anything. I have a video showing I feed PP 16% layer feed and kitchen scraps and get 7 eggs a day from my 11 hens. My comments section on that video is absolutely flooded with people that use PP and have had 0 egg issues. Only about 5% of people are experiencing an issue with the feed. It would be the opposite if they added things to prevent eggs. So the most logical answer so far is some of the mills received lower quality ingredients. Could have been a lower quality crop from the farmers. Could have been lower quality hops from the local brewer. Could have been cheaper soybean meal bought by the mill. But certainly, undeniably nothing being added to the feed.
@@phoxpharms good to know!
I'm going to share your video with my neighbor because he has chickens that stopped laying eggs. Thanks for sharing Mr. Lead. 👍🤗
Two hens 0:33 that were given to me for not laying, last 16 days I've had two eggs everyday oatmeal spinach slice of bread for breakfast organic scratch and a handful of mealworms water