Is Cheap 16% Layer Feed Safe For Chickens?
Recently I watched a video from another content creator detailing how the average 16% layer feed available at your local box store wasn’t made with your backyard flock in mind. That is absolutely true, but there is more to that story. To understand why mass-produced feed is in fact designed with factory farms in mind and not your backyard flock, you have to first have a basic understanding of the history of the industrial food system. In America prior to World War 2, most people obtained the vast majority of their food locally from local farmers and food sellers. The American government was struggling to send supplies to troops overseas without the food spoiling before it reached the front lines. The industrial food system while it had existed it some form or another since the creation of large metropolitan areas met this need by creating mass produced foods on scale never seen before. These foods were preserved with high amounts of sugar, salt, and other chemicals to extend their shelf life. This way, the food could survive the journey across the world. Factories that produced meat and housed meat animals to address this increase in demand were created with speed and profit in mind. Be aware that the concept of animal rights or humane treatment of animals as it’s known today didn’t exist in law or in any official capacity before 1970. That was many decades in the future. After the war ended, these factories rebranded and began to provide food not just to government employees but to the average consumer. They marketed their products as modern and convenient. It became unfashionable to make things yourself from scratch. More people moved to urban areas and many of the women who had originally gone to work during the war remained in the workforce for a variety of reasons. Increasingly people moved away from local food providers and opted for cheaper, convenient options because that was popular and being actively promoted.
All mass-produced food and products are not evil or bad. Shelf stable foods provide food security and availability to countless people who otherwise would have no food options at all. Like any convenience product, highly preserved items are meant to be part of a balanced diet, not the diet in entirety. All industrial food companies don’t operate on the same level. While some have prioritized only profit, there are some companies that have sought to revise their practices and promote safety and humane practices. Businesses and products should be judged on their own individual merits.
As a result of this industrialization people unconsciously or consciously surrendered their food autonomy. For some it was a choice. Other people didn’t have a choice. Overtime, there has been a resurgence in an interest in traditional living, heritage living, and homesteading as a way of reclaiming food autonomy and forming a relationship with the animals and plants that produce and become your food. I strive to live the way my great grandmother did and to one day have as many skills as she did. Homesteading is my way of reconnecting with my family roots and my heritage. By learning these skills, I’m taking ownership of what my family and pets eat and what I’m choosing to put into my body.
So what does all this have to do with 16% layer feed? Bargain layer feed like any bargain product is designed to the meet to the needs of chickens in the cheapest way possible. Like any bargain mass produced product inexpensive layer feed is heavily reliant on fillers like animal byproduct and corn or wheat waste. The pelletizer, which is the machine that combines the ingredients that make livestock food into a pellet, was invented between the 1920s and 1930s (depending on which design is being discussed). Using this machine cheap food was produced for chickens living their life within the industrial food system. Within the industrial food system, the lifespan of an egg laying chicken is 18 months or less. Meat chickens may live as little as 2 months. Some companies feed them as cheaply as possible. They don’t receive any veterinary care. The goal is profit, not quality. When these chickens have been deemed beyond their prime, their disposed of. Again, not all companies treat chickens this way. You can do individual research to determine which companies’ practices align with your values if you wish to do so.
Now, back to your backyard flock. So, mass produced 16% layer feed was designed for chickens within the industrial food system and is considered a maintenance style feed, meaning it is meant to provide your chicken with the essential nutrients to keep them alive, not necessarily to help them thrive. Think of it like a person living on only processed food. Yes, they’ll live, but their health probably won’t be optimal.
Why do I continue feeding my flock 16% layer feed knowing this? In short, I feed 16% layer feed because that’s what I can afford to do so but I have never fed ONLY layer feed. I have always fed my flock using a combination approach of mass-produced feed and kitchen scraps 3 times per week. I adjust what I feed my flock based on their life stage, the season, and their overall health. I include ¼ all flock formula in my feed dispensers for my roosters and for when my flock is molting. I supplement my bargain layer feed with kitchen scraps, food my family would otherwise waste. I also supplement with fresh vegetables and grain I grow specifically for my chickens in my garden. I ferment my layer feed to both double the volume to make it last longer. Fermenting feed also gives my flock maximum nutritional access to what is in the layer feed making it both more hydrating and easier for them to digest. I also provide treats like corn and scratch grain but only treats. Think of corn and scratch grain like the marshmallows in the cereal. They taste great to your chickens but they have very low nutritional value. Your average scratch grain only has 12% protein and very low if any calcium. Protein and calcium are essential for your flock to have healthy eggs and strong shells. Without them you’ll see soft shells, deformed eggs, health ailments, and even death in your flock. Your flock needs adequate and balanced nutrition to thrive and perform at their best. Too much or too little of something and they will suffer a variety of consequences. To prevent sour crop and impacted crop I provide my flock with grit in a free choice dispenser. To prevent soft shells, I provide my flock with oyster shell also in a free choice dispenser. If you move your flock on open pasture and fresh pasture daily or they have the option free range new areas every day, these supplements might not be necessary. However, if your flock like most backyard flocks, living partially or in full-time confinement or like mine they can only graze one stationary yard, these inexpensive supplements are essential to their health.
Feeding my flock exclusively all-flock isn’t practical for my homestead because of the cost. At this time in my region a bag of all-flock is between $7-$10 dollars more expensive per bag than complete layer feed. Instead, I supplement my layer feed regularly with kitchen scraps, all-flock on occasion, sunflowers seeds, and garden items grown specifically for my flock like kale, cabbage, chard, and sorghum. In addition to your local box store some regions have small local feed stores that blend their own layer food from locally sourced ingredients. This is another option to feed your flock. If you’ve had a negative experience feeding any specific brand or type of chicken food, don’t be afraid to try different brands, types, and textures until you find what works best for your specific flock. Meat chickens, egg layers, companionship, and show chickens will all have different nutritional needs.
If you can afford high quality chicken food, that’s wonderful, but the best diet you can provide is always preferential to what the average chicken would receive otherwise. My chickens have access to a fresh grazing yard whenever weather permits. They have names. They have access to fresh air and sunshine. They eat feed, vegetables, and scraps. They lay their eggs on clean hay and garden herbs. They touch the earth, they go outside, and they’re loved. That’s something millions of chickens will never be able to experience.
So yes, 16% percent bargain layer feed is safe for your chickens but it isn’t the ideal diet especially if that’s what you’re feeding exclusively. It’s best when it’s paired with supplements and other forms of feed to ensure your flock is receiving the most optimum nutrition possible to cover the gaps that might exist in your bargain feed.
I hope this was a helpful discussion about chicken layer feed and providing your flock with the most optimum nutrition you can. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out Chuck’s other social media linked below for more backyard chicken and homesteading content.
Chuck and the Chicks 