Pet animals for some, poultry business for others, chickens are wonderful domestic animals which require low maintenance but benefit you in multiple ways. Other than dogs and cats, chickens are another common animal to be kept as pets. As common as they are, surprisingly people have little knowledge on what to feed them to raise them right.
Sure, they will live on any feed you give them but to raise a healthy chicken, a balanced diet should be followed. It is essential that they be provided all the nutrients they require in a day, no matter what kind of poultry feed you give them.
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However, the question here arises what to feed them to raise them as healthy chickens. So let’s take a look at what kind is the best kind of feed for chickens.
Natural Feed
Chickens are omnivores just like humans so they are not picky eaters. They would pretty much eat anything you give them but providing natural feed to your chickens is an excellent way to ensure that they grow up healthy.
Organic feed means any feed which is not processed. Fruits, vegetables, lentils and grains, all qualify as healthy natural feed for chickens. Leafy green vegetables are a chicken’s favorite meal. Most chickens love eating worms and maggots too which boosts their immunity. Natural feed comes in pellets too. This feed is suitable for your backyard chickens.
Pros and Cons
Here is a list of pros and cons of feeding organic feed to your chickens.
Pros of Natural Feed:
- Minimum health risks
- More delicious
- Good quality
- Suitable for chickens on a small scale
Cons of Natural Feed:
- More costly
- Not easily available
- Harder to fulfill the nutritional requirements
- Requires more labor
Processed Feed
Any feed which has preservatives or additives added is known as processed feed. Different vegetables or grains are taken and combined together to be mashed and formed into small pellets. Additives are added later to them which the chickens feed on.
Grinding and pelleting are some of the ways which are used to make processed feed. This does not involve much labor so it is easy to reach the supplemental and nutritional requirement for chickens. Some people inject chickens with growth hormones or steroids to make them appear bigger and fatter. These medicated injections could be harmful for chickens and the people who later consume them.
Pros and Cons
Here is a list of pros and cons of giving processed feed to your chickens.
Pros of Processed Feed:
- Less costly
- Easily available
- Easier to fulfill the nutritional requirements
- Suitable for chickens on a larger scale
Cons of Processed Feed:
- More health risks
- Less sustainable
- Less delicious
- Lower quality
Foods to Avoid
Chickens would not give you a hard time by being selective in their meals. They would devour nearly everything they can fit in their beaks. However, there are some foods which should be avoided at all costs. They include citrus fruits, garlic, onions, chocolates and uncooked beans and rice. These foods can have a bad effect on the chicken’s health and can even change the flavor of the eggs they lay. So as long as you avoid these, you are good to go.
Price of Chicken Feed in Pakistan
You can easily find different types of chicken feed in Pakistan within the range of Rs.65 to Rs.100 per kg. Prices may vary for natural and processed feed.
If you are looking for a wide variety of chickens and chicken feed, you can buy them at OLX Pakistan.
That’s about it for now! We hope this guide was helpful for you. After knowing the pros and cons of processed and natural feed, which feed would give your chickens? Let us know in the comments below.
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