A Simple Guide to Managing Village Poultry in South Africa/Feeding

Feeding

Illustration: Susan Powell

Chickens need a good mixture of feeds from many sources to grow well and to produce many eggs. They also need a clean water supply.

They will find some of their feed by scratching the ground for snails, insects, grains, worms, seeds and grass and other plants. This is a good mixture but usually not enough for them to produce well. They need extra feed.

If you can afford to buy a little feed you should do so for the very young chicks. They will eat only small amounts of chick starter feed or ground grain to 4 - 5 weeks of age. These can be bought from the feed store. Do not let older birds eat this feed, it is too expensive and valuable for them. If the feed comes in a bag that is too large for your needs or therefore too costly, you could share the feed and purchase cost with your neighbours.

Do not fill the feed trough more than half full with dry feed otherwise chicks will spill and waste it.

Hens do not often have enough calcium to make the shells for their eggs that will not break easily. Snails are a good source of calcium but limestone is very cheap and should be given in a separate container placed in a dry place. Crushed eggshells can be given to the hens to supply calcium, but boil them first with the raw vegetables. Shells will not then spread disease.

Illustration: Susan Powell

Household food waste is important. This should be saved and given to your chickens fresh each day in a feeder. If you have spare fresh garden vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, cabbage leaves and the like, it is better to cook them first as the hens find it easier to digest them when cooked. Ripe bananas and other fruits are good for poultry. It is a good idea to give birds the household scraps when you close the door of their house at night. This will encourage them to look for food when they get out in the morning.

Bones from cooked chickens and other animals can be sun-dried, then crushed finely with a stone and fed back to your poultry. These contain important minerals, including calcium, for your birds to grow and remain healthy.

Maize bran and wheat bran are sometimes available. These are good for adult chickens. You must always be looking for additional feed for your chickens. They never have sufficient feed.