A short chicken feed rant

[Faeshka]

Uww, excited to check it out. Thank you for chiming up.

You're welcome!

This is some more info I've come across in my own research.

https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.e.../807ec6ce-4bae-47e2-ae7d-e9a570e7e1f4/content

https://attra.ncat.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/chnutritionhpinew.pdf

https://egginnovations.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Pastured_Poultry_Nutrition_and_Forages-1.pdf

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

For everyone except large industrial farms with many thousands of birds, keeping chickens is a hobby. If you do not count your time and effort you may break even on the feed cost. For others, like myself, it's an expensive hobby but cheap entertainment. What everyone here has in common is we find it satisfying and enjoyable. I'm sure you will agree once you get into it. Welcome.

Went to Tractor Supply yesterday afternoon "for the fun of it" and oh boy do I agree with what you said about enjoyment. Now, I really can not wait to get started. My newest thing making me nervous is the electric chicken fence. I am sure hubby can help with that as far as getting the kind we need, blah, blah, blah.

Excitement over here in SE Georgia!!!!

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

Loss is inevitable but 50% is excessive unless you have a catastrophic breech. By starting here, hopefully you can pick up some tips to minimize loses before you get started. The main tip is do all you can before you receive chicks. Have the coop and brooder ready to go. Don't skimp on wire. Cover any gap big enough for a snake to get in. Secure latches with carribiners.

Unless you live in the mountains, you do not need a traditional 4 walled chicken coop. Your coop needs to be built for the most oppressive days of summer, thunderstorms and high predator load. I would go in the direction of a covered aviary design. Wire walls, roof and a solid back wall will fit the bill. A hoop coop is an inexpensive route as well. An 8x8 coop would be your minimum for 20 hens and works with common lengths of lumber and cattle panels. You might also find some chain link fence panels on CL or FB marketplace that can make a nice open and secure coop. Add a roof a couple of roosts and nestboxes and you're in business.

Yes; how useful. We (I) can do this! Thank you, Percheron.

 

[MadGardener]

An assortment of different sized pry bars and sledge hammers, plus fencing pliers, makes easier work of pallet disassembly https://www.harborfreight.com/10-inch-fence-pliers-stapler-puller-with-tpr-grip-99817.html

I am a big fan of Premier1 PoultryNet Plus and their solar charger. It's sold as a kit or separately, but Premier1's charger is much better quality than the cheapo backup/quarantine charger I bought.

If the netting is stationary you will need to mow the fence line. I highly recommend moving the fence for this. It's real easy to accidentally damage it.

Good luck!

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

An assortment of different sized pry bars and sledge hammers, plus fencing pliers, makes easier work of pallet disassembly https://www.harborfreight.com/10-inch-fence-pliers-stapler-puller-with-tpr-grip-99817.html

I am a big fan of Premier1 PoultryNet Plus and their solar charger. It's sold as a kit or separately, but Premier1's charger is much better quality than the cheapo backup/quarantine charger I bought.

If the netting is stationary you will need to mow the fence line. I highly recommend moving the fence for this. It's real easy to accidentally damage it.

Good luck!

I looked this company up; bookmarked to be able to retrieve and go order. I thank you for these references.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have 5 sections (maybe 6?) of electric netting between my birds and my goats. I have Premier1, Starkline, and Rent-a-Coop. I actually prefer the Starkline fences, personally. And you can check out the Premier1 catalog/website, but their brands are carried elsewhere, often at less cost. I have 2 energizers, both Patriot brand. I got one from Premier1 and one from a local feed store. Just throwing that out there so you can price compare.

Honestly, installing electric wire is cheaper, but the netting is SO EASY and convenient.

 

[igorsMistress]

Your feed needs will depend on how many chickens you have and how well you can support them on your land. The amount of space they have to free range can have a huge impact, as well as your weather. How will they eat when it snows? What if there’s a drought and you struggle to grow sufficient sources of food for them and yourself?

My flock eats anything green in the yard they can reach, lizards, bugs, baby birds unfortunate enough to fall in our yard. They still eat feed, although less in summer than winter.

