Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Fred's Hens]

I believe that a couple years of reading here on BYC has led me to the following conclusion. The average backyarder feeds a vegetarian formula. The feed 24/7. They buy small bags at retail outlets. Their feed costs are outrageous. They likely have the best fed squirrels, rats, mice and wild birds in the neighborhood.

Sadly, the chickens for whom the feed is intended? Not so much.

 

[Eggcessive]

I can find chicken feed with animal protein in it if I try. They seem to be found more at the older agricultural feed stores and at Southern States. There is a brand called Redstar or Bluestar that I used recently, and it contained meat byproducts, plus my chickens really liked it. Tractor Supply where I usually shop just carries Purina Products. I don't think the government has stopped the meat in chicken feed, but perhaps the mad cow scare has caused the companies to go vegetarian. If you want chickens to have the meat it is easy enough to add some meat scraps to their feed. The Southern States brand I tried last year smelled so bad that my car wreaked for weeks after hauling it home.

 

[wsmith]

FWIW,

Country feed (by Nutrena, which is produced by Cargil) contain animal byproducts. Normally, the commercial feed I give mine is Country Feeds All-Flock. 18%

 

[Fred's Hens]

Al, if and I say if, the world goes insane and all feed sold is vegetarian, I'll be hooking up with a meat processing place, even just a small butcher shop or whatever, and filling an old freezer with the meat/fat scraps. Then, I'll thaw a pound or two and toss it to the birds. Might should be already doing this. Your plan sounds great. I'll just keep things as simple as I can. But without meat, no chicken is going to be healthy. That much I know.

 

[wsmith]

On Thanksgiving afternoon, it took the chickens less than 6 minutes to strip the turkey carcass clean. Protein ration for the day..Check!

 

[al6517]

Al, if and I say if, the world goes insane and all feed sold is vegetarian, I'll be hooking up with a meat processing place, even just a small butcher shop or whatever, and filling an old freezer with the meat/fat scraps. Then, I'll thaw a pound or two and toss it to the birds. Might should be already doing this. Your plan sounds great. I'll just keep things as simple as I can. But without meat, no chicken is going to be healthy. That much I know.

Yeah your right, I do that now a couple day's week, and now that Turkey day is over they have had a banquet of meat. It is the simpler way to go, LOL I just always go for the gusto because I get bored with the simple stuff LOL.

 

[Mountain Momma]

Simply put Fred I plan to take a 20lbs of 28% game bird breeder crumbles, 20lbs of 20% Gamebird conditioneer feed and 5lbs of ground mixed whole fresh grains. I plan to make it into a fine dry mash then mix in my own finely ground up animal byproducts, such as bone, blood, feathers, organs and meat. I can grind that up and then run it through my big electric grinder with a metal disc I can make to fit, and then run it all through to make long stands of pellet diameter. Dry them in bulk for a while then cut into pellets and continue drying. this will then be fed daily as a supplement for far cheaper and better than I can buy, it will just cost me some time.

What do you think Fred ??.

I don't think it is the PETA people taking meat out of feed. Here in Co huge herds of steers were sent to slaughter early because there was no way to feed them through the winter. There are food shortages coming. The reasons are varied, GMO being a large part of the problem and drought. With the shortage of beef the left over, pink slime is going to schools and prisons and the retail products are going to get more and more expensive. The next two years are going to be very interesting. So chicken feed is low on the list of necessities for the remaining meat still available. Just my thoughts on it. We give the chickens a lot of table scraps. Three friends trade their scraps for eggs so I generally give them a grocery bag of scraps nearly every day. On the days I dont have scraps they get BOSS and corn. Of course the free rangers have a big advantage and the people with scores of insects as well. I wonder if you, Al, could produce enough to sell? At 15.95 per bag or 18.95 per bag. Maybe there are loopholes for getting around the FDA. Like charging for delivery and gifting the actual bag....like they do home made beer here in CO. Anyway, just my .02 cents.
L

 

[al6517]

No I don't think I will consider that, too much hassle. Besides I plan to get out of the chicken business shortly because of what happened this past month, I will keep a few layers for personal use, because I need to have a few birds around to maintain my sanity LOL. I plan to use all the extra space in the chicken condo for misc storage.

 

[Fred's Hens]

On Thanksgiving afternoon, it took the chickens less than 6 minutes to strip the turkey carcass clean. Protein ration for the day..Check!

Ditto.

 

[mmmchicken]

crap. I knew I should have given that carcass to my birds!! Dang husband convinced me that it was a bad idea... then I went and thought "maybe they'll get a little bone stuck in their throat"... ! Oh well... next time! I really have to get the husband on here to read this stuff. He thinks feeding them chicken is just wrong.

I try telling him, but he doesn't listen! These birds want that meat!! Could be the 16% I'm giving them like you all are writing about... but I also let mine free range (as much as possible when we aren't at work) so I feel they can get their protein around the farm thanks to the cats and just bugs in general. With winter coming in like a lion, I will supplement with tasty table treats (meat scraps) along with their 16% feed.