Chicken feed through the roof!

[CandiceN]

I only buy feed for now, I haven't bought scratch or BOSS at all. At the local feed store a 50# bag of layer was $18 and I saw a similar bag at the local hardware store for $14. I have about a dozen places within a half hour drive I could buy, so I guess I should be shopping around!

So - is scratch necessary? How about stuff like BOSS? I almost bought some BOSS last week, but it's expensive and I thought it was just a treat... Am I wrong?

Thankfully we only have 4 hens so we don't have to buy feed too often. Although it turns out we've been feeding mice, too (just found a little nest today, in the coop - yuck!).... Ugh!

 

[BlackBart]

I live on a Island, a big island and it has its own feed manufacturer. All bulk supplies have to be ferried over from the mainland.

We get a 10 bag rate, 10% off the total. Chicken Swap days we get 10% anything to do with chickens.

18% layer 44 pound bag $14
hen scratch 44 pound bag $12 ......................all feed has constantly gone up over the last few years

 

[tclegg]

Quote:
Well I understand--we went to oatmeat an da half bagel every morning--so our girls can have best grain and nutrition (sp?) for a few months...but still good for us too..LOL..what we didn't finish they got too...go figure...And all of our hunting and traping left overs--so maybe no one of use suffered affteres after all.. Hop not..

 

[Spoof]

Was using a locally milled feed, they went up to $20/bag a couple months ago so I gave the Dumor a try and wish I hadn't. It is $14/bag and I noticed not only the weird poo odor but the feathers are lackluster and they go through it twice as fast. Just picked up a bag of the Lone Star brand for $19, will see how that fares out. I would really prefer pellets but nobody carries anything in pellets any more. When I ask they claim it's because they shut down the rooster fighting, so nobody orders feed?? Makes me wonder what the locals feed the chickens, lol.

 

[duckinnut]

Quote:
Join the club,bought a 50lb layena and a 50lb scratch, total 25.98.

Oh ya I forgot,remembered that I used a Purina coupon for $3 off (had it with me this time)so that would bring the total to $28.98 if I didn't have it.

 

[kizanne]

Well I pay more cause of I buy organic. But what I wanted to add was you can cut down how much they eat if they have treats, left overs and time to range. I live in the city and have only 1 acre. But on days I let them out of the coop to the grassy area they love it they so far stay pretty close to the coop. I usually only let them out after I get home at 5:30 and they put themselves back in the coop by 7:30-8:00.

 

[sheila3935]

With the drought in Texas and here we havent had rain since July 1st, The price of grain is going and has already started to skyrocket. I work at Rural King and have been told its gonna go up. Our corn around here is really starting to suffer. We had a crazy wet spring and then the fawcet got turned off. I checked on our computer at work and last year at this time the price of a 40lb bag of whole corn was 5.39 right now its 8.69. I can get Nutrena layer for 11.99 which is much better then most of you. Our store brand is 10.99 but lately they have been having it on sell for 9.79. I am lucky I get a 15% discount so that helps. With 39 chickens and 5 duck not to mention 4 dogs 19 rats a hampster a bunny and 5 birds I need all the help I can get. Some weeks I spend more money on animal feed than people food.

 

[allieloveschickens]

Has anyone here tried growing quinoa for their chickens? It seems easy enough to grow and has a lot of protein.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
From Wiki=

"After harvest, the grains need to be processed, in order to remove the coating containing bitter-tasting saponins. Quinoa grains are in general cooked the same way as rice and can be used in a wide range of dishes."

That processing part turned me off a little.

 

[D&S Farms]

anyone used Pride & Pleasure brand 22% Super layer Pellets its about 11.00 for 50 pound bag