Cheaper Organic Feed? - Lettuce, Tomatoes, Mealworms, Etc.

[tatswell]

During these winter months my flock is unable to forage, so I am spending a lot of money supplementing their feed. I only have 5 ducks- as a backyard hobby- but I am spending $50 a week just on lettuce and tomatoes alone. Not including their layer feed, straw, cracked corn (to bulk them up for the winter for warmth), treats- handful 2x/day - mealworms (not cheap), ultra kibble, and occasionally other treats like shrimp, etc.
Between all of it I am spending roughly around $100 a week, give or take.
Any cheaper ideas or resources would be great! - Preferably organic.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's what happens when non poultry nutritionists tinker with a balanced ration. While peas are nutritious and relatively high in protein, they're particularly low in methionine, cystine and tryptophan.
http://pubs.aic.ca/doi/pdf/10.4141/cjps79-103
Deficiencies of the sulfur amino acids methionine and cystine are growth limiting in diets.
While cystine can be considered a non-essential amino acid because methionine can be irreversibly converted to cysteine, the supply of methionine must be adequate. If methionine is deficient, that makes cystine essential. If both cystine and methionine are deficient, as they are in peas and one cuts their feed 50:50 with peas, they are in fact cutting the supply of these two essential amino acids in half. Since feed contains a minimum appropriate level, the result is a deficient feed mix.

It isn't adequate to consider total crude protein when supplementing feed because chickens have so many amino acids that are considered essential, several more than for humans. What this means is that chickens don't actually have a set requirement for crude protein but they do for individual amino acids. It's the theory of limiting amino acid concept.
http://feed-additives.evonik.com/pr...nutrition/animal-nutrition/pages/default.aspx

Methionine and Cystine are not readily available from vegetative sources. Since most feeds are vegetarian, it's necessary to add synthetic methionine.
If one were to boost their feed with an animal protein like fish or porcine meal, they might be able to overcome that limiter.

Methionine is required for the biosynthesis of many important substances involved in growth including choline and melatonin among others.
The deficiency of methionine reduces weight gain, feed efficiency and protein content in the carcass This increases feed intake, contributing to additional energy causing an increase in body fat deposition.


ETA
Sorry, I just re-read and saw you only mix 33:66 so you're only cutting the sulphur amino acids by a third.

 

[Dandelioness]

I think lack of fresh greens and quality animal proteins are what's lacking in most feeds, even organic. But obviously, you can't put those in a bag for one reason or another. I have the ability to safely range my birds during the day, but I still supplement these components of their diet in the winter.

I think when we talking to each other, it's important to recognize that folks who can't free range or have harsh winters are looking to make up for the lack of fresh food in the typical bag of layer ration. Birds with access to pasture & bugs regulate themselves very well and find what they need or leave what they don't much more than birds raised in confinement (whether that is by choice or dictated by circumstance).

I've culled too many birds who were raised on conventional feed with bad livers and weird growths vs organic/pastured birds of the same age with nice livers you could eat to believe everything necessary for optimal health comes in a 50# bag, organic or not. Just my $0.02.

 

[Dandelioness]

Look into raising your meal worms, growing fodder/greens/sprouts in your kitchen, maybe keeping a cherry or other small tomato plant indoors next winter.
A few handfuls per day is all you really need if they're getting a good layer ration. The greens & meal worms are the most beneficial, so I would focus on those first.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

... Just my $0.02.

Whatever happened to the cent sign on keyboards?

 

[ginia]

I go to the local organic grocery store and ask for their
"discarded" greens: this is what the produce guys/gals
trim off the vegetables, lettuces, etc to make them
look perfect. They have a big boxful of beautiful
greens EVERY DAY (usually late mornings).
Besides lettuce, there is often, bok choy, kale, broccoli,
parsley, peppers, etc
Tho sometimes they save boxes for local groups
who feed the homeless, I pick up a boxful once a week
and it lasts all week if I process it by putting it into bags
and in the fridge or cooler.

 

[CrazyTalk]

None of the things you're feeding your birds in addition to the layer feed are actually helping. Feed them a good flock maintenance feed (16-20% protien) and cut out the treats. They'll be better off for it.

 

[Chris09]

Cut out all the treats,,,, there doing nothing but depleting nutrients.
Just feed them a good feed that is around 20% protein, that will do far more good.

 

[roseyred]

I bulk up there feed with organic whole peas. It was like $20 a 50lb bag? And I bet if you soaked em they'd be more treat like. I just add half of a scoop of peas to every scoop of feed I give them. I get them from countrysideorganics.com

 

[roseyred]

It's actualy not 50:50 cut if you re read my post, 1 scoop of there later feed to 1/2 scoop of peas. I have learned that chickens will only eat what they need at the time being. Sometimes they don't eat all the peas, sometimes they pick out all the corn from there feed, sometimes they eat just the grainier stuff. It's up to them. For the winter it keeps them warm.
There feed also containes fish meal.

I'll have to look into peas a little deeper. Thank you for your advice.