Feed prices

[Birdbrainz]

Hello, all!
With the price of feed going up, what are y'all doing to stretch your feed budget? I'm switching from the box store to the local grain mill & I'm thinking about mixing my feed with scratch grains. What about adding a wild bird seed mix to the feed/scratch? Can I add any other livestock feed to the poultry feed? We have a lot of cattle ranches here, so livestock/horse feed is sometimes easier to come by & cheaper if you buy in bulk. I am willing to reduce the number of my birds, if need be, but I'd like to exhaust all my other options first. I did get a price list from the grain mill and I could add things like oats, corn, barley, etc if need be and it's actually cheaper than some of the premade feeds. I already give them our table scraps (only the ones they can have, the dogs get the rest), grass clippings, and have cut out the mealworms/other treats. I'm just trying to stretch my feed supply. Thanks for any help

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hello, all!
With the price of feed going up, what are y'all doing to stretch your feed budget? I'm switching from the box store to the local grain mill & I'm thinking about mixing my feed with scratch grains. What about adding a wild bird seed mix to the feed/scratch? Can I add any other livestock feed to the poultry feed? We have a lot of cattle ranches here, so livestock/horse feed is sometimes easier to come by & cheaper if you buy in bulk. I am willing to reduce the number of my birds, if need be, but I'd like to exhaust all my other options first. I did get a price list from the grain mill and I could add things like oats, corn, barley, etc if need be and it's actually cheaper than some of the premade feeds. I already give them our table scraps (only the ones they can have, the dogs get the rest), grass clippings, and have cut out the mealworms/other treats. I'm just trying to stretch my feed supply. Thanks for any help

Don't mix in scratch, all you do is reduce the nutritional quality of the feed and add fat - makes your birds less healthy. I go the local mill route myself, have saved some money that way. I free range, and have a biodiverse polyculture (sounds better than "my acres of weeds") for a pasture. Just begun the third year at improving it - saves me about 35% on my feed billl right now, but only maybe 10% in the winter (or what passes for winter around here).

Depending on your management methods with your birds, and your purpose, you may be able to mix a higher priced nutrient dense feed with a lower priced, barely adequate feed and save moneys that way, but there are trade offs - its the best choice for very few. (my example, I mix an expensive 24% protein feed intended for developing game birds with 1 or 2 parts of layer feed to end up with a 20% protein or an 18.8% protein mix with more calcium than I want for my males - but I cull most for table before there are an exterior signs, and cull the rest before 18 months - so it works for me. Also, I don't feed any of my birds that mix in their first, most critical 8 weeks of life (they get straight, expensive, 24% protein feed). This is the best mix of cost and mix For me, under MY circumatances, in view of my goals and flock management methods. Something similar MAY work for you.

and I know it sounds, superficially, like mixing in "scratch" does just that - but the typical scratch is so bad (and so poorly labled), that when mixed with anything it results in an inferior feed overall.

 

[TooCheep]

I free range, and have a biodiverse polyculture (sounds better than "my acres of weeds") for a pasture. Just begun the third year at improving it - saves me about 35% on my feed billl right now, but only maybe 10% in the winter (or what passes for winter around here).

LOL... Ditto. Recently switched to a local feed mill as well.
My girls are eating less feed right now thanks to the spring growth including lots of greens, mulberry and goumi berries.

I've discontinued the wheat/barley fodder as they are already getting plenty of fresh greens, but will start it back up later when things are stressed in the summer and again as we approach winter.

 

[NatJ]

I'm thinking about mixing my feed with scratch grains....I did get a price list from the grain mill and I could add things like oats, corn, barley, etc if need be and it's actually cheaper than some of the premade feeds.

The purchased chicken feed contains cheap ingredients like that, plus other things the chickens need. If you add more of the cheap ingredients, the chickens do not get everything they need each day. It's like if someone decided to save money on feeding you by giving you more bread and less of everything else.

cut out the mealworms/other treats.

Yes, that is a very good way to save money on feeding chickens.

 

[TwitchnChickens]

I go to my local Amish feed store and buy their layer feed for my girls. They like it and it cost less for more food than the local TSC does. Plus I know it’s fresher than what I might get while being locally sourced grains.

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

I feed the mamas and babies a mix of 22 and 24 mix...I buy my layer pellets by the pallet.. I too can claim free range micro "weed" greens. Dandelions, plantains ect...I do grow plenty of kale, peas and other greens and a small patch of oats 75x75..and sunflowers. Give too the carrot scrapings lettuce and other acceptable scraps from kitchen. No mealworms..only in our winter months..I also cull the roos and ducklings at earliest weight gain to save on feed..16 -20 weeks for roos, 8-10 weeks for ducklings..This works for me and my goals...I have been looking into the mills. For when my current feed is gone.

 

[Rangergord]

I am raising pullets to point of lay. They got 42 days of medicated chick starter 21 % protein with no added treats. Then I switched to 16 % grower ration free choice and I am now feeding them as much weeds and grass that I selectively hand weed from my food forest as they will eat. Feed consumption dropped considerably but they are still growing fast. They really love clover and to my surprise gobble up horsetail Equisetum ssp. like there’s no tomorrow.
Green vegetation and insects are the best supplement andif you have enough new range to put them on you can feed more scratch grain without diluting their overall ration. Keeping a flock as small as possible makes for the greatest savings on feed.