Chicken feed

[jfunkle]

Hey I'm new here and I wanted to know the best and cheapest way to feed chickens, without having to buy the food

 

[esoaksranch]

Free range has worked for us in chicken tractors. However, it's does require some room. Now we have moved and don't have that kind of room. So we're stuck with feed I am working on a personal feed. I'll post again when it's more concrete.

 

[Den in Penn]

Growing food for them works to lessen the feed bill. Free ranging or pasturing them also allows them to find their own food. But there are times when buying food is a must, as in winter or droughts.

 

[sarahlil100717]

My 13 eggs are going to hatch in less than 4 days and I'm not sure what they will eat in the beginning......

What do I feed them???

 

[jfunkle]

J

 

[starkiller8]

free ranging is the best way and u can give them greens or grow your feed your self.

 

[sarahlil100717]

Ok! Thank you! Can i feed them the greens of the strawberries or any fruit in general?

 

[countrygirl74]

My 13 eggs are going to hatch in less than 4 days and I'm not sure what they will eat in the beginning......

What do I feed them???

If you are planning on buying feed for them to get started... you will need to purchase a chick starter feed. If you are not wanting to purchase chick starter, you can check out Korean Natural Farming methods which feed them only brown rice to get started. Then they add greens and protein as they grow. Here's a video on natural feeding to cut down on feed costs. I haven't done them myself as we are in the middle of winter so I currently purchase organic feed for all my chickens, along with leftover scraps, and any extra greens I come across. Mine are 4 months old now though... chicks need to be handled a little differently. They won't be ready for greens and food scraps right away.
Korean Natural Farming feeding info:

 

[Brada Puhi]

Aloha kakou, ​

I just wanted to share what I do.

First I ferment some triple duty feed. I use a milk carton with top cut off. I put about a cup of feed in there and a lot of water and stir. After an hour the feed has expanded, stir again and add water if needed. There should be 1-2 inches of water covering the feed at all times. Lactic acid bacteria will start to grow in your feed this requires no oxygen. Oxygen will let the bad bacteri grow. The lactic acid bacteria is beneficial to the digestive and immune systems and breaks food down to get more nutrition out of it.

The next day, I add flax seed, stir, add water if needed.

The next morning, I add uncooked brown rice and a little more feed to soak up the water on the top. Stir and wait 5 minutes for the feed to expand. Then you have a nice mush to feed to the chickens. I do not feed all of the food. Only about half or 2/3. The rest is a culture for the future.

After feeding I add flax seed, maybe more feed, Add water and let it ferment until sunset.

2 hours before sunset, I add feed to soak up water and feed them. Add water.

The next morning, I add uncooked brown rice, and a little more feed to soak up the water on the top. wait 5 minutes, then feed them. Add flax and water. And the process continues like that.

The uncooked brown rice expands their digestive tract and makes their digestive tract more efficient. The poo will stink less. Whatever rice that is left in the mush will get fermented. I put in flax after the feeding so that it soaks and ferments for a while before I feed.

This is influenced by the Korean natural farming method people.

I also am working on a black soldier fly larvae system.

I also grow lettuce and they love it.

Mahalo for reading, Puhi

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