Nutritional Requirements of Your Chickens

If you want to grow healthy chickens, you have to be intentional in what you feed them. You need to give the right food that can provide the nutritional requirements that will make them grow healthy and become prolific. Therefore, you have to put some time for research to get to know what the specific foods that they need are so that you can give it to them. As a result, you can count on a very good harvest when the time comes.

Although there are many substances that are contained in their food, there are essential nutrients that you must seek to include in a poultry diet, such as the following:

Water - this plays a huge part in the fowl's diet since 70% of their body is composed of which; eggs are at around 60% water as well. It is essential in helping in the absorption of nutrients as well as in excretion of toxic materials. It also helps regulate body temperature, so you must make sure that the flock has a continuous water supply. Some possible sources are tap water, rain water and spring water but you always have to make sure that they are not contaminated.

Energy - energy intake is usually computed in calories. This is important because it helps the chickens function well in a day to day basis, especially in the production of eggs and meat. The recommended daily energy levels for poultry are 3,000 kcal for broilers and 2,800 for layers. Energy sources include fat from seeds and starch from tubers or grains.

Protein - basically, it is the amino acids that make up proteins and these are derived from their feeds. Some essential amino acids, like methionine and lysine, cannot be synthesized by the chicken's body, which make them reliant on their food. Aside from feeds, other protein sources are insects, fish and soybeans.

Vitamins - these are very important in helping the poultry resistant to diseases and are also crucial in the enzyme system. They are only needed in small quantity but the shortage of which can lead to disorders. Green vegetables, fruit and animal products are some of the good vitamin sources.

Minerals - these are vital in the formation and development of bones, especially Phosphorus and Calcium. The enzyme system is also dependent on their trace elements. They are often added to diets in the form of compounds and it is helpful to identify the proportions of each element present in them so that you can add just the necessary amount in their diet. Mineral sources include shells, bone-as and limestone.

Giving enough time to educate yourself on the things that are essential to your business will take you a long way. Knowing what to give the flock will help you become extremely productive in this endeavor.

Kenny Oliver has been into poultry raising for more than 20 years now and have mastered the strategies and techniques in raising
healthy chickens. Visit his website at http://mychickencoopplans.org/ to get free information and pieces of advice on this endeavor to begin your own project today.