Best food source online? Or in person?

[RW1984]

I live in Fayetteville NC and have about 40 birds to feed.
I let them free range at times when I’m home and can keep an eye on them. However they’re expensive to feed. Family up north go to a local organic place to buy their bags of feed for cheap. T.S. (tractor store, not sure if names are allowed in posts or not) sells theirs for 20-25$ per 50lb bag of feed. A localstore sells them for about 15-20$ per bag.
Does anyone have any recommendations for cheaper feed?
Ultimately I’d like to grow enough bugs and stuff to feed them for free but I just don’t have the time to get that started or the resources as of now.

 

[Gtstricky]

You can make your own but if you can get organic at $15 for 50lbs it might not be worth it.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

You'll not find online source with free shipping. If so then the price is inflated. It's cheaper to purchase local. With 40 birds look into bulk purchase. If you have a mill in driving distance and can buy in bulk you'll save.

Metal trash cans will hold 100lbs each easy. Stored in a shed will stay fresh. You must go through nearly 100lbs a week in feed so that's five cans to transport and store 500 lbs every 1.5 months.

And of course if you don't "need" organic then the feed is much cheaper too. I get 50# bags from local mill supply for 12.50 per bag.

 

[DobieLover]

You'll not find online source with free shipping. If so then the price is inflated. It's cheaper to purchase local. With 40 birds look into bulk purchase. If you have a mill in driving distance and can buy in bulk you'll save.

Metal trash cans will hold 100lbs each easy. Stored in a shed will stay fresh. You must go through nearly 100lbs a week in feed so that's five cans to transport and store 500 lbs every 1.5 months.

And of course if you don't "need" organic then the feed is much cheaper too. I get 50# bags from local mill supply for 12.50 per bag.

I don't understand this. I have north of 30 birds. I go through 50# of feed about every 8-10 days.
You must have a lot of wasted feed.
I feed fermented homemade mix and Flock Raiser that I wet and make a mash out of. I feed in homemade PVC troughs with very little waste.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I didn't bother doing the math, rough estimate. The take away and question posed was for a cheaper source not to exact how much feed they are going through.

 

[Acre4Me]

If you plan to feed the flock through natural forage, then you need to understand what forage they need to provide adequate nutrition. I’m no expert here, but @centrarchid may have some advice.

 

[centrarchid]

If you plan to feed the flock through natural forage, then you need to understand what forage they need to provide adequate nutrition. I’m no expert here, but @centrarchid may have some advice.

@RW1984 I am not clear on where you are going for the short term. Looks like just interested in a less costly feed?

 

[RW1984]

@RW1984 I am not clear on where you are going for the short term. Looks like just interested in a less costly feed?

Short answer is yes. I’ve heard of co ops that sell feed, I was told for 5-10$ a bag. Not sure how true it is. However I would like to find a cost effective way to feed my birds without spending the wallet gauging prices of larger stores like tr@ctor supply where they charge 20-25$ a bag.

 

[centrarchid]

I can get feed from farmers co-op (Missouri Farmers Association / MFA) for about $10 / 50 lb bag. It formulated for commercial meat or egg producing flocks. My birds do not like it as much as most of the higher end feeds with pretty packaging, in part because former has lots of fines and does not appear to taste as good. My work around has been to wet or even ferment the co-op sourced feed to improve palatability and reduce waste. To make life simple, I use the more expensive stuff that runs just under $10 to about $15 for a 50 / lb bag. Price varies greatly between types of feed. I am partial the flock raiser formulations that are pricier, but give better feather developement.