Sierra Mountains-Gold Country-Foothills

[sherylreno]

I've been looking for years and haven't found any. If anyone knows of a place please let me know too!

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

Hey there Sheryl - I've just been in correspondence with Modesto Milling (modestomilling.com) who carry a pretty full line of organic grains and other feed supplements. They are close enough to me on this side of the hill, maybe a bit of a long drive for you. Pricing makes it look like putting together one's own feed would be comparable to buying at the low end of the 'organic layer feed' price range (between 40 and 50 cents per pound, depending of course on what mix you concoct). Which is still a bit spendy I'm sorry to say.

I've got their price list - if you want it just PM me and I can email it to you.

 

[sherylreno]

Hi Axis, yes, that price is a lot with the driving involved. My flock goes through 100lbs a month at, let's say, .40 per lb, would make it $40 per month plus the gas to get there and back. I'm paying $34 per month for all natural feed. What is their minimum order? Do they bag it or is it loose?

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

You're paying 34 cents per pound for all natural feed? I need to know more! What & where?

They sell in 50 lb bags, and don't seem to have minimums - pricing ranges from $19 / 50 lb bag for alfalfa pellets; $20.38 for organic corn (whole or cracked); $20.75 for milo; $21.50 for whole peas; and up to $23 for barley; $22.88 for oats; $34 for flax seed. My mix would come out around 43 cents or more per pound - which I agree is kinda high to be economical when I factor in shipping and or gas costs.

I pay 47 cents per pound for BarAle all natural feed, which I supplement with barley fodder and, of course, all day free ranging in pasture and compost. I am hopeful that by mixing my own I can drive feed costs down below 40 cents per pound - so do let me know what you're getting at such a good price and where. Meanwhile, I will still keep searching for better 'direct from mill' pricing.

 

[sherylreno]

I buy Swanson Breeder's 20% from Feed World here in Reno, they're located on Spokane Ave. It comes in 50lb bags and I pay less than $17.00 per bag. I bought Bar Ale once and my birds went through it like crazy and a friend of mine found plastic pieces in hers:

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

wow - did the eggs turn blue? j/k - a good reason to stop buying it. And I agree - the birds go through it more than other feeds. Sigh - yet more good reasons for my search for new feed.

 

[sherylreno]

Swanson's is out of Turlock, CA.

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

Yea, I saw that when I looked them up after reading your earlier post. There are a number of poultry feed businesses over here in the valley - Swanson's, BarAle, OH Kruse, and a couple others. And I do like the 'buy local' idea (less shipping involved). Yet I'm still wanting to find a completely non-GMO, 'organic' (no pesticide, no herbicide grain) source of feed or grains - but at a competitive price. Of course so far no luck. Of the ones similar to Swanson's, I've tried "Helen's Best" (a brand from OH Kruse) most recently and it seems as good as any of the standard types and at a good price ($16.99 / 50 lb bag). But still I'm scouring for better prices on more natural feed. Not sure I'll find it, but ya never know!

 

[cjpines]

Hi, we live in Placerville and are looking for bantams, D'ucclie's bearded females. If you have any please contact me.

 

[cjpines]

Hi everyone! We all love being part of the other California threads, but I thought I'd start a thread for us mountain dwellers. We have environmental and predator issues with our chickens that the folks on the NorCal and BayArea threads may be less familiar with.

So if you want, say hi and let us know where ya live! We live in Somerset/Fair Play and raise a variety of chickens, both large fowl and bantam breeds.

So who are you, where you at, and what are YOU raising?

I'm also in El Dorado Cty. Wondering if you sell any of your chickens?

We have five chicks. The usual run, 2 BR's,we call them the Dixie Chicks. Australorp, Buff O and Welsummer. Lost our Ameraucana.