How We Feed Our Chickens~ 

Very informative vlog, having been raised on a farm for 68 years, i have used many of the things the old timers taught me to use. The oldtimers said if you want your hens to lay better give them oats in any form rolled, steel cut, or whole. I do give them corn all year long at different rates, oil sunflowers, wheat, sorgham, buckwheat, peanut hearts, millet, barley either whole or rolled, non gmo soybeans, and of course some diatomaceous earth in their feed and around their house. All the grass clippings and weeds from the garden if the pigs don't eat it all and let them range in the orchard to pick up fallen fruit and keep the bugs down. I will reassess what you are feeding yours to see if i should make changes. But raising 14 distinct breeds of chickens and selling the chicks for 1.50 straight run my 200+ hens plus roosters keeps me busy. Have a great day on the homestead. From NW PA.

The diatomaceous earth is an underrated yet fantastic product for a multitude of outdoor purposes. Highly recommend it.

Nice people who are informed about the dangers of GMO's period.

I enjoy all old fashioned flowers! Love the Zinnias and Marigolds you have about!

Thanks so much for giving a detailed view of what you feed your chickens. There's so much for new growers to learn, and you make it simple and understandable. You make the learning curve seem less daunting. I was raised on a farm here in northwest GA, and we raised chickens commercially, so I know a little about raising chickens. But there's a huge difference in how we grew production broilers and how I want to grow my own home flock. So I consider myself a newbie, and you're my top go-to person for how to properly care for my birds. In fact, I'm watching the whole chicken playlist you have on your channel. I can't overstate how important what you're doing here is for those of us looking to be self-sustaining and healthier. Thank you for what you do. I know how long it takes to produce quality videos, between the filming and editing. It's appreciated.

I love your videos. Your care for your animals, and those who l care for and want to care for animals is inspiring.

We appreciate the feeding tips. I always learn something from your videos. My chickens always love vegetable canning time with all the veggie scraps to pick through. Thanks for your time in what you do and by the way...great camera work!

wow...you are an awsom teacher and great tv personalty.....good info....I foiiow the muddy pond folks ...I just love them...you be blessed...cant wait to see more....later

This is true, sometimes the mix they sell at the mill is cheapest than mixing it yourself.

If you feed those chickens any better, I'll move into your chicken coop.

Oh Patara, this is the video I have been waiting for!!! THANK YOU!!!!

That's one heck of a menu! I'll bet they're phenomenal layers! This video makes me feel guilty 'cause I love my girls but I'm too lazy for all that!

Thanks for sharing! Blessings❣️

Another great video: Questions I have... 1) How do you "spread" DE around? I use a sifter, seems to work, but just wondering what your preferred method is. 2) We do the deep litter method for our chickens... what's the best way to administer the DE... sprinkle it around every week or so and work into the bedding, or sprinkle it on top and leave it? 3) Love your power mix. I assume you premix the rolled oats and BOSS. But is seems that if you add some of the other stuff (like the molasses, DE, kelp, garlic powder) it would fall to the bottom of the mix because it's so fine. Do you just sprinkle that stuff on when you give it to the chickens. I guess I'm asking what that bi-weekly process looks like. 4) What is your ratio of rolled oats to BOSS? You are totally our new go-to homesteader. Can't get enough of your videos and such. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!

fantastic video - so helpful!

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!! We just started raising our chicks and this was very helpful to raise our girls lol

you can go to the hair cutting places get the hair clippings spread around the garden that will help with the deer.

great info ! I'm excited cause we're fixing to get our first chickens..we don't have a clue what kind yet but we will see.. blessings, love n prayers

I eat diatomaceous earth once a week. Good for bones and health

very nice information. thanks . I have chickens about 2 months old and will use your suggestions!

Patara, now that I am going to start having a chicken coop over here in Sweden 🇸🇪 I just love this item. But a lot of the things you talk about are apparently “normal” stuff in your area but not over here. And now I talk maybe brands or certain ways of mixing. If it is possible could you please put a list in the description box of the things you use for your chickens. And I think (for sure)that I loose some of things you talk about feed wise because of the difference in language . Love what you do on RU-vid I am a big fan 💝

Great information. Thank you

This video was uploaded on my birthday.😊

Thank you so much for this video. A lot of good info. God bless

Hello, My name is Mandie and I live on a ranch in the Serria's of Northern California with my husband and 7 children. We love building our farm/Homestead! We moved from the city and are so happy we did this for our family. We have 7 chicken's now and they are about 5 months old. We have been told by people all different people different ages of when we can be expecting our hens to start laying eggs. I love the advice you give here on supplements we can feed our chickens. I was wondering if you might be able to shed a light on when we might be able to expect our hens to start laying eggs? I'm so happy I came across your youetube video's this evening! God Bless

I'll have to try the yogurt. My family owned feed store sells locally grown feed non gmo and have supreme w added minerals for a bit more. Pretty expensive too. I'd try local before national and see what they have, if you have that choice

TY Patara, I have later today around 10am 50+ baby chicks coming, 4 roosters of different breeds...15 broiler chicks, and All the rest heritage breeds that are all hens, free of charge!!!! 😉😉😉 And I'll be putting up a video on my big batch of babies in a day or so! TY again! Kellie P-B_FAM!

very helpful video.cheers!!!

subscribed, a fellow chicken owner, im on my first year. got them as 1 day olds. and there 8 months now laying well. thanks for info.

