Feed Price and money saving tips

[pintail_drake2004]

Wow, the price of feed is getting to the point where it is almost not worth it anymore. Feed prices came down a little bit in the last few months, but I expect it go up again. It was $15.99 for 16% layer last fall, not it is down to $13.99. We have been fermenting our feed to help make it go further, and recently we have cut our flock by 30%. How much are yall paying for feed? Any other feed saving tips?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Wow, the price of feed is getting to the point where it is almost not worth it anymore. Feed prices came down a little bit in the last few months, but I expect it go up again. It was $15.99 for 16% layer last fall, not it is down to $13.99. We have been fermenting our feed to help make it go further, and recently we have cut our flock by 30%. How much are yall paying for feed? Any other feed saving tips?

I pay 19 dollars per 50lb bag of waterfowl feed (20-22% protein) for everyone. Get 6-7 every two weeks right now, with every 11th bag free from the store. It's 17.25 for a 17% layer feed from the same store, with the same 11th bag deal.

I feed most of their eggs back to them as well, which probably helps a bit with keeping them full

 

[NatJ]

recently we have cut our flock by 30%....Any other feed saving tips?

That is a good tip right there, that many people forget about. Cutting the flock size is a very good way to cut the feed cost.

Another one I can think of: make sure feed is not being wasted (thrown on the ground and lost, eaten by rats or mice, etc.) Feed on the ground is not always wasted, because sometimes your birds will pick it up again (pellets more than crumbles), but feed eaten by rodents or wild birds is always a "waste" when you just want to feed your own flock.

 

[nuthatched]

No waste feeders, making sure you're not feeding pests.
Fermentation slightly increases bio availability, but doesn't really increase health. It's just wet feed, swollen to fill space.

 

[Evadig]

I pay ~$20 for a 50 lb bag of all flock. I go through it in about two weeks. Geese and ducks eat a lot! In the summer, though, I go through less because every one is free ranging, the geese are eating grass, and so in general I go through one bag a month then.

 

[TooCheep]

Fermentation slightly increases bio availability, but doesn't really increase health.

The two halves of that sentence are contradictory. Increasing bio-availability means that you can utilize a higher percentage of the nutrients in the food. Getting more nutrients (short of the extreme case of overdosing on certain ones) is good for your health.

That is the basis for all claims to the health benefits of fermented food, including for humans.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

We have been fermenting our feed to help make it go further,

Doesn't work long term.. I did so for 2 years for a flock of 82.. didn't save a dime, didn't increase health, etc.

It doesn't increase calorie content. Birds eat to meet their energy need, not their nutrient need.

Overall, when using a formulated ration.. a big waste of time.. but still fun enrichment for both me and the birds.

 

[NatJ]

Doesn't work long term.. I did so for 2 years for a flock of 82.. didn't save a dime, didn't increase health, etc.

It doesn't increase calorie content. Birds eat to meet their energy need, not their nutrient need.

Overall, when using a formulated ration.. a big waste of time.. but still fun enrichment for both me and the birds.

Getting the feed wet can reduce waste in some cases (chickens don't throw it around the same way they do dry feed.)

So if chickens are wasting dry feed, and the owner starts getting the feed wet and fermenting it, they might save money because they reduced waste. But they could get the same benefit by getting the feed wet and not waiting for it to ferment, or from any other method that stops the waste of feed.

 

[Perris]

How much are yall paying for feed? Any other feed saving tips?

Currently I pay ~ $14 for ~ 55lbs of whole wheat grains. I pay ~ $22 for ~ 44lbs for a dried pea/seed/other grains mix. I mix and ferment them on a daily basis (fermenting is nutritionally beneficial if your feed is whole grains and pulses; it isn't really if you are feeding concentrate pellets or mash), and add small amounts of assorted other foods, such as a tin of sardines or a few spoonfuls of plain natural yogurt, when serving, twice a day, for breakfast and for tea. They forage dawn till dusk for whatever else they want.

The flock is 25 strong, inc 6 roos, and so far this year they have laid 545 eggs, cost ~ $144, and earned ~ $213 in egg sales.

If you want more info on my feeding routine, see my article here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...eat-tears-a-calculator-or-deep-pockets.78655/

 

[Al Gerhart]

I want to echo what one poster already pointed out; a proper feeder, a treadle feeder, will cut waste from spillage and from feed theft. Even a poor design like the Grandpa feeder or one of the other Chinese made feeders is better than nothing. If you don't have a feed theft problem, even a poor feeder will help delay or prevent a problem.

First thing is to count the birds and multiply by .25, equal pounds of feed per day you should be feeding. I'd ignore roosters and banties unless you have a lot of them. Now you have a baseline to judge if you are spending too much money in feed per bird.