Alaska Chicken Lover's Soup for the Cold!!

[PaulaJoAnne]

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If they are getting unlimited feed like ours our, along with the BOSS and scraps, then they doing just fine. In the summer, because we let them take over a much larger area, they eat about half that amount.

I am hoping when we get moved to the other cabin we can have a much larger space for them. Be nice to cut down on feed some. Am going to get some barley and supplement with that too - sprouted. That should help cut down too, and continue to let them have free feed of the Budget stuff.

We are dreaming of finding a much bigger parcel of land, and building on it. Strawbale with a masonry heater.
And LOTS of room to free range chickens and goats.
Right now we are on 1 acre that is hemmed in and laid out all goofy. With no topsoil.
Got a few things that need changed first though.

 

[BirdBrain]

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Paula, is that picture at your place, or your inspiration for how to deal with it? Since it seems that you are going to free feed does that mean that you will not be sprouting?

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

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Paula, is that picture at your place, or your inspiration for how to deal with it? Since it seems that you are going to free feed does that mean that you will not be sprouting?

Its my inspiration! I guess I was not very clear.

I will sprout some, but I have always free fed the chickens.
If I sprout all of it, then I have to up the protein and carb source.
Kinda defeats the purpose of saving all this money

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Got down to the last 2 foot or so of the barley tote, and its a wee bit damp.

........wanders off to figure out how to dry all that barley inside

But its still worth it!! 6 months worth of feed in one fell swoop. No extra trips to Palmer for feed!

 

[MrsDeb]

Ok, got me a bag of BOSS at Three Bears tonight....$20 something

Now can I just mix it with my morning scoop of scratch? Will they like that?

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

You can feed them however you want.
I feed them later in the day after normal feeding, as they tend to bulldoze each other for them!

 

[Wolfwoman]

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Sometimes I give scratch alone, and BOSS alone and sometimes I mix it... they don't seem to care either way and love it all.

 

[MrsDeb]

Great! I'll play with it a little and see what they do....I love the fact we have new treats!

 

[Wolfwoman]

Yup it's a blast watching them trample over one another...LOL Actually I try and toss it everywhere so they have a choice to NOT get trampled. Doesn't always help.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

DH is going hunting after church tommorow for 4 WHOLE DAYS!!!!!
Not looking forward to the 1/2 empty bed tommorow night