Can’t afford rising feed prices

[DickMidnight]

If my calculations are correct that's correct for the average sized chicken. So original poster hows your feeding compare

her 20 are eating 200lbs a month. they should be eating about 100.

 

[Lovely Lettie]

This is a problem for me too. I don't currently have chickens but I am getting some in the spring and I'm not exactly rich and the feed price's are so high now.

I’ve seen online that some people go feed-free with whole grain berries, bugs, and other foraging.
Has anyone here tried to cut back amounts by a good deal or even entirely omitted chicken feed?
I was planning on letting them summer over my garden bed this year instead of gardening, but husband is looking at abandoning the chickens all together. If he does that I’ll have to do a garden or lose both outdoor pleasures. (Because if I don’t labor on the weeds, and the chickens don’t than it’ll be impossible to get back.)
Hoping y’all have some better ideas than I’m coming up with.

This is a problem for me too. I don't currently have chickens but I am getting some in the spring and I'm not exactly rich and the feed price's are so high now.

 

[Sissyhen]

her 20 are eating 200lbs a month. they should be eating about 100.

Would large breeds like brahmas and australorps need more? Half the flock are those

 

[DickMidnight]

Would large breeds like brahmas and australorps need more? Half the flock are those

no idea.

you should feed the whole bag at once and see exactly how long they take to go through it on their own.

that’ll tell you how often you need to buy.

i use this feeder. you can make one like it pretty easily.

https://www.qcsupply.com/coopworx-chicken-feed-silo-single-post-mount.html?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google|Shopping|NB|All_Products|ALL|ALL|ALL|FM&utm_content=490958302923&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAiAkrWdBhBkEiwAZ9cdcLtLwcd1Yj-tC8I8WCu3FDY_7guS_UZ5kJPDIiOn5M5_w8i4mSc1zhoCZDIQAvD_BwE

 

[Brooks_]

Would large breeds like brahmas and australorps need more? Half the flock are those

Could, but I don't think that kind of difference.

 

[sdm111]

This is a problem for me too. I don't currently have chickens but I am getting some in the spring and I'm not exactly rich and the feed price's are so high now.

This is a problem for me too. I don't currently have chickens but I am getting some in the spring and I'm not exactly rich and the feed price's are so high now.

You shouldn't get them if you can't afford them

 

[Iluveggers]

I have a Brahma, large Marans & Orpington in the 10 in my flock. They also get whatever veggie scraps we have from dinner the night before, but I don’t think that amount is a significant part of their food. Usually some carrot shavings or cucumber ends, or a bell pepper core. Things like that.

 

[nuthatched]

We do give them all the kitchen scraps, which is a pail-ful daily, and they free range half the day, but at about 20 hens they eat a large bag of feed every week. Are we overfeeding them? I wonder.

What type of feeders do you use? An average bird eat 3-4 Oz a day, that's 5lbs a day, 50lb is about 10 days worth. How much is feed in your area and have you looked for cheaper? Mixing your own feed is a bad idea, it's very expensive.

Yes and fermenting will cut your feed bill in half. Here's more on the topic:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fermenting-pellet-feed.1287963/

More like 10-15%, I've never seen anyone prove the mythical 50%.

I soak some feed in water every night and feed it to the flock every morning. I soak 2-3 cups of dry pellets and it becomes a mash and doubles in size. Sometimes I mix in some flaxseeds. It’s gone by the time they go to bed. Seems to help in stretching out a 50lb bag of feed.

It doubles in size but your birds won't get the nutrition they need like that, it's a bad idea.

They may could use? If that’s what you meant we do add diatomaceous earth on occasion (that is our wormer for all our animals)

Diotomaceous earth isn't a wormer for anything, it doesn't do a thing. that's a myth and can actually cause respiratory system issues when breathed.

 

[sdm111]

her 20 are eating 200lbs a month. they should be eating about 100.

My bad it's so hard for me to scroll up anyway yeah thats alot

 

[DickMidnight]

You shouldn't get them if you can't afford them

that’s just good life advice right there.