Feed Options.

[Backyard Bob]

I was wondering, since my chickens free range on 160 acres, is there any possibility I could feed free choice corn mixed with Milo?
I would start up a meal worm farm, maybe a fodder system. I would also feed them all kitchen scraps, and the would be able to go to the compost pile?
I would keep oyster shells out year round.

Does this seem like it would be enough to keep the chickens healthy and keep production moderately high? I am willing to risk a few eggs for a cheaper feed bill.

 

[Backyard Bob]

I might would also plant some alfalfa.

 

[Den in Penn]

Certainly they can do all right with the system you described, during the growing season. Depending on the quality of the pasture the production may be more of the moderately low, then moderately high. During the winter or droughts the fodder and meal worms will become more important. Remember they will mostly range out only so far from the coop and will not use the whole 160 acres unless you move the coop. Depending on the number of birds that could be important.

 

[Backyard Bob]

The grass is really good, with tons bugs. I was thinking of freezing meal worms for winter. I have a garden, so all the extra scraps go to the chickens. They also have access to the compost pile.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/Feed_ingredients/Grains.html
milo = sorghum

Den in Penn gave good advice. Just keep on top of their protein. If you have a dairy animal you can give them some milk too. Or meat scraps.

Here:
http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/Feed_ingredients/Proteins.html
make sure everything is feed-grade and not garden fertilizer-grade

 

[Backyard Bob]

Thank you very much! Could I feed all meat scraps to them?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thank you very much! Could I feed all meat scraps to them?

I always like to give the chickens things that went a bit stale but not moldy or spoiled. So if I could theoretically eat it but it just isn't appealing, I feed it to the chickens. So I don't give any bones, and I wouldn't personally give raw meat or fish (due to worries about parasites) to them. So when meat in the fridge is at that phase where I think, I probably should toss this, just in case it is too old, that's when the chickens get it. This doesn't happen often of course, especially with the price of meat, but if you cook a new recipe and it's just awful, chickens are a Godsend for reducing the guilt!

Hopefully others will chime in.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If you process your own farm animals you might start a new thread on this to obtain more info. (meat scraps).

http://www.bing.com/search?q=meat+scraps+backyardchickens&form=OPRTSD&pc=OPER
Here are other threads you can peruse if interested!