Detailed Introduction to the Correct Mixing Method for Chicken Feed
When using feed, it is required that every portion of the feed consumed by the chickens contains balanced and identical nutrients; otherwise, the flock will suffer from malnutrition, deficiency diseases, or poisoning. Even if your diet formula is very scientific and the feeding conditions are very good, you still cannot achieve satisfactory feeding results. Therefore, the feed must be mixed evenly to meet the nutritional needs of the chickens. There are two methods of feed mixing: mechanical mixing and manual mixing. As long as they are used properly, both can achieve satisfactory results.
Mechanical mixing: use a mixer. Commonly used mixers include vertical and horizontal types. The vertical mixer is suitable for mixing powdered feed with a moisture content below 14%; if the moisture content is too high, it is difficult to mix evenly. This type of mixer requires little power, is low in price, and is easy to maintain, but the mixing time is relatively long (generally 10-20 minutes per batch), making it suitable for @#@230@#@ specialized households and small chicken farms. The horizontal mixer can mix feed evenly in areas with relatively humid climates or when ingredients with strong viscosity (such as fats and oils) are added to the feed. This machine has strong mixing capacity and a short mixing time, 3-4 minutes per batch, and is mainly used in some feed processing plants. Regardless of which mixer is used, in order to mix evenly, the loading amount must be appropriate. Too much or too little loading cannot guarantee uniformity; generally, loading at 60%-80% of capacity is appropriate. Mixing time is also an important factor related to mixing quality. If the mixing time is too short, quality certainly cannot be guaranteed, but longer is not always better either. Mixing for too long, after the feed has been mixed evenly, causes segregation due to over-mixing.
Manual mixing: this method is the main means of feed mixing in household chicken raising. When mixing, you must be careful and patient to prevent some trace components from clumping and caking, resulting in uneven mixing and affecting the feeding effect.
When mixing manually, special attention should be paid to some trace components that account for a small proportion of the diet but can seriously affect the feeding effect, such as salt and various additives. If mixed unevenly, in mild cases the feeding effect is affected; in severe cases it can cause disease, poisoning, or even death in the flock. For such trace components, when mixing, they must first be fully crushed, with no caking; lumpy matter cannot be mixed evenly, and if consumed by chickens, poisoning may occur. Second, because such components are used in small amounts, they cannot be directly added to bulk feed for mixing; instead, a premixing method should be used. The procedure is: take 10%-20% of the concentrate (preferably an energy feed with a large proportion, such as corn or wheat bran) as a carrier, pile it separately, press the next shovelful of feed onto the feed placed by the previous shovelful, that is, keep putting it on top of the feed, letting the feed flow from the center point to all sides to form a cone, so that all kinds of feed have a chance to mix. Repeat this 3-4 times to achieve even mixing, and the premix is then made. Finally, add this premix to all the feed and mix 3-4 times in the same way to achieve the goal.
When mixing manually, only through such multi-level, graded mixing can the quality of the formulated diet be guaranteed. The method of turning or stirring the feed in place is not advisable.