If you have a local Natural Grocer or Whole Foods, ask the produce manager if he/she will save produce scraps for you. Even if only once a week, the chickens love it and it's free, if it's on your way to or from somewhere you have to go anyway, or for a neighbor who will transport in exchange for some eggs maybe. If you only have a big chain, ask them. If there are nearby produce stands or farmer's markets ask them.
Even at your elevation you may be able to keep Kale and Chard going in the garden or in pots in the windows over winter, and that's good for your family and your chickens. In spring you should be able to get at least some veggies going - because you are at high elevation I assume growing season is short, but you can start the seeds indoors under lights so when you can plant - which I guess would be after Memorial Day for you - you can put in plants that have a great start to maximize harvest. If you have spent the winter composting with your deep litter, your beds can be prepared with that, and should help improve production of the plants, which in turn helps improve production of your hens. If you have one go broody, and you don't have any fertilized eggs (I don't, no roosters) you might ask around and see if someone will give/sell/trade you some that you can put under her to hatch, then you have new stock or chicks to sell.
This year I decided to start canning. I only have a water bath canner right now but it's a start and should save money and improve healthfulness of food. I wish I had done it a few years ago when my garden produced more than I could freeze and give away; this year was rough, no rain, hot windy days, flea beetles and grasshoppers, more challenge than I was up to - but those grasshoppers are how I got DH to agree getting chickens was a great idea
Fingers crossed for better success next year.BK is right on with all the things she mentioned, and I know she does lots more. I have also been making laundry soap for a couple of years now, and it saves quite a bit of money. I do, though, clip coupons and load the electronic ones to my shopper card, but have taught myself only to save and use those for things I would have bought anyway - the temptation to buy things you otherwise would not have is great. If you do it as a swap, where you give up one thing to try the new thing, then you can better assess the value of the thing you are trying. At least that's my approach
I try to keep my car parked for at least one whole day of the three each week I'm here - I work 4 days at the office and then just a few hours from home the fifth day of the week. It is only 11 miles to town, but that's 22 miles RT plus however much further I have to go to get where I need to. That usually is at least a gallon of gas, plus wear and tear on the vehicle and tires. We have a 40 year old pickup we use to pick up things that won't fit in a car (sheets of plywood for instance, or the lawnmower we found used for a third the price of new, etc.), and it gets driven a handful of times most years, so it pays for itself to be registered and insured and we also use it on the property when we have a big planting project at the other end of the driveway or something. DH is a mechanic so he can fix things that break on it, otherwise its cost effectiveness would plummet.I've been broke my whole life too, and I'm neither proud nor ashamed of it. I work for a living and do my best, just never had a job anyone thought important enough to pay much for, so like everyone, I make due with what I have. Every year I try to learn a new way to scrimp and save, because every year prices rise and wages do not. Even the prices we charge our customers rise. Wages do not. Not for hourly slugs, anyway. But I digress ...
If you decide to give your birds free range time, if I were you I would stay out there with them the first several times to ensure their safety and see whether there are things you need to fence them away from or into. I have a couple old ex-pens for dogs that I can put together when I want to keep them in a very specific area, and I can cover it with a tarp if I need to with just some wire ties or bungies. It's decent temporary shelter and very portable.
Your cat sounds great, BTW
