4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[RavenWood]

I was wondering what you all do to store feed and to get it into the food dishes and out of the big bags and into what you store it in.I use to use the blastic things of cat litter but Im trying to be more earth friendly and not use anything in plastic if I can help it so I use the left over large ones like the buckets for storeing stuff or putting water in to wash things ect but the smaller ones It took me a bit to come up with something. Now I store my chick feed in it . It makes it eayer to handle and pour then from those big bag. I also use a plastic milk just that has the bottom cut off as a sort of funnle.
ings anything lol he gave up after a few minutes his fever chills got the best of him.This is what I use as a funnelman in the process
Dont mind my messy kitchen I need to clean it but with my son sick for the past two days and me haveing a migrain for most of the last week it hasnt been geting the attention it needs .

So what kinds of stuff do you guys come up with to help with your bird chores?

Our feed comes in heavy paper bags which we recycle as fire starter for the wood stove that heats our house all winter. I dump the feed into big rubbermaid garbage cans which are stored in the small barn. We just scoop out whatever feed we need at the time with dog food scoops and fill bowls. I have my grower crumbles in a glass jar on the brooder shelf and I just bring it out when empty and refill it from the garbage bins in the barn.

 

[gabrielle1976]

What kind of feed do you get in the bags? Could you take a picture of the bags. LOL Sorry Im just curious.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I was wondering what you all do to store feed and to get it into the food dishes and out of the big bags and into what you store it in.I use to use the blastic things of cat litter but Im trying to be more earth friendly and not use anything in plastic if I can help it so I use the left over large ones like the buckets for storeing stuff or putting water in to wash things ect but the smaller ones It took me a bit to come up with something. Now I store my chick feed in it . It makes it eayer to handle and pour then from those big bag. I also use a plastic milk just that has the bottom cut off as a sort of funnle.
My poor sick boy trying to help he loves pouring things anything lol he gave up after a few minutes his fever chills got the best of him.
This is what I use as a funnel
Little man in the process
Dont mind my messy kitchen I need to clean it but with my son sick for the past two days and me haveing a migrain for most of the last week it hasnt been geting the attention it needs .

So what kinds of stuff do you guys come up with to help with your bird chores?

rubber maid containers and trash cans & buckets of every size are my best friends! and My jugs, specifically laundry jugs are cleaned and made into my feed scoops....
sorta like this

 

[gabrielle1976]

I cant do trash cans not only do I not have room in my apartment but my back is horrible. I woudnt be able to move them or get to the bottom of them when almost empty.
I have another question. My serama especally are picky little blighters. THey wont eat warm mash , they wont eat oatmeal they wont eat much of anything ecept there feed, scrambled or hardboiled eggs, some breads or some types of dry cereal. I really want them to have a more varied diet. I have tried diffrent types of fruits , apples bannanas and things but its a no go . THey make a horrible mess with there feed and bury the feed litterly after takeing a few bites I have to clean it out three to four times a day. They are driveing me nuts I was hopeing the FF would help but I have been trying to get them to eat there feed soaked in warm water to get them use to the ida if that type of food but they just buried it to .. Tempted to trade them out for some less picky chickens

 

[RavenWood]

What kind of feed do you get in the bags? Could you take a picture of the bags. LOL Sorry Im just curious.

Layer crumbles/pellets, grower crumbles, hen scratch. Sure, I can take a pic when I go out to feed tonight.

 

[delisha]

Quote: My bags are brown and clear. It is mixed at the feed mil and organic.I purchase 15 lbs of whole wheat. 10 lbs of cracked corn. 50 lbs of all flock, 5 lbs of BOSS. I mix them all together. except a lbs of wheat and a lb of BOSS. Those I sprout through the month. I have 10 layers, 2 cockerels and 5 ducks. The feed last me almost a month. This is just through the winter. When the grasses and clovers start to grow, the chickens are gone most of the day.

 

[SilkieSensation]

My bags are brown and clear. It is mixed at the feed mil and organic.I purchase 15 lbs of whole wheat. 10 lbs of cracked corn. 50 lbs of all flock, 5 lbs of BOSS. I mix them all together. except a lbs of wheat and a lb of BOSS. Those I sprout through the month. I have 10 layers, 2 cockerels and 5 ducks. The feed last me almost a month. This is just through the winter. When the grasses and clovers start to grow, the chickens are gone most of the day.

Wish I could get away with such a small amount of feed. I have almost 100 birds

 

[kvmommy]

I wish I could find a feed mill near me

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have 100 birds through the year..I just do not winter 100 birds. Not economically feasable. I butcher out starting in August all the way through December. I just keep my best layers and show birds. Next year I will winter more , I am hatching out 5 additional breeds. If i get anything show quality I will house a trio of each breed of those over winter. If I do not have quality for breeding or show I will keep two pullets from each breed and look for cockerels at the shows. (except for the silkies) This is the first time I will be having silkies and it will be a new expirence. They belong to my DH so I have no idea what his plans are.

 

[SilkieSensation]

I have 100 birds through the year..I just do not winter 100 birds. Not economically feasable. I butcher out starting in August all the way through December. I just keep my best layers and show birds. Next year I will winter more , I am hatching out 5 additional breeds. If i get anything show quality I will house a trio of each breed of those over winter. If I do not have quality for breeding or show I will keep two pullets from each breed and look for cockerels at the shows. (except for the silkies) This is the first time I will be having silkies and it will be a new expirence. They belong to my DH so I have no idea what his plans are.

I have breeder trios & quads of several colors/varieties of each breed, plus ducks & quail. Mine don't free range due to location, predators & keeping breeders pure. I go through about 400 lbs of feed a month.