Anyone recycling chicken feed off the ground?

[cfg]

My 7 chickens are going through a 50 lb back of feed every 3 weeks.
It is an organic mash (loose, dusty stuff) that I swear 25% ends up on the floor of the coop.
I've asked about getting pellets--awaiting a reply.
In the meantime, what do you think of scooping up the mash on the ground and putting it back in the feeders?
Judging by what they eat when they free range (about 1 hour per day), it can't be any dirtier.

Thanks

Craig

 

[M.sue]

What about crumbles instead? As for scooping it off the ground...I've only done that when I myself have spilled it and it was only a top layer that I scooped up seconds after I spilled it. I have a hanging feeder and that solve my problem of them spilling it.

 

[cuntryuppiechick]

I use organic and its not too bad in the hanging feeder. They do knock some out but then they scratch and eat most of it eventually. I give them a portion twice a day, just enough to have a little left.

 

[cfg]

I also have a hanging feeder but a) they often tip it and b) a few of them really like to throw the food around with their beaks (maybe searching for a favorite seed or something).

 

[shelleyd2008]

For a mash feed you really need a feeder like this:
http://www.google.com/products/cata...X&ei=XxXFToKvBoaNsQLNs9ypCw&ved=0CGQQ8wIwADgK

 

[johnsons-r-us]

Don't they eat it off the ground? Mine eat everything off the ground

 

[M.sue]

Your gonna get feed on the ground regardless....chickens are messy.....but it should minimal. If they are tipping it maybe you need to adjust the height, they shouldn't be able to get under it and make sure it's hanging level.

 

[AlienChick]

My feed is up on a cement block.

I do notice that my chickens enjoy scratching away at the floor around the feeder to eat what's fallen onto the floor.

Also, you can remove the feeder for a few hours during the day and allow them to eat what's on the floor.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I feed a Hubbard 17% mash as well. It only appears "dusty" or flour-like because, unlike a pellet or crumble, no starch was used to "glue" it into a bit or pellet. It is merely cosmetic.

If you add a healthy splash of water to a pail with 2 pounds of feed in it, and stir with a stick, you'd see that the texture is actually more coarse than the crumbles. Since the savings on buying mash at a local mill is often 40%, it is an economic benefit I simply cannot pass up. No way. I have too many mouths to feed. The birds love it and do better on it.

I am willing to moisten the mash and make a damp crumble out of it and portion feed. Yes, it is a bit more labor intensive, but again, I cannot afford to pass up the savings and the performance. I have zero waste. None. I cannot afford to have waste either. Best regards.

 

[Yvonne37894]

We feed a ground feed also, they were going through a gallon of feed a day per pen. We rebuilt the feeder now we fill it on the third day. No more feed on the ground. We cut our feed bill 1/3.
You can see it on our web page under "INFORMATION"

http://www.sawmillchickenfarm.com