I think that any commercial chicken food would be prepared in a way so as not to be lethal to the chickens. I've kept chickens for almost ten years and they've always had commercial feed.

If you're just starting, I say don't make your life difficult. Get a few chicks, feed them commercial feed, and get a new bag before the old one runs out so you don't have to feed the birds like mammals!

--Johanna

Here is a link that might be useful: My place: Busy Solitude Farm

Johanna gave you great advice. I get chick starter from the feed store, and when the chicks are ready, change them over to layer feed, which is at about 17 weeks, as I remember. The bag of starter feed will have a chart on the back to tell you when to switch. If you are raising broilers there is a specific feed for that, also.
Don't give your chicks anything but starter feed. They are not all at the same stage of development, and where one or two could handle a certain food, others can't. Keep your hamster food for your hamsters, and keep a supply of chicken feed handy. You'll be surprised how much food a few chickens can eat!

They have to toast the soybeans to destroy the trypsin.

I wanted to give my new little chicks some variety so I would take a shovel and scoop up a clump of grass and put it in the brooder. They loved it! They attacked it! After all, it is their instinct to "play" in the dirt.

This year, I want to raise mine on a custom feed with no soy or meds. Soy is an easy, cheap way to boost that protein number on the feedbag label. My research shows that given a more natural environment, chicks do well and build up their own natural defenses against disease.

What's my motivation? Soy is a piss-poor human food because it's highly processed and contains, for instance, high concentrations of phyto-estrogens that mimic human hormones and can disrupt normal body functions.

There are many, many other problematic substances in soy, i.e., phytic acid, enzyme-inhibitors, hemagglutinin, nitrites, not to mention 90% of soy crops are now genetically modified.

Don't take my word for it. Goggle it.

I've done lots and lots of research into growing my own chicken feed. Cowpeas, take your pick which, have lower levels of anti-trypsin inhibitors than other legumes, and do not need to be toasted. I'm growing black eyed peas. They are a complete protein. Very high in protein and lysine. I'm adding sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, giant goosefoot, home-grown corn, dried alfalfa, lamb's quarters,nettle and red clover. Quinoa would be another good addition, but I'm experimenting with this as it may not grow well in zone 4. It's really very helpful to check out food values here: www.nutritiondata.com You may have to click around a bit, but you will get some great data on what you're looking for. Good luck!