Has anyone succesfully had chickens without feeding chicken food

[stcroixusvi]

Quote:
thanks for bringing it up! I had no idea it was old until I saw your post

Love it, great ideas!

 

[1hawaiian]

Quote:
thanks for bringing it up! I had no idea it was old until I saw your post

Love it, great ideas!

My pleasure...good stuff

 

[peepblessed]

My daughter is a waitress and brings home the scrapes to her chickens. They do great. Meat, bread, salad ,veges.

 

[shanshan51]

I put pelleted feed in for my chickens and they still prefer to be free range which I love. They really do not eat much. But...then I have my breeding pens which only get pellets and they eat a ton. I prefer my free rangers.

 

[JacksFlock]

You could check the local school for scraps they throw out. The reason I say this is, I caught the lunch lady in my backyard the other day! She was throwing the birds some treats on her way home. (My yard borders the school's)

 

[Soli]

The OP is an old post but somewhat relevant to the present. Chickens can free range quite well in some circumstances, but often the production breeds will not be the best choice, as they lack the survival instincts of a breed that retains some of the wild characteristics. If you are free ranging WITHOUT feed supplements, then you not only need to have the appropriate land but you really need a breed that retains more wild characteristics. Gamefowl, or Phoenix/ Sumatra ornamental fowl are often good survivors/foragers. Keep in mind that regardless of breed your egg production will DECREASE without supplemental feeding, as shown in studies where native chicken breed were replaced by production breeds....the production breeds, when faced with decreased feed, reduced their production accordingly.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Forage cakes are good too.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Since the original posting of this thread, in '09, feed prices have taken a jump!

My birds get a mix of flock raiser, BOSS, Wheat, Oats, and in winter a small amount of cracked corn. Ratio is 1c of each, except the corn. I feed this early morning, and check the feeders again in afternoon. Part of the reason I do the mix is it stretches things further. There are people who feed just a grains ratio, though.

I pay about $10 for 50lb bag of wheat, and my chickens LOVE it.

My mixed flock also free ranges during the day.

 

[macdoogle2]

What an eye-opener this thread has been for me. I need to reconsider what I feed my flock. I spent years trying to get rid of weeds in my yard. Now that I have chickens I love those little sprouts. PS. Organic feed goes for $32.00 for 50lbs. Non organic is $23.00 for 50 lbs. I would love to find 50 lb feed for $9.50. That's in my area, anyway.

 

[MIKE555444]

I feel like they really need the layer feed if they can't get any other serious protein else where. If I were in your condition I might consider selling or giving away half the flock and saving 50% on the cost of feed. At least the ones you keep would be able to eat healthy. Once you have bought a bag of feed it would last twice as long. If you really insist on keeping all of them you could be careful to save all your table scraps and give as much fresh grass as possible to suppliment.

If you have mice or rats... try to gauge how much feed you hens are eating so the eat up the last right before day... that way your not feeding the rats as well. You would be surprised how much a family of rats can eat as they multiply.

Certainly don't feel bad as you are not alone when it comes to tight budgets. It's refreshing that you care enough to ask the question to the forum. God Bless!