Nutrition. People are concerned about the horror stories they
hear about what farmers are supposed to feed their livestock. Here at Paxcroft farm, we
have full control over what we feed our chickens, as we mix the food on site in our own
mill, using cereals that we grow ourselves. A
typical laying hens diet consists of the following.
|
Home Page |
As you can see this is a 100% vegetarian diet. In
nature the chicken is an omnivore, and an ideal diet would include some animal protein
such as fishmeal. However, pressure from the
major retailers and consumer groups has meant we no longer use animal proteins. Homegrown cereals make up the bulk of the diet. These are ground to aid digestibility. Soya is added as a necessary source of protein,
and soya oil is a good source of essential fatty acids as well as energy. Limestone granules provide the high level of
calcium required by laying hens, not only for strong shells, but also to provide strong
bone structure. A supplement of vitamins and
minerals is also added.
Sample numbers of our hens are weighed every week,
and diets are formulated on computer for every flock, according to its needs. If we humans had as well a balanced diet as our
hens, we would all be very healthy indeed.
|
