What can you add to feed to save money?

[smileygreen64]

Does anyone add things to their chickens feed to help with the feed bill? I am afraid if I tried to mix my own feed that I wouldn't get all the nutrients right. Right now I feed tucker milling company super lay. It is a 22% protein layer feed. I was wondering if there were some things I could add to the feed to cut down on the price. For example, corn is cheap. Could I add 20 pounds of corn to each 50 pound bag of my normal feed? Effectively lowering my price per pound of feed. Does anyone else use a commercial food as a base for a homemade feed?

 

[Folly's place]

Your commercially formulated feed should be a balanced diet for your laying hens, and diluting it out with that amount of corn will destroy that balance.
It's not necessary to feed that amount of protein, but it's also within a good range for the birds. There may be a less expensive choice available if you shop around a bit.
I buy Purina Flock Raiser, and have oyster shell on the side, for my mixed flock. It's available here with mill dates within four week, so very fresh. It's not the cheapest, or the most expensive choice available, but it works for my flock.
When the flock ranges (not in the snow!) they eat less feed, and still do very well.
Mary

 

[JaeG]

Fermenting the food means they need less as what is in the food is more available and digestable. It's how I save a little. This is a thread all about it with lots of helpful people ready to answer any questions:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fermented-feeds-anyone-using-them.645057/

 

[chickengr]

Does anyone add things to their chickens feed to help with the feed bill? I am afraid if I tried to mix my own feed that I wouldn't get all the nutrients right. Right now I feed tucker milling company super lay. It is a 22% protein layer feed. I was wondering if there were some things I could add to the feed to cut down on the price. For example, corn is cheap. Could I add 20 pounds of corn to each 50 pound bag of my normal feed? Effectively lowering my price per pound of feed. Does anyone else use a commercial food as a base for a homemade feed?

isn't 22 % protein too much for layers? mine get 14-16% and lay like crazy. corn makes eggs tasty.

you didn't say if your chickens free range or are closed in the coop. makes difference.

 

[Naser]

As said above try to find feeds with less protein content, I live in Ireland, all layers pellets are 15% protein, and the hens are doing fine.
Edited to say: be sure no vermins are eating with your hens and your hens aren't wasting feed.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Could I add 20 pounds of corn to each 50 pound bag of my normal feed? Effectively lowering my price per pound of feed.

If you add corn to the feed they may bill-out the feed to eat the corn, unless you have a no-waste feeder.
With a 22% Protein feed you should be able to get away replacing up to 20% of the feed with corn, 50#/12.5#.
If you dilute the feed more than that, the vitamins and minerals added to the feed may be diluted to the point that they may become deficient, and decreased egg production or illness could be the result. GC

 

[smileygreen64]

I have thought about fermenting feed, but that seems much more time consuming. I don't know if I have the time to do that with work and all my other projects. Right now I have 20 pound hanging feeders that I only have to fill every so often. I have around 80 chickens in 16 different coops. Everyone is separated by breed and color. Unfortunately they don't get much time out right now. I have lost over a dozen chickens and 8 guinea to a hawk that has been terrorizing me. I will see about trying a lower protein feed. I was under the impression the higher the protein the better. I am working on a project now to sprout fodder for them. I am sure that will help with the feed consumption. Also working on a meal worm farm for them.

 

[Folly's place]

Sprouted fodder (what kind?) will likely lower the protein %, so be careful about additions, in quality and quantity.
My base feed is 20% protein, and then they get some scratch and occasionally corn as treats, so lower protein there. With snow cover, there's no yummy stuff to eat outside either.
Mary

 

[smileygreen64]

I have not decided yet on what exactly to sprout. The first thing that comes to mind would be wheat and rye. I know I can find those close to home.
Each coop gets a handful of scratch each day. Other than that, they eat their normal feed. I feel bad not beibg able to let them out more so I figured I could bring grass and bugs to them in the form of fodder and meal worms.

 

[Allie Grace Sanders]

I would suggest fermenting their food. Also, if your trying to cut your feed bill, you could ask a local farmers to give you bad or busted produce...