Complementary and alternative medicines such as tea tree (melaleuca) oil have become increasingly popular in recent decades. This essential oil has been used for almost 100 years in Australia but is now available worldwide both as neat oil and as an active component in an array of products.
Conventional Grain and Legume Feeds for Chickens. Most grains in commercial feed for poultry (corn, legumes, and small grains such as wheat, rye, oats and barley) are easy for the homesteader to grow. I grow âHickory King,â a. vigorous, large-ear feed corn.
Two extras that you need to know about when feeding your chickens are calcium and grit. Chickens need calcium so they can produce healthy shells for their eggs, and they need grit to help them break down their food since they don't have teeth. Though tempting, do not feed egg shells back to your chickens for calcium. Chickens are more likely to start pecking at their own eggs if you do this.