Feed your Chickens for Free!

[ella&clara]

Hi
I thought you might find my blog post useful information.

http://maryannscountrygarden.blogspot.com/2011/05/feed-your-chickens-for-free.html

Thanks!

 

[darkmatter]

Check out my BYC page for pics of how I free-feed my chickens. Illinois everbearing Mulberries, tomatoes, apples, and persimmons. I also allow them into the garden at the end of the season to glean, then till and fertilize my garden till spring.

 

[Daphne16]

Both are great ways to feed chickens for free. I plan on planting some grapes along one side of my dog kennel run (just put it up today) and let that help feed my family and chickens.

 

[cmtigger]

I bought this property with several fruit trees on it- I'm allergic to apples, so critters will get those (and family and friends), but there are also blackberries, plums and my own garden which already has several tomato plants. It's a great way to feed myself for cheap, as well as the critters (I have guinea pigs and rabbits too).

 

[crtrlovr]

Quote:
I had a seedless Concord grape vine that started bearing last year. I'd go out and look at those grapes starting to get that nice purple color and my mouth would water. I went out one day and they were GONE! All but a few tiny, shriveled looking little ones. I was crushed. I looked at the kitchen window later to see the hens JUMPING UP to snatch those last few remaining ones... *note to self: either move the grapevine or fence it off... *

 

[Amyh]

I feed the chickens grubs too! I also put my porch lights on at night and wait for the beetles to gather on my door and catch them, put them in a container for morning and my birds go wild! My husband also throws all the grass clippings in the run for the chickens as well as any weeds I pull from the garden. My chickens can only free range part time because of my chicken killer dog.

I also feed the chickens absolutely anything I can from the fridge that we haven't eaten or will not eat. My chickens eat very little feed, which is the way I like it!!

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Did somebody say compost grubs?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=11556

 

[TN_BIRD]

We've recently started letting our chicks out of the coop during the day. Let's just say that they love the compost pile and leaf pile.

Chicken TV...it's so good.

 

[ella&clara]

I hope they like the actual Japanese beetles as much as they like the grubs. I don't think you are in any danger of infecting your chickens with parasites as long as you don't feed them maggots or something. I am interested in feeding black soldier fly larvae--I've read about it in Countryside magazine--Harvery Ussery raises them. I think his website is www.themodernhomestead.us

http://maryannscountrygarden.blogspot.com/2011/05/feed-your-chickens-for-free.html

 

[PepsNick]

Well, I keep my chickens out of the compost. That is very dangerous to have them there... Though I see no harm in taking compost grubs out of the compost to them.