Feed bill - need to reduce drastically

[WhetzelMomma]

You said you have 40 chickens, so I'm assuming you have enough eggs to do this... but a good source of protein (instead of cat food if you're not comfortable with that option) is scrambled eggs. Basically free for you, and good for them.

 

[Rozzie]

If they aren't free-ranged, then each time you mow the lawn (I know it's late for that, but next year, anyway) then rake up a pile of grass clippings and dump them in. They'll pick out tasty treats for themselves. They'll still need other food, of course. This is just a supplement.

Even better, use your mulching bag (If you have one) and then dump the bag in the chicken pen.

We still have green grass in a few sheltered areas. I'm still picking handfuls of that for my quail. They get some every couple of days and will until the grass is all brown (another week or two, at most).

 

[greathorse]

Fewer chickens???

 

[Rozzie]

Quote:
ROFL. That would work. But, the OP already said this was something she was trying to avoid.

Make sure you are not throwing away ANY leftover foods that they could possibly eat. While it won't be as nutritionally balanced as a good feed mix, it is food, regardless. They'll survive, though they may have lowered egg production for a while.

Come spring, you could plant some sort of garden for your chickens, maybe.

 

[TexasVet]

Don't know how your chickens will adjust to them, but mine won't touch pellets. Well, maybe they would if they were starving, but I can't bring myself to let them go that long without! So I supplement Layena with table scraps, corn, and oats. Corn is cheaper than Layena, and oats are cheaper than corn. And my birds go nuts over the oats!

Our feed store also gives a significant discount on ripped/torn bags that have been taped back together. I haven't weighed them, but they don't seem any lighter than the regular bags. So you might want to check that out too.

I also toss whatever weeds I pull out of the garden into the pen, as well as grass clippings. A neighbor of mine barters eggs for bags of cut grass. I'm not sure I'd go that far, because you never know who's coming to your house, but it is an option.

Best of luck to you!

Kathy in Bellville TX
www.ChickenTrackin.com

 

[Rozzie]

Another possibility, depending on your part of the country, would be for you to "grow" black soldier fly grubs. This is SUPER easy to do & the birds really do like them. DO NOT feed to young chicks but these are a good source of protein for older birds. Obviously, don't go overboard. I"m not sure how many they can eat. However, for a few bucks you can start this project. (And, the additional benefit is that you'll also produce great quality compost for your garden. I'm assuming if funds are this tight then you are either gardening or will...)