Help With Growing my Own Chicken Feed

[GlicksChicks]

I am planning on having a good amount of poultry, not only chickens, but I want to start with growing feed for my chickens and grow from there.

What kind of crops and insects should I grow for my chickens to mix into a chicken feed? I was already planning on using their egg shells for a calcium source in the feed I mix for them.

 

[GodLovesU]

I hear Black soldiers are a good snack.

 

[GodLovesU]

Black soldier fly larvae I mean.

 

[GlicksChicks]

Black soldier fly larvae I mean.

I have been looking into the little "farm" systems that people make to breed the larvae! That will most likely be a protein source for my chickens!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@U_Stormcrow

 

[Kenya Mwangi]

I hear Black soldiers are a good snack.

Hello Maybe you are right.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I tried a BSFL "farm", my climate turned out to be too hot for it. Dallas Ft-Worth may be as well.

Wish you luck with that.

Its an insect protein, near as good as an animal protien in terms of AA profile, high fat, some minerals, and of course it concentrates whatever is present in their feeds.

You can use this link to find other relevant resources.

You will want a cool, shady spot for your farm, a good distance from occupied structures. We get the occasional BSFL appearing in our RV, likely from the black water tank I drain weekly, but all other efforts to get one started have failed, as I mentioned - and while I don't have a working nose (for reasons not important here) - my understanding is that these systems do not smell as relatively good as a working compost system.

 

[DLA]

I am planning on having a good amount of poultry, not only chickens, but I want to start with growing feed for my chickens and grow from there.

What kind of crops and insects should I grow for my chickens to mix into a chicken feed? I was already planning on using their egg shells for a calcium source in the feed I mix for them.

As far as crops typically grain feed includes some mixture of corn, wheat, field peas, oats and/or barley but to make that viable to grow and harvest it to feed poultry and other animals you'd need proper climate, sufficient space, water and necessary farm equipment to plant/maintain/harvest = essentially a working farm which is quite an investment and a lot of work. You may want to check around the area and see if there are any farms in your area doing something similar to what you plan and reach out to them for practical advice for your area. As far as the bsfl @U_Stormcrow gave some good info.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

As far as crops typically grain feed includes some mixture of corn, wheat, field peas, oats and/or barley but to make that viable to grow and harvest it to feed poultry and other animals you'd need proper climate, sufficient space, water and necessary farm equipment to plant/maintain/harvest = essentially a working farm which is quite an investment and a lot of work. You may want to check around the area and see if there are any farms in your area doing something similar to what you plan and reach out to them for practical advice for your area. As far as the bsfl @U_Stormcrow gave some good info.

I'm goign to come back to, and continue, this thought above when I have more time - since I lived int he Austin area, my wife has previously lived in the Dallas area, we have some experience with your climate.

At a high level, I agree with all of the above. I've said the same many times here on BYC. At a more granular level, I can probably offer a few practical suggestions, with significant caveats, of course.

 

[GlicksChicks]

I tried a BSFL "farm", my climate turned out to be too hot for it. Dallas Ft-Worth may be as well.

Wish you luck with that.

Its an insect protein, near as good as an animal protien in terms of AA profile, high fat, some minerals, and of course it concentrates whatever is present in their feeds.

You can use this link to find other relevant resources.

You will want a cool, shady spot for your farm, a good distance from occupied structures. We get the occasional BSFL appearing in our RV, likely from the black water tank I drain weekly, but all other efforts to get one started have failed, as I mentioned - and while I don't have a working nose (for reasons not important here) - my understanding is that these systems do not smell as relatively good as a working compost system.

I didn't know about heat causing too many issues! I will give it a try in the coolest place I can and see how it goes!