I love this video. We live i south africa and chicken food is generally just a mixed bag of crushed corn. I have orpingtons and rhodes and i need them to eat the right food. This helps a lot. Oh and Lizzy is now wearing her dress so that her back feathers can grow back.
Only recently came across your channel. The grains are well explained. I'm an old timer and try my best for chicken food to be as natural as possible. Day-old chicks - Rhode Island Reds - are a different matter. Like the explanations. I grow a block of corn and a West African cerial called Fonio... drought resistant and does well in poor soil. Grind up with warm water, and the little ones do okay. Once grown, they fend for themselves in their own compost pile; red wrigglers, bugs with crushed and sterilised eggshells tossed in for their calcium intake.
Interesting tip about the corn warming their body temperature! I had been giving them the corn hen scratch before bed this winter (my first with chickens) as a treat, I am glad I inadvertently made their nights easier! My coop is well insulated but I do my best to ensure their comfort 😊 thank you for the informative video!
@@EnglishCountryLife May I ask, does this warming effect occur strictly with this dried variant of corn or would say a corn on the cob treat provide this effect as well?
@@ellasvendsen6711 It would. Corn grains help chickens warm themselves by providing considerable carbohydrate. In cold weather, chickens use this to generate heat. They seem to particularly like maize, always picking it out first. Ours equally enjoy home grown sweetcorn but its generally no growing here when they most need it.
@@EnglishCountryLife Good to know all corn has a warming effect. I live in a sub-tropical climate, and I think the last thing chickens need here is *more* warming up!
All good information You can also soak your grains the chickens love this. It is very good for gut health as it does the same for them as it does for us when we eat fermented foods
I am working on developing a formula for reasonable and cheap feed for chicken, using alpha alpha hay mainly. Please make a detailed video on that subject. Thank you.
Thank you Fiona - excellent video full of detailed information. Perfect for people new to chicken keeping but also to people like me who have a little experience but are still learning. You mentioned you feed the cracked wheat etc in different proportions and combinations at different times - could you give a little more information on that please.
Of course. In Spring and Summer we tend to give just wholewheat as a treat. When they go into moult in autumn and the nights are cooler we will mix 1 part wholewheat, 1 part corn to keep them warm and 2 parts split peas for a protein boost as they grow more feathers. In winter we tend to mix 1 part wholewheat, 1 part split peas and 2 parts corn. These are only their treats that they get late afternoon. Does that help?
Hi Fiona, we have had our ex layers since August and it has been a wonderful experience. Your videos were incredably helpful for getting us started. Thankyou. Our ladies are not really into treats. They free range so find there own treats I guess. Now it's colder I am thinking of introducing corn again. Should I scatter it, or put it in a bowl?
If your hens are not into treats, why not mix it in with their pellets in their feeder? If you are in England the UK government introduced an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone across the whole of England as at 5pm on 11th November 2020 which will be in force until further notice. If you read this response while this is still in force scattering any food or leaving food bowls in the open is no longer legally permitted for any poultry whether livestock or pets. So mixing treats in with their normal food in their feeder is the best option. If you haven't seen the notice from the UK government and you do live in England, we are now required to ensure feeders and drinkers are kept indoors in an enclosed space. I hope this helps.
@@EnglishCountryLife Hi Fiona, yes I have just seen that this afternoon. The feeder / drinkers are under a covered part of their run, so i think I am ok. Thanks for the tip, i will add the corn into their feeder.
Thank you so much for all your fantastic content. We are looking to add 2 or 3 Orpingtons to our house hold. However I’m literally soaking all your information up before purchasing them as I want to make sure I am doing everything correctly from the get go. Do you recommend any brands when it comes to food? I live in the uk so hopefully you have some recommendations for me. Loving the channel! Thank you for all your help so far!!
I know this video is a couple months old but I’m watching all of them as planning to get chickens this year and they are very helpful so Thankyou. I’m wondering if you had pullets and a couple of them started laying so you move them on to layers feed but you still have some needing grower feed how do I stop them eating each other’s food or do I just feed one food until they’re all on the same? Also what do you feed chickens which stop laying during winter, do you continue with layer feed? Thankyou
Great questions. The basic rule is to feed chickens according yo the youngest group. So in a group with laying hens, non laying hens and chicks, tgeg should always be fed chick crumb or micro-pellets? If extra calcium is needed for layers, provide them with pots of coarse oyster shell and they'll eat as needed.
