Feeding chickens *WITHOUT* chicken pellets ??

[DallasLoneStar]

Maybe this is relevant... I didn't make my own feed, but there is a very bourgeois feed store in Dallas that sells small batch whole grain feed. It is supposed to be nutritionally complete. I tried feeding it to my chickens. First of all it did smell and look great. Big whole grains (corn free) and sort of a "dust" that I assume was all the micronutrients, calcium, etc to make it complete. Since all the vitamins (everything but the actual grains) were a dust, that didn't get eaten. They only ate the peas, wheat, etc. My chicken's eggs became so brittle they were breaking inside them and turned my coop into a gross mess. I went back to Purina organic pellets which, while they don't give me as bright orange yolks as I would prefer, work for me as a suburban farmer without the ability to meaningfully "free range"

Maybe I could make a wet mash to help with this problem (the dust getting consumed), but with both my wife and I working and two kids age 6 & 7, I don't have time for that.

 

[Folly's place]

There's 'labor intensive' and 'as easy as possible', all aiming for the same results. I'm in the 'easy' camp myself. I spend time doing things that must take time, and avoid doing time consuming things that either can be done faster, or that are truly enjoyable for me.
Mary

 

[Mtnboomer]

There's 'labor intensive' and 'as easy as possible', all aiming for the same results. I'm in the 'easy' camp myself. I spend time doing things that must take time, and avoid doing time consuming things that either can be done faster, or that are truly enjoyable for me.
Mary

I have 2 sons, an 8yr old who plays 4 sports and is into cubscouts and a 2yr old who, well, enough said. Plus our "new" house we bought 2 yrs ago is a fixer upper which i am constantly repairing or improving. So very little time for other things.
Luckily, my passions are plants and the Outdoors. As a hunter and Landscape Architect I am very keen on designing a landscape that works with our human needs, wildlife, and livestock. Unlike most people who go to the "deer resistant" section of the local big box garden centers, I search seed catalogs and nurseries for native species that the deer, squirrels, Turkey, and other wildlife love. It improves their habitat, food supplies and mine. Usually these plants also can provide my flock with bonus food or healthy treats that they relish and if there's any left overs maybe we get a taste too.
I also love gardening. I put out a large vegetable garden each year and spend a lot of time tending it. It of course benefits from the compost and in turn gives my birds a little something extra. My garden and my treestand are my sanctuaries.
I have never been one to shy away from hardwork but finding the time to put in the work seems to be more and more challenging. So coming up with more efficient, cost effective, solutions are always welcomed.

 

[gtaus]

There's 'labor intensive' and 'as easy as possible', all aiming for the same results. I'm in the 'easy' camp myself. I spend time doing things that must take time, and avoid doing time consuming things that either can be done faster, or that are truly enjoyable for me.
Mary

Exactly. I have a hanging 5 gallon bucket feeder and a 3 gallon waterer, which I only have to fill once about every 10 days. I use the deep litter method in the chicken coop, which, in theory, requires only cleaning once or twice a year. I got my chickens to enjoy them, not necessarily work my butt off to get a few eggs every day. My most labor intensive activity with the chickens is collecting eggs, 2 or 3 times per day in the freezing winter temps so the eggs don't freeze and crack. Chickens do not have to be labor intensive, but, I guess you can make anything time consuming.