Pellet-based poultry feed nourishes farm and domestic birds such as chickens, cockatiels, and parrots with high concentrations of various ingredients and nutrients. You can make pellet food at home from grasses, grains, vegetables, and other self-grown organic matter. Creating agglomerates that are stable and non crumbly requires the use of a high-pressure press insert. New small pellet presses are available from wood or feed pellet making suppliers, or you can look for used presses in online markets.
Things you need
- Pellet ingredients (corn kernels, roasted soybeans, wheatgrass, barley grass, alfalfa, oats, wheat germ, fruits, and vegetables.)
- Food processor
- Vitamin supplements
- Natural preservatives
- Pellet press
How to Make Pellet Bird Food
- Research what types of food, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are essential for the optimal health of the type of bird you are feeding.
- Collect the necessary pellet ingredients. Common ingredients include corn kernels, roasted soybeans, wheatgrass, barley grass, alfalfa, oats, wheat germ, fruits, and vegetables.
- Place the ingredients in a food processor. Add any beneficial vitamin supplements needed for the particular type of bird as found in the research conducted in Step 1, such as calcium, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin A, vitamin E or vitamin B12.
- Add about 1 tbsp. of a natural preservative per 16 oz. sediment ingredients. Types of natural preservatives include rosemary extract, salt, and lemon peel extract.
- Process desired pelleting ingredients into powder form in a food processor.
- Place the powder in the hopper of a sediment press. Set the pressure setting to high and run the powder through the press. Pellets are extruded and cut from a pellet matrix.
Tips warnings
- Keep pellets fresh by storing them in an airtight, opaque bin in a cool, dry place.