I have one roo 13 hens and a momma with 8 chicks..I have bought all the pellets, etc..but I also give them bread once a day..and left overs, like spaghetti noodles, rice, and lots of veggies...they are starting to prefer my left overs at 3pm..and not eating their pellets..trying to give them less treats so they rely on real chicken food..with proteins...what do you suppose? I spoil my chickens with blueberries, canteloupe...
Treats are fine but limit the quantity so that most of their diet is pellets. Try giving them hot mash (pellets covered in hot water & mashed). Most chickens love it
There haven't been sufficient scientific studies done to positively conclude whether there are health benefits of cider vinegar in poultry rearing (or to rule it out). There are many opinions on the matter, but few backed up by conclusive trials
Chickens don't need a single food to be healthy, they need a balanced diet of many foods. If you want a single food, then commercial pellets are your best choice, but they may not be the cheapest. For cheapness, growing your own food is best but you need several foods to balance protein, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins.
Hi Fiona. I’ve just been reading about fermented chicken food and it’s apparent benefit both in cutting costs and being better for the chickens. What are your thoughts on this please?
Personally it's something we wouldn't use. If the fermentation is lactic fermentation it uses salt to make the fermentation happen and salt is very bad for chickens. Yes, the salt can be washed off after the process is complete but it won't remove all of the salt. Fermentation also releases gases in the process and I would be concerned about how this would imbalance the chickens digestion. They have very delicate walls to parts in their digestive system and excess gas could be problematic. Modern layers pellets are perfectly balanced to provide everything our chickens need. They incorporate everything that a chicken would get from a natural diet and that they have evolved to digest. Fermented foods are not something that forms part of their natural diet. That's our view. I hope that makes sense. If you're looking to reduce costs there is a large agricultural feed merchant in Folkingham called R S Wright. It might be worth seeing if they deal with chicken pellets (they may not). As an alternative It would be a bit of drive for you but Howsams in Old Leake definitely do layers pellets at a cheap price We use an large agricultural feed merchant near us and it reduces the cost of the pellets significantly.
@@EnglishCountryLife thank you for you’re detailed reply. The method I saw was to soak the grain in distilled water only but my thought was why mess with what’s been scientifically produced to be the right food and like you will be supplementing with greens and treats! I’m not worried about reducing cost as I think if you can’t afford to keep chickens and look after them well then don’t have chickens! Thank you for the feed merchant recommendations, it’s much appreciated 😘
@@EnglishCountryLife Hi Fiona, thank you such a detailed response to a previous poster's question about fermented feeds. There are many chicken keepers who tout fermentation as better - for their flock (more readily absorbed nutrients, increased hydration, greater satiety), and for themselves (lower feed costs, sometimes up to 50%). My understanding is that *only* water is used to ferment the feed, with no salt added. So I have no qualms on that front. I hadn't even considered the fact that CO2 is a byproduct of fermentation, and its effect on a chicken's delicate digestive system. I do find this concerning. What if there was CO2 trapped in microscopic bubbles, within the wet and glue-like structure of the ferment? I just have horrible visions of chickens eating fermented feed and ending up with distended guts. Also, if they are reportedly able to halve a chicken's daily rations, from say, 1/4 cup, to 1/8 cup, wouldn't this potentially result in malnutrition in the long run? Their argument is that nutrients in fermented feed is better absorbed. I don't believe this has been backed up by a comprehensive nutritional analysis though, whereas pellets have been precisely formulated and are nutritionally balanced. Would you share this concern also?
Hi Fiona I love your videos they’re so helpful. I’d like to mix my own quantities of corn etc but I’m struggling to find each ingredient. Any suggestions? My local feed supplier doesn’t sell it
Because of delivery its obviously better to buy local Kirsty but there are a number of online suppliers. This one came up on a Google search www.chestnutmill.co.uk/search?type=article%2Cpage%2Cproduct&q=Maize*
Hi Fiona, thank you for your video. Just out of interest as I plan to get chickens next year, do you feed your chicks/pullets medicated feed or unmedicated? Thanks in advance.
