Feeding your flock amidst of feed shortages

[TooCheep]

I'm absolutely ignorant on this. Where would one typically find largish quantities of whole grain- like a sack or two. I know how to preserve them if not needed, but I'd rather get some too early than too late.

A feed store, wholesale club, farm store (Tractor Supply/Rural King), or ???

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm absolutely ignorant on this. Where would one typically find largish quantities of whole grain- like a sack or two. I know how to preserve them if not needed, but I'd rather get some too early than too late.

A feed store, wholesale club, farm store (Tractor Supply/Rural King), or ???

Depends upon where you are in the world, and how urban/rural it might be. Expect only basic grains (Corn certainly, maybe oats or wheat berries, bulk seeds - all in differing areas of the store) at the local Tractor Supply. You may have great local feed stores - or not. Farmer's Co-op is your next bet. Basically, the answer, and the availability, are highly regional - and transportation costs are such that you don't want to "order in" - better to get some from someone ordering in true bulk.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I have been thinking about the issue of potential feed shortages this winter A Lot, even before seeing this thread. My chickens are free-range with plenty of garden veggies, grass, weeds and bugs during the summer months, but of course that is all dormant over the winter.

Here are some steps i am currently taking to combat potential winter feed shortages:
1) Chicken feed is said to stay nutritious four months after the manufacturing date. So if possible, it's a good idea to buy enough feed to last 4 months out. Rotate feed monthly if feed is available at your local store. If you have too many chickens to store 4 months of feed for, well yes so do i. (Over 200 hens). But im still currently buying and storing as much as i can, in metal 55 gallon barrels and 100# cleaned and rinsed chlorine buckets.
2) Pumpkins, squash and other gourds will keep for months in cool (not freezing) temperatures. Aldis currently has Gigantic pumpkins for $2.49. And of course many other stores currently have plentiful pumpkins too. 3) Mealworms. Although i cant raise nearly enough to feed the flock, every worm helps.
4) Chicken predators are more eager for chicken dinners during the winter months. Possums, raccoons, fox, etc will all provide a meat source if needbe. If you cant shoot guns, consider using traps. Since predators will be coming around trying to eat my chickens, i figure it wil be poetic justice if the chickens end up eating them.
5) If chicken feed is unavailable, chickens are omnivores like us, & can eat just about anything if that is required to keep them alive short-term. Other types of livestock feed, dog/cat food, meat and vegetables from the grocery store will all suffice if that is all that is available.

This thread is a great idea. Ive had my thinking cap on trying to ensure my flock's survival over this winter if feed shortages develop. (News reports are already saying more shortages of many products are likely.) I look forward to ideas from others. During the covid shutdown in 2020 i had approx. 1500 pounds of layer feed stored because i foresaw what was coming, and didnt know if feed stores would remain open during the shutdown. They did remain open, but feed didnt arrive by by truck every week & so often the stores were out. I expect this winter will be even more difficult, even more so with dormant grass and bugs. I encourage everyone to get what they expect to need Now while products are plentiful. Ranchers have Always done this, thats why hay is baled and stored. Whether one has 3 chickens or 300, it will be a major stress to have nothing to feed them. Same goes for other animals and too!

 

[kerbotx]

I'm absolutely ignorant on this. Where would one typically find largish quantities of whole grain- like a sack or two. I know how to preserve them if not needed, but I'd rather get some too early than too late.

A feed store, wholesale club, farm store (Tractor Supply/Rural King), or ???

Think more like local alternatives to Tractor Supply, local feed mills, etc. One online seller I see mentioned a lot, but have never used myself - https://www.azurestandard.com/ They can ship to home, or you can try to find a nearby 'drop spot' where you go & pick it up.

 

[saysfaa]

Start with your county extension office. They won't be selling it but should know what your local options are.

You might see the elevators from the road, that is how I found my feed store this last time we moved. Not all have retail stores and some retail stores aren't near their elevators but it works sometimes.

Searching the net for farm supply might work better than searching for feed stores. A farm supply store that doesn't sell feed can probably tell you who does.

Tractor Supply and Rural King both carry it. If their local stores don't have it in stock, they can order it. It is more expensive there than a coop (lol, cooperative; not chicken house) or feed store (if it is a "feed store" rather than a pet food store) but maybe packaged prettier and maybe less dusty.

If you compare prices, watch that you are comparing like things: whole, hulled, crimped, and so on.

The above should get you the common grains. If you want the less common grains (kamut, teff, einkorn and such), you may have to order it. I would start with whether a feed store or grocery store can special order it or if you can find a local bulk food buying coop (cooperative) to save on shipping. My next choice would be to look for something like pleasant hill grain or montana flour or emergency essentials and order directly.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

...aand there we are, back from my local feed store. 400# of chicken feed, $112. They were out of stock (their weekly truck delayed) on a couple things, like my preferred goat feed, but they had corn (whole dried), corn (cracked), corn (gluten meal), oats (whole), oats (flaked). Also solvent extracted linseed meal, no other seeds, nuts, or meals in stock at the time. Can't build a complete feed out of any combination of that, and linseed meal should be avoided in poultry anyways for a couple reasons anyways. I'll check again next visit.

 

[saysfaa]

, U_stormcrow.

Anyone have ideas on how to provide selenium to chickens? Much of the U.S. is deficient in that. It has a narrow window between deficient and toxic amounts so I don't want to just start adding whatever I see for sale online even if I know where the ingredients I'm feeding were grown. If we start mixing our own feed, we will lose that being done for us.

There are many reasons I would rather just buy chicken feed.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

, U_stormcrow.

Anyone have ideas on how to provide selenium to chickens? Much of the U.S. is deficient in that. It has a narrow window between deficient and toxic amounts so I don't want to just start adding whatever I see for sale online even if I know where the ingredients I'm feeding were grown. If we start mixing our own feed, we will lose that being done for us.

There are many reasons I would rather just buy chicken feed.

I've bumped across Selenium, lots, in my research. Its critical - and as you note - it (like most trace elements) is also something you don't want to excess. I've not read deeply into the subject, because I quickly concluded it was a "do not do this at home" type situation.

If the world ends, but I still have internet, I'll be reading to see if a small qty can be mixed with a lot of water, and that water then used to make my mash - but at that point, I won't be able to test what I have (to know how much I need), or get a consistent selenium supply from the store, so I'm still screwed.

and that's why I've not read up on it further.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

, U_stormcrow.

Anyone have ideas on how to provide selenium to chickens? Much of the U.S. is deficient in that. It has a narrow window between deficient and toxic amounts so I don't want to just start adding whatever I see for sale online even if I know where the ingredients I'm feeding were grown. If we start mixing our own feed, we will lose that being done for us.

There are many reasons I would rather just buy chicken feed.

Here's a good list of food for people to get selenium in their diet. You could probably garner some ideas for chickens from the list.
https://www.healthline.com/health/selenium-foods#chicken

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I've been reading this thread because the other day we went to our local feed mill to get feed and what we normally get "wasn't on the truck". The mill makes their own, but also offers other brands. I was kind of concerned, but we have many options in this area including buying in bulk if needed.
How would you go about storing large bags of grain?