Confused.......how can you afford to feed your chickens

[Old Fred]

Quote:
I can't say what I'd like to say to that statement....I'm sure I'd be banned.

The real problem is not foreign markets, it is the IDIOTS in Washington supporting the ETHONOL FARCE.

 

[farmerjan70]

Just wanted to say that all the general ideas here to save on feed have hopefully been helpful to someone. I use a local feed mill that sells 50# bags of pellets for about 9.50. That's balanced, vitamins etc. and the what goes in the ration varies according to the costs of feedstuffs. They sell bulk, delivered by the ton, augered into a bin or whatever you have for, the bag price less $40 per ton. That is the bagging fee, basically. So that means that I get an extra 200# of feed if I buy it by the ton. Some mills will allow you to pick it up in bulk of 1/2 ton. You have it "dropped" down out of their mixer/bin onto the back of the pickup. The other local feed mill is getting $11.50 a 50# bag, and it has more corn in it. I have an old poultry book, Prairie Farmer's Poultry Book, printed in 1922, that has several rations in it. It is very informative to read and the preface says, "Dedicated to farmer's wives and daughters, whose diligence and skill in handling the management of the farm flock are responsible in a large measure for the magnitude of the poultry industry". I am going to see what their laying ration would cost at the mill to make as it is more grains and less grain by-products. But not all by-products are bad. No matter what the ration, the idea is to get the hens to lay. I run 200 + hens on pasture, as well as keeping some purebreds for show. Still, you don't keep breeders that only lay 10 eggs a year, as that is perpetuating a fault/defect. It has cost a ton of money to feed them with the extreme cold this year so far. Since I kept over the year old hens, and they decided to moult in Nov/Dec, production has been way off. But, am back up to nearly 50% and that is with NO extra lighting except the real thing. One thing is PLENTY OF WATER!!!!! I take warm water to them and fill the 5 gal waterers. There is no electricity available where they are.

I sell eggs for $2.50/doz. wholesale, $3.00/doz. and could not keep up with the demand. Still, I am not getting rich as the feed has increased nearly $2.00 a 50# in a year.

I too am involved in farming, and just to set the record straight about dairy farmers. There aren't any in this area that use "hormone" shots to increase production anymore. Partly in response to the public outcry, partly due to the cost, and due to the health toll it took on the cows. They had greatly increased hoof problems, as well as breeding problems. And the milk companies, even as much as they are out for their own benefit, saw the public tide turning and started paying for "non-rBST" milk. Yes, some do give some hormone shots for reproductive reasons. And when antibiotics are used, the regulations are very tough now, so that milk from treated cows does not get in the tank. I am basically an "organic" farmer although not certified. But, I would not hesitate to use an antibiotic in a situation that was dire, anymore than I would hesitate to use an antibiotic if my child was in need of it. It is the gross overuse/misuse of most drugs that has caused so many problems. The whole idea is to keep the animals as healthy as possible, and that does include using feed that has as little chemical contamination as possible. We also raise all our own beef, 99% grass/pasture fed as well as lamb. You can find local sources if you look. Go to your farmers'markets, ask, and you will be surprised what you can find.

Using restaurant waste was made illeagal in alot of states unless it was cooked to a certain temp. etc. And Alot of the stores won't give you their veg waste either. Besides, what chemicals have the vegs been sprayed with, and like cukes, they are waxed.......?
I think that the economizing and keeping only the number of hens you can afford is a good answer.

:cd

 

[True Grit]

Yep it's ethanol. Also known as a ploy so the senators from the corn growing states can get re-elected. Food for fuel is not a well thought out strategy.

 

[vebyrd36]

Quote:
I could not agrre more. We also raise our beef. We also raise most of our feed as well.

 

[Swampwood]

I'm spending $25 a month in feed and making $50 selling the eggs... No Problem here.

 

[alaskachick]

I have 14 chickens. There is only 2 of us at home to eat the eggs so what I did was knowing that I really only needed about 5 hens to feed us, I bought 13 instead. I purchase one 50# bag of at $14.00 every 2 weeks. I get a dozen eggs a day from my hens, sometimes 11 sometimes 13, so my surplus is huge. I sale five 18 pack of eggs a week and use that money for the bags of feed and the wood chips. My girls are completely paying for themselves and that includes the cracked corn and BOSS. I take the eggs to work every week and always have buyers.

 

[gsim]

I have friends and my kids always saving apple peels, wilted celery, carrots, spongy apples, etc all of the time. I also feed mine wild greens and lots of them when I weed the garden. I also plant extra produce just for my chooks. I am putting 4 cherry tomato plants in their run this year. The wild greens thing is really good if you know what they like. I do and I let it grow on our land and will harvest it all year long until snow covers it. I often pick 3 to 5 gallons of greens for them. Stale bread, toast crusts, pizza crusts, any and all leftovers from a restaurant on the occasions we do eat out (which are few) .

I have given eggs away when the chooks were younger and producing mightily. In their 2nd year now and molting their production has fallen off. I have some friends at church who now bring scraps to church to give me just for my chooks. They bring me egg cartons too. Rice is cheap but is in the same category as corn regarding chook food. You can boil it and add a little to their food every day or give it to them as treats.

One last thing is to go in with other chickeneers and buy feed bulk by the ton at feed plant. Place an ad on Craigslist and form your own co-op or buying club just to buy cracked corn and chicken feed bulk. Have to have barrels to put it in or save old sacks for bagging later. I would stay with pellets as they are less likely to get stale and are less likely to absorb moisture. Steel drums with rubber seals for lids are around 410/barrel here on Craigslist. That is safest way to store feed so that rodents and insects cannot get in. I like to keep 6 mo minimum on hand just in case of civil breakdown of authority, infrastructure, or natural disaster. One less thing to worry about if any of those happen.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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Swampwood, I'm right up the road from you. I'm in Opelousas. Hi Neighbor!

 

[seedcorn]

As I read this, can't help but think some of these chickens eat better than some humans. cooked rice, cooked oatmeal, yogurt, etc.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
I can't say what I'd like to say to that statement....I'm sure I'd be banned.

The real problem is not foreign markets, it is the IDIOTS in Washington supporting the ETHONOL FARCE.

More so its all the people that went out and bought Flex-Fuel Stoves thinking they were going cut there home heating costs.
http://www.americanenergysystems.com/flex-fuel-stoves.cfm

After it starts to warm up the feed prices will go back down some..

Chris