Our chickens free range in our field and as a result there is a small risk of transmission of coccidiosis from wild bird faeces to the chickens so we do feed medicated feed and in all the years of breeding, this has worked for us. Having said that this year we could not get hold of our normal micropellets during lockdown and we did feed an unmedicated alternative from another brand simply because it was available. We did not lose any chicks or pullets at all. If you are hatching your own chicks there is no risk of them contracting coccidiosis because they must come into contact with faeces from infected birds to get it. The risks exist if you buy immature birds or free range immature birds or introduce mature birds to immature birds. Does that make sense?
@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you, yes that makes sense, I understand. Also, do you sell your Buff Orpington fertilised eggs? We admire yours and think they would ideal for us. If so, what time of year, and can we pre order? We would be looking for approx 18 eggs in a hope for 6-8 layers if that sounds about right. Big thanks again.
@@salidavies1702 Hi Sali. Are you on Instagram or Twitter? If so, drop me a DM @TheFloofLady so we can chat. You can also see much more footage of our chickens on there.
Hugh and Fiona are unfailingly polite, and answer every question, to the best of their ability. They have answered your question about the "best and cheapest feed" below. Please be mindful of your tone, as the last thing we want is for them to feel that us viewers are taking advantage of their good nature. They are sharing a wealth of knowledge, and decades of experience *for free* Being rude and demanding will only serve to turn them off, and that wouldn't serve anyone. I've seen content creators burn out, or stop making videos, simply because it was all give from their end, with viewers becoming increasingly demanding. Every abrasive comment, no matter how minor, or unintentional, adds up in the end. Please remember that.
Nice to learn about the feed and ingredients, thanks for sharing 👍
I'm glad it was helpful 😊
I love this video. We live i south africa and chicken food is generally just a mixed bag of crushed corn. I have orpingtons and rhodes and i need them to eat the right food. This helps a lot. Oh and Lizzy is now wearing her dress so that her back feathers can grow back.
Fantastic! Glad to hear it Violet
Very thorough! You've included lots of information and advice without being judgmental. Well done!
Thanks Paul 😁
Only recently came across your channel. The grains are well explained. I'm an old timer and try my best for chicken food to be as natural as possible. Day-old chicks - Rhode Island Reds - are a different matter. Like the explanations. I grow a block of corn and a West African cerial called Fonio... drought resistant and does well in poor soil. Grind up with warm water, and the little ones do okay. Once grown, they fend for themselves in their own compost pile; red wrigglers, bugs with crushed and sterilised eggshells tossed in for their calcium intake.
Thanks Jeff. Not seen Fonio grown here, we must look into it!
Really clear and concise...
Thanks Diane 🙂
Thank you for educating me.
So glad you thought it useful Yohannes!
Thank you!!
You're welcome 🙂
Interesting tip about the corn warming their body temperature! I had been giving them the corn hen scratch before bed this winter (my first with chickens) as a treat, I am glad I inadvertently made their nights easier! My coop is well insulated but I do my best to ensure their comfort 😊 thank you for the informative video!
Anytime. 👍
@@EnglishCountryLife May I ask, does this warming effect occur strictly with this dried variant of corn or would say a corn on the cob treat provide this effect as well?
@@ellasvendsen6711 It would. Corn grains help chickens warm themselves by providing considerable carbohydrate. In cold weather, chickens use this to generate heat. They seem to particularly like maize, always picking it out first. Ours equally enjoy home grown sweetcorn but its generally no growing here when they most need it.
@@EnglishCountryLife Great, thank you!
@@EnglishCountryLife Good to know all corn has a warming effect.
I live in a sub-tropical climate, and I think the last thing chickens need here is *more* warming up!
Fabulous and helpful! Thank you
So glad that it was useful 🙂
All good information
You can also soak your grains the chickens love this.
It is very good for gut health as it does the same for them as it does for us when we eat fermented foods
Interesting
Great tip 👍 Thank you 😊
I am working on developing a formula for reasonable and cheap feed for chicken, using alpha alpha hay mainly. Please make a detailed video on that subject. Thank you.
Protein will be your biggest problem I suspect
Thank you Fiona - excellent video full of detailed information. Perfect for people new to chicken keeping but also to people like me who have a little experience but are still learning. You mentioned you feed the cracked wheat etc in different proportions and combinations at different times - could you give a little more information on that please.
Of course. In Spring and Summer we tend to give just wholewheat as a treat.
When they go into moult in autumn and the nights are cooler we will mix 1 part wholewheat, 1 part corn to keep them warm and 2 parts split peas for a protein boost as they grow more feathers.