When we lived on a farm our chickens were all over it, not just in the barnyard. We had a lot of acres because we raised cattle, and we rarely went through feed. Definitely not the case in a suburban backyard though.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

@U_Stormcrow should have some things to add to this that may help bring things into perspective also

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Damn it. I had pages written. My computer highlighted the text, deleted it, then crashed.

I have lots of things to say, but am uncertain as to what question(s) I'm supposed to be trying to answer. I am also uncertain what the OP is trying to do - I seem to have missed a post or three somewhere.

In the interim, I'm going to say whatever it is, you can't do it - which isn't to say you shouldn't try. But moderate your expectations, be prepared for failures - learn from them - and discover what works best for you.

Two years ago, when I started my flock, I couldn't get the birds I wanted (in essence, they don't exist), had limited (if any) choice in what was available to me, and made some poor choices when I did have options, because there were things I either didn't know, or didn't understand as well as I thought I did. So I'm making my own. In a few years, they might be close to what I want.

I've accepted that its impossible to economically sustain my birds on an optimum nutrition diet from my own grounds - though I have 30 acres - but that's not to say I can't do some things to bend my feed curve with very limited continued labor or economic inputs on my part. By creating a self-sustaining, highly diverse polyculture of plants either tolerated by me or specifically chosen to try and provide high value nutrition to my animals. Which is to say I have my acres of weeds.

Both links, I hope, should be instructive to you - cataloging successes and failures - oh so many failures - over the last two years. We have (likely) similar soils and climates, so a lot of my experiences may be directly valuable to you in your own efforts.
There is NO "One Right Answer", or everyone would be doing it (except that one guy, because there's always that one guy...) There is, however, the best answer FOR YOU, in view of your needs, circumstances, and capacities. Science (I'm a big fan) will get you a long way, but be aware that most science is done in isolation. Reducing variables to obtain good data. Raising chickens is a System. A very complicated System - to work well, everything has to work together. Once you understand the science, there's still plenty of learning by doing to ensure the system you've created furthers your goals - or at least,. doesn't work against them.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

Damn it. I had pages written. My computer highlighted the text, deleted it, then crashed.

I have lots of things to say, but am uncertain as to what question(s) I'm supposed to be trying to answer. I am also uncertain what the OP is trying to do - I seem to have missed a post or three somewhere.

In the interim, I'm going to say whatever it is, you can't do it - which isn't to say you shouldn't try. But moderate your expectations, be prepared for failures - learn from them - and discover what works best for you.

Two years ago, when I started my flock, I couldn't get the birds I wanted (in essence, they don't exist), had limited (if any) choice in what was available to me, and made some poor choices when I did have options, because there were things I either didn't know, or didn't understand as well as I thought I did. So I'm making my own. In a few years, they might be close to what I want.

I've accepted that its impossible to economically sustain my birds on an optimum nutrition diet from my own grounds - though I have 30 acres - but that's not to say I can't do some things to bend my feed curve with very limited continued labor or economic inputs on my part. By creating a self-sustaining, highly diverse polyculture of plants either tolerated by me or specifically chosen to try and provide high value nutrition to my animals. Which is to say I have my acres of weeds.

Both links, I hope, should be instructive to you - cataloging successes and failures - oh so many failures - over the last two years. We have (likely) similar soils and climates, so a lot of my experiences may be directly valuable to you in your own efforts.
There is NO "One Right Answer", or everyone would be doing it (except that one guy, because there's always that one guy...) There is, however, the best answer FOR YOU, in view of your needs, circumstances, and capacities. Science (I'm a big fan) will get you a long way, but be aware that most science is done in isolation. Reducing variables to obtain good data. Raising chickens is a System. A very complicated System - to work well, everything has to work together. Once you understand the science, there's still plenty of learning by doing to ensure the system you've created furthers your goals - or at least,. doesn't work against them.

Well hot dang honey, you stepped in and said the things! Thanks @Auntiejessi3 for referring @U_Stormcrow .