Feeding your flock amidst of feed shortages

[Sammster]

I have also been very concerned about losing my feed supply. I did buy an extra bag. So meat is a good protein source for chickens? I assume it should be cooked? My DH just shot a deer. Would venison scrap be a good source?

 

[NatJ]

So meat is a good protein source for chickens? I assume it should be cooked? My DH just shot a deer. Would venison scrap be a good source?

Chickens don't cook their bugs and worms, so I'm not sure whether cooking the meat would matter or not.

Venison would probably be a fine source of protein.

 

[SunflowerKing]

What should we switch to feeding the flock if shortages become even worst and there isn't any feed in your feed store? Mine are almost 3 month old but am thinking forward. Obviously, feeding what we have as leftovers. What did people feed their chickens back in the great depression?

My plan is as follows:

I want to create a winter feed blend from crops harvested in the growing season.

sunflower seeds and sunflower sprouts.
cut amaranth heads
Corn
Sorghum
Black soldier fly larvae.(only feed this precious resource in the winter! Save throughout the year.)
Firethorn berries dried

this is my main feed idea. The goal is easy and quick harvest of each. Mix them all together at feeding time. Any thoughts? Any additions?

also, milk in the feeding bowl from extras from cow or goats.

 

[SegiDream]

My plan is as follows:

I want to create a winter feed blend from crops harvested in the growing season.

sunflower seeds and sunflower sprouts.
cut amaranth heads
Corn
Sorghum
Black soldier fly larvae.(only feed this precious resource in the winter! Save throughout the year.)
Firethorn berries dried

this is my main feed idea. The goal is easy and quick harvest of each. Mix them all together at feeding time. Any thoughts? Any additions?

also, milk in the feeding bowl from extras from cow or goats.

Not entirely sure on sorghum amaranth and firethorn berries but I would definitely skip the milk - at least no large amounts of milk. That's one that a lot of animals can't handle even though you'd think they should, or they have to have a specific kind of milk like puppy milk.

https://theheartyhenhouse.com/2019/07/18/can-chickens-eat-dairy/

 

[SunflowerKing]

My plan is as follows:

I want to create a winter feed blend from crops harvested in the growing season.

sunflower seeds and sunflower sprouts.
cut amaranth heads
Corn
Sorghum
Black soldier fly larvae.(only feed this precious resource in the winter! Save throughout the year.)
Firethorn berries dried

this is my main feed idea. The goal is easy and quick harvest of each. Mix them all together at feeding time. Any thoughts? Any additions?

Not entirely sure on sorghum amaranth and firethorn berries but I would definitely skip the milk - at least no large amounts of milk. That's one that a lot of animals can't handle even though you'd think they should, or they have to have a specific kind of milk like puppy milk.

https://theheartyhenhouse.com/2019/07/18/can-chickens-eat-dairy/

I hear opposing views on this constantly. Ill have to experiment in small doses. do you have any suggestions for plants to grow that can supplement?

 

[SegiDream]

I hear opposing views on this constantly. Ill have to experiment in small doses. do you have any suggestions for plants to grow that can supplement?

I guess you want to use milk because of the calcium. I would suggest kale, swiss chard, or turnip greens or variety of all three. Not sure where you are or what your garden situation is like. But I was able to grow these outside all winter and pick leaves from several plants and never pulled the whole plant so it could be a continuous crop.

 

[saysfaa]

.. milk in the feeding bowl from extras from cow or goats.

Clobber is more digestible by chickens than milk. I've been looking for more information on this and haven't found much yet. I haven't looked really seriously.

sigh. Clabber. Not clobber.

 

[Mountain Roost]

Wonderful Thread! I read all 26 pages.

Winter feeding from the land in my NE climate would be a challenge (but could be done with the right infrastructure and planning). Buying whole grain and sprouting is a nice supply of greens but the ladies need more than that. For reference I have about 100 laying breed chickens, 2 geese, 4 ducks. When the snow pack hits everyone generally stays in their respective coops; otherwise each breeding flock gets to come out in rotation (one day each); ducks and geese everyday.

Ducks forage a lot and the geese only get feed in the winter when there is no grass.

I buy organic grower by the ton from a mill 3 hours from here. The price DID jump, 20% more. That ton will last me about 5 months and I keep the 50# bags in metal 55 gal drums with tight fitting lids; 6 bags to a drum. The price still beats buying at tractor supply (by 50%) even when I add my fuel costs.

Here is the explanation the mill sent in a letter with the invoice:

1) There has been a widespread crop failure in Western Canada; reducing pea crop and destroying flax crop.

2) USDA has started enforcing greater scrutiny and restrictions on imported organic soybeans/meal sharply reducing the amount coming into the country. This has driven the price of North American grown supplies upward.

3) Cost of shipping and trucking (and truck repairs) and supply chain issues.

4) Labor shortages and rising wages have made prices go up.

--------------------------------------------

Harvesting roosters that are extra from hatching is certainly on the 'before it snows' list!

The price of meat at the store has me feeling pretty good about the 100 organic meat birds in the freezer right now.

 

[SunflowerKing]

Clobber is more digestible by chickens than milk. I've been looking for more information on this and haven't found much yet. I haven't looked really seriously.

how about soaking the grain mix in milk? Any thoughts?

 

[NatJ]

how about soaking the grain mix in milk? Any thoughts?

I've seen older chicken books (from about a century ago) that talked about using milk for a protein source for chickens, by just serving it instead of water.

I would recommend leaving water available too, which means the chickens have a choice of liquids (they can skip the milk if it upsets their digestive systems, and if they do not drink the milk you will know to provide some other source of the protein and other nutrients it has.)

If you soak the grain mix in milk, I am sure the chickens will eat it. But they will not have the option to eat the grain and avoid the milk, they way they would if you serve it separately.

I just do not know about chickens digesting milk: old wisdom said they could, new wisdom says they cannot, but I'm fairly sure chickens have not changed much in the last century. Maybe the difference is in what other foods we can get for chickens, so we have things now that are better than the "best" available then.