Topic of the Week - Saving Money, Feeding Chickens

[lazy gardener]

I have heard a little about fermented feed, can you tell me about it @barred2rock? I know 0 about it!

This article has all the info you need about the how and why of FF.
https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[Dayrel]

Anybody have this problem? My chickens love to scoop the food out of the feeder with their beaks and waste it. There is a five foot by five foot area just covered with chicken feed about two to three inches deep. They waste more than they eat in a year! i bet if i gathered up all the feed around the feeder, I would never have to buy chicken feed again there is so much there. I really need some suggestions on feeders that won't waste as much. I have an idea though, i was thinking i could build a small, low box and cover the top with some wire with small holes that would allow the chicken feed through but not poop. The feeder sits on top. Then at the end of the day, I dump the feed back in the feeder. Would this work? If not, can you suggest anything that might work?

Fermented feed is one solution that I am using. Another way that is more convenient is to use no/low-spill feeders for dry feed. Here are two:

 

[Gail Laubenthal]

Since we finally purchased 30 acres behind us we're able to plant. Our plan is to just give them water then grow Chicken forage seed mix which contains

- Annual Ryegrass
- Perennial Ryegrass
- Buckwheat
- Flax
- Millet
- Forage Peas
- Red Clover
- Alfalfa

I find that growing your own forage for your chickens is a cheap, easy, and a highly nutritious way to feed chickens. Chicken feed can be expensive to provide throughout the year. Growing your own from spring to fall provides high levels of nutrients that will make your eggs taste even better. Foraging chickens can also have a better balanced diet that creates better eggs and meat.

Where do you buy a mixture of seed like that? Or do you plant certain seeds at certain times?

 

[Neezers Farm]

I collect 5# buckets of vegetable scraps from my son's restaurant to give to the chickens. I clean the buckets and exchange for full buckets several times a week. They also free range daily, have access to feed in the coop, and are given fermented scratch twice a day.

 

[ChickNanny13]

FF = fermented feed

 

[MillersFarm]

Where do you buy a mixture of seed like that? Or do you plant certain seeds at certain times?

http://www.ufseeds.com/Chicken-Fora...mUaKCVE1hhHjlB1rgsDSZx89gx2p7-VsaAmnMEALw_wcB
There's multiple choices you can choose from. But this is my favorite one.

 

[CHICKEN BUFF]

When I fed a large flock outside (in the run) I realised I was feeding half the neighbourhood's wild birds as well. I changed my feeding practices by not leaving food out all day and feeding twice a day only and standing nearby to deter any freeloaders while the chickens were eating (about 10-15 minutes was enough), before covering all remaining feed until the next feeding time. I cut my feed bill in half Yes, the wild birds were consuming as much feed as my 100 bird strong flock did!

This is a big problem for me too --- we have a starling invasion! I can't cover the entire back yard to keep them out, so I have to figure a way to feed the chickens but not the starlings. We've had a treadle feeder for a year now, and not one of my 25 birds has ever figured it out. I keep the feed in it fresh and make sure it's working properly, but my birds either don't like it or they're not as smart as I think they are.

 

[misschickenlover]

Anybody have this problem? My chickens love to scoop the food out of the feeder with their beaks and waste it. There is a five foot by five foot area just covered with chicken feed about two to three inches deep. They waste more than they eat in a year! i bet if i gathered up all the feed around the feeder, I would never have to buy chicken feed again there is so much there. I really need some suggestions on feeders that won't waste as much. I have an idea though, i was thinking i could build a small, low box and cover the top with some wire with small holes that would allow the chicken feed through but not poop. The feeder sits on top. Then at the end of the day, I dump the feed back in the feeder. Would this work? If not, can you suggest anything that might work?

i have just started to mix in water with the feed, although it takes a bit more time they eat SO MUCH LESS... im hooked on it (althought the family curse it!!)

 

[ChickenSmurf]

Here is a picture of my feeder; note that it has slightly wet food in it and they are bars

I don't see a picture. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[~KH~]

I really love using a PVC feeder to keep the chickens from throwing food everywhere. In my last coop, I had 3" diameter pipe with a couple elbows at the bottom creating a U. It worked very well at not letting the chickens waste feed, but wouldn't stand up by itself and had to be attached to the wall. This time, I built one using 4" diameter pipe with a Y at the bottom, so that it has a flat base.