HELP!!!! Out of Feed

[Atomic Ranch]

I've always referred to this great chart:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-treat-chart-the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens

Some low-cost/free ideas: cooked rice, cooked pasta, live bugs

, wildflowers, pepper tree leaves, tortillas (make some from flour or the cornmeal), throw-aways from produce stores, Jell-o water, oatmeal, cooked meat scraps, cereal (mine love generic Cheerios).

 

[stargazingmommy]

mine have recently discovered oatmeal. When they were itty bitties I would mix yogurt with cooked oatmeal, boiled egg chopped up, cottage cheese next to a bowl of finely chopped veggies.
They love most veggies, no whole carrots, grated they are fine with.
seriously the best treat ever....I tilled up a section of the yard and area we are putting a path...and let the chickens loose in the dirt. they scratched and dug for hours

 

[americanvalkyrie]

mine have recently discovered oatmeal. When they were itty bitties I would mix yogurt with cooked oatmeal, boiled egg chopped up, cottage cheese next to a bowl of finely chopped veggies.
They love most veggies, no whole carrots, grated they are fine with.
seriously the best treat ever....I tilled up a section of the yard and area we are putting a path...and let the chickens loose in the dirt. they scratched and dug for hours

Lol, we just put in a 3-tiered raised bed. We threw in some dirt, some potting soil, some straw, and the "clean-out" from spring pond cleaning. I built a fence around it out of poultry net, but right now the chickens are in it, tilling the soil for me and mixing it.

 

[Chica Lady]

Just so everyone knows, I just got back from running into town. Got the feed. They are fed and happy.

 

[LeezyBeezy]

 

[americanvalkyrie]

 

[brandislee]

Glad you got food for them! To cut back on feed costs, remember chickens (full grown) can eat just about anything we can eat. I don't give mine citrus, but that's about it. I give them the chicken carcass to clean (after I make stock even), meat scraps we don't care to eat, any leftovers no one seems interested in just before they start to go bad (after usually 5 days in the fridge, if no one touches it, it goes to the chickens). I also give them weeds from the garden- my chickens free range so I don't mess with grass clippings or anything else, but if you don't range yours they can also eat FRESH (not dried) grass clippings in smaller amounts as well as trimmings from other plants. Just be wary- certain plants, like lilies of the valley and daffodils, can be toxic to chickens in large amounts. If they range and have access to them they seldom cause problems (mine have access to lilies of the valley but never have a problem), but if you have chickens in a run w/out access to greens and throw them a bunch of something they'll eat more of it, potentially causing problems. Just know what you're feeding them if it's not something you would normally eat, and when in doubt, don't give it. But supplementing can really cut back on feed costs when it's stuff you have around your yard or that would normally get thrown away!

 

[chic-a-deee]

Make sure the grass clippings or weeds are small...not long otherwise they could create a tangled blockage in the crop.
My adult chooks like tinned corn kernals....they go ape over them. I give them the last of the crumbs from weetbix...mixed with warm
water to a sloppy consistancy for cold mornings. Or porridge (rolled oats). I do like to give mine as close to natural products as
possible. Ive tried the meal worms....gross...LOL. I mean they've tried them, not me...

Was gross to watch.
My hens are very noisy in the morning. I hope they're not calling me to feed them.....that would not be good ...