In winter we tend to mix 1 part wholewheat, 1 part split peas and 2 parts corn.
These are only their treats that they get late afternoon.
Does that help?
That’s brilliant. Thank you for that Fiona.
Hi Fiona, we have had our ex layers since August and it has been a wonderful experience. Your videos were incredably helpful for getting us started. Thankyou. Our ladies are not really into treats. They free range so find there own treats I guess. Now it's colder I am thinking of introducing corn again. Should I scatter it, or put it in a bowl?
If your hens are not into treats, why not mix it in with their pellets in their feeder?
If you are in England the UK government introduced an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone across the whole of England as at 5pm on 11th November 2020 which will be in force until further notice. If you read this response while this is still in force scattering any food or leaving food bowls in the open is no longer legally permitted for any poultry whether livestock or pets. So mixing treats in with their normal food in their feeder is the best option. If you haven't seen the notice from the UK government and you do live in England, we are now required to ensure feeders and drinkers are kept indoors in an enclosed space.
I hope this helps.
@@EnglishCountryLife Hi Fiona, yes I have just seen that this afternoon. The feeder / drinkers are under a covered part of their run, so i think I am ok. Thanks for the tip, i will add the corn into their feeder.
It was better to do video with subtitles because your voice is so soft.
I'm glad they helped
Thank you so much for all your fantastic content. We are looking to add 2 or 3 Orpingtons to our house hold. However I’m literally soaking all your information up before purchasing them as I want to make sure I am doing everything correctly from the get go.
Do you recommend any brands when it comes to food? I live in the uk so hopefully you have some recommendations for me.
Loving the channel! Thank you for all your help so far!!
Hi Chivan.
Duffields are widely available and reputable. Marriage's are highly recommended & include organic & medicated feeds.
Thank you so much for your quick reply!
I know this video is a couple months old but I’m watching all of them as planning to get chickens this year and they are very helpful so Thankyou. I’m wondering if you had pullets and a couple of them started laying so you move them on to layers feed but you still have some needing grower feed how do I stop them eating each other’s food or do I just feed one food until they’re all on the same? Also what do you feed chickens which stop laying during winter, do you continue with layer feed? Thankyou
Great questions.
The basic rule is to feed chickens according yo the youngest group. So in a group with laying hens, non laying hens and chicks, tgeg should always be fed chick crumb or micro-pellets? If extra calcium is needed for layers, provide them with pots of coarse oyster shell and they'll eat as needed.
I have one roo 13 hens and a momma with 8 chicks..I have bought all the pellets, etc..but I also give them bread once a day..and left overs, like spaghetti noodles, rice, and lots of veggies...they are starting to prefer my left overs at 3pm..and not eating their pellets..trying to give them less treats so they rely on real chicken food..with proteins...what do you suppose? I spoil my chickens with blueberries, canteloupe...
Treats are fine but limit the quantity so that most of their diet is pellets. Try giving them hot mash (pellets covered in hot water & mashed). Most chickens love it
Is cider vinegar used as a tonic or is it just for remedial use ?
There haven't been sufficient scientific studies done to positively conclude whether there are health benefits of cider vinegar in poultry rearing (or to rule it out). There are many opinions on the matter, but few backed up by conclusive trials
@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you.
Which food is cheap and healthy?
Chickens don't need a single food to be healthy, they need a balanced diet of many foods. If you want a single food, then commercial pellets are your best choice, but they may not be the cheapest. For cheapness, growing your own food is best but you need several foods to balance protein, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins.
Hi Fiona. I’ve just been reading about fermented chicken food and it’s apparent benefit both in cutting costs and being better for the chickens. What are your thoughts on this please?
Personally it's something we wouldn't use.
If the fermentation is lactic fermentation it uses salt to make the fermentation happen and salt is very bad for chickens. Yes, the salt can be washed off after the process is complete but it won't remove all of the salt.
Fermentation also releases gases in the process and I would be concerned about how this would imbalance the chickens digestion. They have very delicate walls to parts in their digestive system and excess gas could be problematic.
Modern layers pellets are perfectly balanced to provide everything our chickens need. They incorporate everything that a chicken would get from a natural diet and that they have evolved to digest. Fermented foods are not something that forms part of their natural diet.
That's our view. I hope that makes sense.
