Emergency Chicken Food Ingredients and Tips

If you’re looking for emergency chicken food ingredients and tips, you probably need a supply of simple homemade chicken feed recipes.

Did you run out of chicken food?

Don’t panic!

I’m here to help you with a delicious emergency chicken food recipe that will tide your flock over until you can get more food.

This recipe is easy to make and your chickens will love it! So don’t stress, just follow my lead and you’ll be good to go.

What You Need To Know Before Getting Chickens

When learning how to take care of chickens, you should always keep ingredients for emergency chicken food on hand just in case you ever need to make a last minute batch of bird feed.

Raising chickens is a fun and easy way to get started with backyard poultry. They are relatively low maintenance, and they can provide you with fresh eggs.

However, there are a few things you need to know before getting chickens. First, they will need shelter from the elements. You can build them a coop, or you can convert an old dog house or shed into a chicken coop.

Second, you will need to provide them with food and water. Chickens like to eat insects, but unless you live (and free range) on several acres, you may need to supplement their diet with chicken feed.

Third, you will need to protect them from predators. Chickens are particularly vulnerable to attacks from foxes and coyotes, so it is important to keep them in a secure area.

By following these simple guidelines, you can enjoy the benefits of having chickens without many of the hassles.

What To Do If You Run Out Of Chicken Feed

If you find yourself in the situation where you’ve run out of chicken feed, don’t panic! There are a few things you can do to tide your chickens over until you’re able to get more feed.

One option is to give them table scraps. Chickens love to eat just about anything and there are very few people food items that backyard chickens cannot eat.

Just be sure that whatever you’re feeding them is safe for chickens and not spoiled. And try to avoid high amounts of salt or sugar.

If you have more than just a few birds, or if you don’t have a ton of human food kitchen scraps on hand, you can also look into making your backyard birds some emergency chicken feed. This is usually a high-protein or high-carb food that can sustain chickens for a short period of time.

When we need to make emergency chicken food, we usually raid our pantry and make a concoction that includes various bird-friendly foods we happen to have a lot of.

This typically includes:

• Beans (canned or dry – if dry soaking them first is recommended but not required)
• Rice (always cooked or soaked, never dry)
• Oats
• Wheat Berries
• Canned Meats or Freeze Dried Meats (optional – only if we have a lot on hand that we don’t really want to eat ourselves)
• Scrambled Eggs

 

This method works best for older chickens, such as pullets, roosters, and laying hens, but sometimes baby chicks in a brooder might be able to get by on some of these ingredients (such as the wheat berries, scrambled eggs, or the canned beans).

Whatever you do, just make sure that your chickens have enough to eat so that they stay healthy and happy!

Ingredients To Keep On Hand For Emergency Chicken Food

If you have a prepper pantry, it shouldn’t be hard to keep chicken-friendly foods on hand because these are the types of emergency food supply foods that are likely already in your home food storage!

Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart… and your emergency chicken food supply! Canned and dry beans are a great source of protein and will keep your chickens healthy and happy in the event of an emergency.

Related – Cracked Corn for Chickens

Cooked or soaked rice is also a good option, as it’s easy to digest and contains essential vitamins and minerals. Just be sure to NEVER give your birds raw, dry rice as it will expand in their stomachs and cause some serious issues.

Wheat berries are another great choice, as they’re high in fiber and contain essential nutrients like iron and magnesium.

If you have laying hens, don’t skimp on the calcium! If you run out of crushed oyster shells, dried and crushed egg shells will work in a pinch.

 

Unless your birds have a lot of pebbles or sand in their run, you will also want to include grit.

Grit is essential for chickens’ Digestive system. Just like we need fiber to keep our digestive system moving, chickens need grit to help them break down their food.

Without grit, chickens can become constipated or even die. So if you run out of chicken feed or your chickens stop eating for some reason, make sure you have some grit on hand to keep them going.

Keep these ingredients on hand, and you’ll be prepared for anything! Even if it takes you a few days longer to get to your feed store.

How To Make Emergency Chicken Food

It’s easy to make your backyard birds some high-quality emergency chicken food using ingredients you probably already have on hand!

Easy Emergency Chicken Food Recipe:

• 4 Cups Beans (canned or dry)
• 2 Cups Rice (NEVER dry – always cooked or soaked)
• 2 Cups Oats
• 6-12 Scrambled Eggs
• 4 Cups Wheat Berries
• Grit (optional – leave out if they have plenty of sand or pebbles)
• Dehydrated or Freeze Dried Veggies (optional – only if you have spare)
• Crushed Egg Shells (optional but recommended if going longer than 2 days)

Get a galvanized steel container (or any other large enough container – it only has to be steel if you’re storing it there) and add all your ingredients. Mix them up then add them to your birds’ regular feed area. Repeat as necessary until you have a chance to get a hold of their regular feed.

So, now you know what to do when you run out of chicken feed. Just remember that it’s always a good idea to keep some backup food on hand in case of an emergency. Keeping food for your birds is an essential part of successful emergency preparedness.

What ingredients do you have in your pantry that you could use to make a quick and easy meal for your chickens? Tell us in the comments below!