Home Feeding Ideas and Solutions Discussion Thread

[ducklucky]

Chickens love anything dairy. Cottage cheese, yogurt, whatever. We have a neighbor who raises pure bred goats, and we used to get a gallon of milk from him for $5, and he delivered! Boy, did they love that They'll even suck up sour milk! Gives them the calcium they need for good strong bones, thus producing stronger shells. Yes, do be careful with chicks and pullets, you don't want to overdo, can cause runny poos.

 

[SowdersHomestead]

Has anyone tried acorns? I have about 6 tree's that can produce about ton of acorns a yr. I'd like to grind them up and add them with there current ration if possible.

Thanks

 

[Sallysec]

I know I read two or three people talking about feeding acorns, I think one of them is over in the NY forum..

 

[Lacy Blues]

I've asked about acorns before (not on here) and I was cautioned against them because of the tannins they contain.

However, wild turkeys eat acorns and so do deer... I don't think it's really that big of an issue but I don't live where there are multitudes of acorns anymore either. If I had them, I would use them.

A friend of mine told me that the American Indians would collect acorns and crush them up and then put them in some kind of a bag that water could flow through and then toss the bag into the river... tying it to the bank... to wash the tannins out. I think they left it in the river for a couple days.

Perhaps the same thing could be accomplished with buckets of water changed a couple times a day? Or if you have a river running through your property... ?

 

[fairytails]

I had a block of feta cheese that was getting a little soft around the edges, not moldy but past the quality I want to eat. I sliced off all four edges, probably about 1/4 pound of feta in all and crumbled up. The girls absolutely went nuts, adored it as a treat.

 

[galanie]

Just want to jump in here about the milk feeding: fresh raw dairy milk is not the same as what you get in the cartons in the store. The milk in the cartons will upset their stomachs a bit unless it's fermented some way into cheese or yogurt or kifir, even buttermilk, first. Fresh, raw milk has enzymes right in the milk that make it digestible where pasteurized milk has had those enzymes killed off.

So long as you're not using straight out of the carton pasteurized milk, it's all good for them!

On the acorns: It depends what variety of oak. Our Water Oaks have an acorn that only a squirrel will eat. Same with nearly all the other types of oak that grow this far south. Up in the central and northern states though, other types grow that do have an acorn that is used for food.

 

[Kassaundra]

I have recent access to quite a bit of bread, both the better whole grain types and the nasty whites, I have been fermenting some of it and feeding out. also been soaking some in oil and feeding them the whole bread slices soaked in oil in these cool little feeders my husband made just for that. I've tried researching to see if this was just empty calories for the chickens or not, but haven't found any info, I know they do love it. I'm really hoping the addition of the oil is going to help thier feather quality, that is the suggestion of Al on the OT thread (well he uses lard, but that was to expensive) when I have access to the oil very inexpensively.

 

[SowdersHomestead]

So long as you're not using straight out of the carton pasteurized milk, it's all good for them!
On the acorns: It depends what variety of oak. Our Water Oaks have an acorn that only a squirrel will eat. Same with nearly all the other types of oak that grow this far south. Up in the central and northern states though, other types grow that do have an acorn that is used for food.

We mainly have white and bur oak in Ohio. The tannins are minimal. I was able to throw the ones that have defects into the chickens last night and they seem to enjoy them. Some research I found showed they only contain 6% protein. So I'll have to watch how much is given so not to inhibit their egg laying ability.

 

[coupvilla]

I use commercial feed, as little as possible. I go to my local market, and farmers market, and ask for produce discards. Then sort through it and make mixed bags of all kinds of fruits and vegatables. Also have an organic garden, which is growing larger every year.
I grow a bed, just for my layers. Most of it is dark leaved veggies, and grasses.
They also especially love young weeds, which I toss in the pen, with the roots and dirt. It keeps them entertained for hours.
In the morning, when I let them out, I give them a pan with birdseed, cooked brown rice, cottage cheese, squashed soft fruits or veggies (such as peaches and tomatoes), stale bread etc. They love it. They get meal worms, or earth worms, when I have them.
I keep a feeder filled with Layena laying mash, but the birds only nibble on it. They get a handful of scratch in the am, with grit and oyster shell. Fresh water at all times;
The eggs I get in return for "spoiling" my hens are absolutely supreme. Yolks, the color of sharp cheddar cheese, whites than stand up, in the frying pan. And rich, velvety flavor. My egg salad, is the color of French's mustard, although there is none in there
I clean the house every morning. It's just a matter of raking out, under their perch.
I keep the coop and yeard very clean.
My daughter says the chickens "smell good". She picks them up, and puts her face into their soft feathers.
Oh yes, I LOVE chickens!

 

[Izzymoon]

I have found while prefecting bread recipes my chickens love to eat the failed loaves. They love sourdough! Ater we get to a certain point the bread gets stale, so i break it up and toss it in, gives them some fun in looking for the pieces