Hi Pater a! I wondered what you thought of the fodder tray system and if it would work for you? Great video again btw x

Hi Patera, thank you for all of the videos you do, they are SO helpful! My family and I are planning on getting chickens within the next couple of months, we plan on just using them for eggs for our family, and maybe sometime in the future selling the eggs. So we're doing a lot of research on breeds and caring for them. My question is would you recommend vaccinating them? Thank you! Kelly

I really enjoyed watching you

I wish I could free range my girls more often but we have so many hawks that seem to fly right over our place during the day, and then we have predators at night so we have to lock them up. They only get to be out when we're going to be out there to watch them.

Your chicken videos have really helped me with my flock and I saw somewhere you had a book list for chickens, which I bought some books and read them cover to cover. I know you have goats... but I can't find if you have a goat book list or raising goat videos, (outside you home, lol). Anyone who can send me in the right direction would be helpful!

I feed mine sweetfeed for about 20 years now never had a problem they each lay one or two eggs a day every day & its cheap

I noticed in one of your videos you had ducks how do you take care of your ducks in winter this is my first year here in Kansas raising ducks please could you do a video on it thank you

Very interesting ...do you give them kitchen scraps from canning etc. or are those composted?

When I had them they free ranged - if you cannot do that make a black soldier fly trap. What chickens mostly eat is bugs and worms. if you feed them this way you will be amazed and will never buy tortured caged up chicken eggs again. 🥚🐔🍳🐔🥚

Thank you for sharing! You mentioned using ACV to supplement them, what exactly does it do? It seems a lot of people use it but I have heard many different thoughts on it and I'm not clear what the actual benefit is.

What can I feed my 7 week old chickens? I’m feeding them chick starter/grower right now from my local feed store. I just want to make sure they are getting everything they need.

Thank you for the information , great video. Would you spell the name of the company you are getting your feed from ? Can we order the molasses ? Also why do you not use cracked corn instead of the whole ? I heard they digested the cracked better ? Thanks !

I'm sorry, but I couldn't make out what the name/brand of the non-gmo feed you were promoting. Could you please tell me again? Thank you so much!

Do you ever buy the regular oats not the rolled oats for your chicks

Hello again!! Hey, what brand of dried Kelp do you use? How much of all ingredients in the power feed?

Do you butcher them at the end??

What do think of Jersey or black giants?

Patera! I have a mixed flock, overweight one a rooster and layers! I’ve been told to feed all flock ? Is there any brands or someway I can feed healthy

Hello Ms. Patera! I’m wondering what your thoughts are about using feed from a hatchery. I ordered day old chicks and see that the hatchery offers “non-gmo chick starter 23%”. It says for the first 7 weeks of age. 🤔 thoughts? Thank you?

just tuned in to your site and I'm wondering what do you think of the Wyandotte or the barnevelders, I have layers but would like to change my flock to a dual purpose flock . for me if I'm going to raise chickens I want more than just an egg . Can you give me your opinion on these two breeds ?

I've just bought some ACV from the local produce store and have chicks due in 5 days. Is it 1 tablespoon per gallon for the chicks as well, they just get it 24/7? Also you mentioned the grown chooks get ACV Mon and Friday. Do you leave it in the water trough just for the day and clean out and replace with straight water the next day? I usually just clean and fill up the water trough when it's nearly empty.

I've heard several chicken owners state to find certain foods for their chickens at a co-op. What is that?

You say you let your hens free range during the day...did I understand you right that the area is fenced? Does it have a covering? We have a small run we have attached to the coop for them to be in when we aren't home (like when we run to town) but was planning on letting them free range in the yard during the day when I am home....Basically I am terrified of losing one to a chicken hawk as they are in surplus around here and I can't be outside 24-7....how do you handle this? We have woods but the back yard doesn't have any trees :/ We are planting some that will offer protection but that will take some time. Hoping for suggestions or reassurance.

can we feed chickens with Carps or cat fish

Mrs. Patara, can I move in with the 🐥 ?

Is it better to give them the feed wet or dry? I keep seeing comments about some people ... I think they meant they were fermenting it? But I don't know if that's right.

the DE i have is not white its grayish brown. its says its food grade and has a picture of a chicken on it. is it okay?

One man online said he feeds his chickens cooked pinto beans

I enjoy your videos. I had to move two of my hens (a Game and a Bantam) that were sitting because ants got in the nests. Now the hens wont go back to the nests. Any suggestions?

What, again, is the name/brand of the non-gmo feed of which you commented?

Patara, do you mix the braggs in their water twice a week ? Or in their feed? I'm assuming their water but just want to make sure .

Hi! Just wondering how you give you chickens the milk. Do you put it out in a watering container for them?

Where do you buy your DE & Non GMO feed? Is there a link, by chance? Thanks :) Just bought 6 chickie babies, its been a few years since we had chickens last! Very excited.

Do you give your pigs raw milk?

Where can you find non gmo corn?

This helped a LOT! can you tell us what the apple cider vinegar is used for 🙏🏻 pleeeeeaaase and thank you

The only thing my co-op has in terms of pellets is a base 16 layer pellet from Cumberland mills or purine. Is anything wrong with the cheap co-op feed if I supplement them with other things? I feel guilty getting it . We also have. A tractor supply with dumor, purine and nature wise.

Can you adopt me?! X O

Just wondering, why did you delete my comment?

do the sunflower seeds still have shells on them? i put it in my bird feeders but birds shell them...do the chickens swallow them whole?