If you're looking to reduce costs there is a large agricultural feed merchant in Folkingham called R S Wright. It might be worth seeing if they deal with chicken pellets (they may not). As an alternative It would be a bit of drive for you but Howsams in Old Leake definitely do layers pellets at a cheap price
We use an large agricultural feed merchant near us and it reduces the cost of the pellets significantly.
@@EnglishCountryLife thank you for you’re detailed reply. The method I saw was to soak the grain in distilled water only but my thought was why mess with what’s been scientifically produced to be the right food and like you will be supplementing with greens and treats! I’m not worried about reducing cost as I think if you can’t afford to keep chickens and look after them well then don’t have chickens! Thank you for the feed merchant recommendations, it’s much appreciated 😘
@@barbsdee3831 You are very welcome 🙂
@@EnglishCountryLife Hi Fiona, thank you such a detailed response to a previous poster's question about fermented feeds.
There are many chicken keepers who tout fermentation as better - for their flock (more readily absorbed nutrients, increased hydration, greater satiety), and for themselves (lower feed costs, sometimes up to 50%).
My understanding is that *only* water is used to ferment the feed, with no salt added.
So I have no qualms on that front.
I hadn't even considered the fact that CO2 is a byproduct of fermentation, and its effect on a chicken's delicate digestive system.
I do find this concerning.
What if there was CO2 trapped in microscopic bubbles, within the wet and glue-like structure of the ferment?
I just have horrible visions of chickens eating fermented feed and ending up with distended guts.
Also, if they are reportedly able to halve a chicken's daily rations, from say, 1/4 cup, to 1/8 cup, wouldn't this potentially result in malnutrition in the long run?
Their argument is that nutrients in fermented feed is better absorbed.
I don't believe this has been backed up by a comprehensive nutritional analysis though, whereas pellets have been precisely formulated and are nutritionally balanced.
Would you share this concern also?
Hi Fiona I love your videos they’re so helpful. I’d like to mix my own quantities of corn etc but I’m struggling to find each ingredient. Any suggestions? My local feed supplier doesn’t sell it
Because of delivery its obviously better to buy local Kirsty but there are a number of online suppliers. This one came up on a Google search
www.chestnutmill.co.uk/search?type=article%2Cpage%2Cproduct&q=Maize*
Hi Fiona, thank you for your video. Just out of interest as I plan to get chickens next year, do you feed your chicks/pullets medicated feed or unmedicated? Thanks in advance.
Our chickens free range in our field and as a result there is a small risk of transmission of coccidiosis from wild bird faeces to the chickens so we do feed medicated feed and in all the years of breeding, this has worked for us.
Having said that this year we could not get hold of our normal micropellets during lockdown and we did feed an unmedicated alternative from another brand simply because it was available. We did not lose any chicks or pullets at all.
If you are hatching your own chicks there is no risk of them contracting coccidiosis because they must come into contact with faeces from infected birds to get it. The risks exist if you buy immature birds or free range immature birds or introduce mature birds to immature birds. Does that make sense?
@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you, yes that makes sense, I understand. Also, do you sell your Buff Orpington fertilised eggs? We admire yours and think they would ideal for us. If so, what time of year, and can we pre order? We would be looking for approx 18 eggs in a hope for 6-8 layers if that sounds about right. Big thanks again.
@@salidavies1702 Hi Sali. Are you on Instagram or Twitter? If so, drop me a DM @TheFloofLady so we can chat. You can also see much more footage of our chickens on there.
@@EnglishCountryLife Thanks Fiona yes i am on twitter so I will do that. Take care and thanks again.
I live in Bangladesh and I loves hens please send me some variety of hens
Sorry, we don't sell hens internationally
You can gift me two chicks at least because I want variety
I love your evepisode but why you don't answer me?
We try to answer every question? What do you want to know?
Hugh and Fiona are unfailingly polite, and answer every question, to the best of their ability.
They have answered your question about the "best and cheapest feed" below.
Please be mindful of your tone, as the last thing we want is for them to feel that us viewers are taking advantage of their good nature.
They are sharing a wealth of knowledge, and decades of experience *for free*
Being rude and demanding will only serve to turn them off, and that wouldn't serve anyone.
I've seen content creators burn out, or stop making videos, simply because it was all give from their end, with viewers becoming increasingly demanding.
Every abrasive comment, no matter how minor, or unintentional, adds up in the end.
Please remember that.