The increasingly high cost of commercial feeds is forcing many small-scale farmers out of the business. This is bringing the cost of poultry production up to almost 90 percent. Which is way too high for any business to sustain.
Having the necessary knowledge and skills to produce your own poultry feeds would be an exemplary idea. It will also help in reducing production costs and expanding profits margin.
This post will show you how to easily formulate chicken feeds in your farmyard with raw materials/ ingredients used in assembling commercial feeds.
For the poultry business to blossom, feeding birds with the right quality feeds is not an alternative is a must. For good optimum growth, good health, and egg production, chickens need energy.
There has been an unending conspiracy theory that formulating your feeds is way too costly than purchasing them. But I’ve come to understand this vile and misleading theory was made so that feed traders can continue being in the business.
By the way, the most enterprising farmers are today making their high-quality poultry feeds without buying from feed traders. And thereby reaping huge profits.
You might find out that some of these commercial feeds in the current market are not up to standard. In fact, many chicken keepers have recorded huge losses while using these feeds. However, there are good ones though they are too expensive.
Poultry farmers who formulate their feeds at home roughly save about $5 to $7 per 50-kilogram bag. This is also the same profit margin that feeds traders make when they sell to you.
Feed formula for broiler chickens
Broilers need distinct feed requirements according to their growth phase. Thus
It’s highly advisable to produce feeds in consideration of their growth stages.
For instance, while they are still young, high protein levels are needed for the growth of bones, feathers, muscles, etc. But when they grow, proteins decrease while energy consumption feeds doubles to enhance weight gain. Remember good weight equals excellent returns.
You should also note that since broilers are kept for meat production digestible crude protein(DCP) is required in large quantities of about 23 percent of the feed made.
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Whole maize | 57.2 kg |
| Fishmeal | 17.2kg |
| Soya bean meal | 20kg |
| Lime | 5.8kg |
| Vitamins and minerals | 140g |
| Lysine | 70g |
| threonine | 70g |
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Maize | 44kg |
| Soybean full fat | 34kg |
| Groundnut cake | 2kg |
| Brewer dry grain | 12kg |
| Maize offal | 4kg |
| Bone meal | 3kg |
| Methionine | 250g |
| Lysine | 250g |
| Vitamins and minerals | 250g |
| Salt | 250g |
Don’t forget to add 10g of growth stimulators like zinc bacitracin, coccidiostat, and toxin binder in equal measure.
The above procedure encompasses Kcal/Kg=3038.80 of energy, 22 percent protein, and calcium of about 1.2 percent.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Maize whole grain | 14.5kg |
| Maize germ | 24kg |
| Wheat pollard | 19kg |
| Wheat bran | 14.4kg |
| Cotton seed meal | 16kg |
| Fish meal | 2.2kg |
| Lime | 2.8kg |
| Soya meal | 5kg |
| Bone meal | 90g |
| Premix grower | 20g |
| Salt | 30g |
| Coccidiostat | 10g |
| Zinc bacitracin | 10g |
Formula on how to make feeds for layers Chickens and improved kienyeji
Chick mash formula for ( 1 to 8 weeks chicks) in 100kg
When chicks are still small and growing they require Dcp in their feed formulation of about 18 to 20 percent.
For excellent and fast growth, amino acids are key ingredients, in their feeds.
Below are the necessary ingredients required to make good quality 100 kilograms of chick mash.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Whole grain maize | 46kg |
| Wheat bran | 13kg |
| Wheat pollard | 10kg |
| Sunflower meal | 25kg |
| Fish meal | 2.6kg |
| Lime | 2.5kg |
| Salt | 70g |
| Premix | 40g |
| tryptophan | 140g |
| Growth enhancers | 100g |
| Coccidiostat | 120g |
| toxin binder | 100g |
| lysine | 20g |
| methionine | 20g |
| threonine | 140g |
How to make 100kg growers mash feeds
The main ingredient for growers mash is protein that enhances the development of chick to fully grown adult Chicken. Protein is needed in large quantities of up to 20%.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Maize | 14.3kg |
| Maize germ | 24.3kg |
| Wheat pollard | 18.6kg |
| Wheat bran | 14.3kg |
| Sunflower cake | 15.7kg |
| Lime | 2.9kg |
| Bone meal | 1kg |
| Fish meal | 4.3kg |
| Salt | 40g |
| Coccidiostat | 5g |
| Premix | 30g |
| zinc bacitracin | 5g |
| toxin binder | 10g |
| Soya meal | 4.9kg |
How to make 100kg layers mash
Before I continue, layers mash should never be fed to birds below 4 months, this is because they comprise a large amount of calcium, which can cause kidney problems in younger birds.
The best time to feed layers mash is when they start laying, probably after one week.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Whole maize | 48.5kg |
| Soya meal | 17kg |
| Fish meal | 11kg |
| Wheat bran | 14kg |
| Lime | 9.5kg |
| Premix or production enhancers | 200g |
| lysine | 100g |
| methionine | 50g |
| threonine | 100g |
| tryptophan | 50g |
| toxin binder | 75g |
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Maize | 59kg |
| Soybean meal | 20kg |
| Groundnut cake | 6kg |
| Rice bran | 4kg |
| Bone meal | 5kg |
| Limestone | 5kg |
| Methionine | 200g |
| Lysine | 200g |
| Vitamin and minerals | 200g |
| Salt | 200g |
| Toxin binder | 100g |
| Layers mix | 100g |
You can also add some feed additives like coccidiostat. please note digestible crude protein levels must be between 17 to 20%.
Calcium in layers helps in production of eggshells. If laying hens lack enough calcium in their daily meal, most definitely egg production might drop.
Feed formulation important procedures
After a successful feed-making process, it’s important to first isolate a few birds and observe their development. A clear indication of good quality feeds will make broilers grow fast and laying hens boost egg production.
Strictly use clean ingredients and free from contamination. Birds are so sensitive to degraded materials, therefore care to avoid them.
Be careful to purchase ingredients from established suppliers. Don’t settle on cheap ingredients rather than quality.
It’s essentially prudent to first mix micro nutrients like amino acids before mixing with the rest.
For cash strained/small-scale farmers it’s wise to use a drum mixer that can easily be made by your local welder for fully mixing ingredients. I’ve seen others using a shovel that comes with the disadvantage of uneven distribution of nutrients.
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