Home Feeding Ideas and Solutions Discussion Thread

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote: The peanuts are unsalted shelled from the Winco bulk bins and the BOSS is still in the shell. The chickens eat BOSS shell and all.

As always, make sure they have access to sharp grit either in the soil or provided so they can grind everything up well.

 

[RaZ]

Indeed. Mine have access to sharp grit in the soil and separate in case the ground is too frozen. They also have soft sand baths for dusting. Not sure if they use that for grit at all.

 

[kac266]

I came up with this idea and it has worked out well, I wanted to make sure my feed stayed dry, we have high humidity here in NC,

I took a ladies nylon knee high sock, filled it with rice, then tied a knot in it, when I fill up my feed bin I throw it in along with a little DE .
So far it seems to be doing its job

 

[Clay Mudd]

Thanks for the link. Good info there.
A question...are your peanuts and BOSS already shelled? I buy in bulk and they are entire. I've watched my hens but can't tell if they are eating the BOSS shell and all or not.
My peanuts are unsalted in the shell and are primarily for the squirrels but the chickens seem to "play" with them and I'm not sure they are getting the peanut out or not.

I've watched mine with the peanuts and they definitely are getting the peanut out. Great way to keep them busy. And yes, the eat the BOSS whole.

 

[gg706]

Thank You for the info I will run a searc. I need to get one of those crackers, cracking them by hand IS HORRIBLE! Thanks!

We have pecan trees also and my grandpa has about 20 or more. He uses a big cracker and runs the nuts through it. It looks like this:

I don't see a problem feeding pecans to them except maybe issues with them eating shells maybe? I doubt it would make much difference on egg taste. Do a search online for 'feed pecans to chickens' and see if you come up with anything interesting. I would deffinately do a search for something like 'feed pecans to chickens safe?'

 

[gg706]

That is a VERY good idea! I think I will do that, should work REALLY WELL! THANKS for the idea!

You can put some in the yard and run over them with your car. This will break the shells open so they can eat them. They will be very good for them.

 

[triplepurpose]

Thanks, I would look back later tonight to find your past posts. How do you find seed as stuff in bulk to make homemade feed? Is the stuff you put in it organic? Do you know where to get get the stuff organic and in bulk?

My goal is to purchase as little as possible for feed, so I tend to use starches that I grow in my gardens, like cull sweetpotatoes (because WE eat the goods ones!), casava, squashes, and overripe bananas, in place of grains. Chickens don't need grain after all, just nutritious calories. Although I do buy some organic layer pellets and may on occasion supplement with cracked corn. But in general, buying a large number of ingredients to make the feed is for my own purposes self-defeating--although by that I don't mean to imply judgement on anyone else who does!

In a much earlier post I explain about the feed mix I've been making. I think it was on the first page of the thread...

Where do you buy your organic feed from. I really want to start feeding mine organic and supplement with a lot of natural foods I grow and free ranging. I haven't found a good place to buy organic food though.

Thanks,
Michelle

I can't remember the brand. But it's the only one our little mom-and-pop farm supply stores carry here... Only a couple years ago they didn't carry any OG feed at all. Like somebody else said, try shopping the internet, maybe...? People often moan about how much more expensive OG is, but personally knowing that I am what I eat and knowing what I know about GM agriculture I don't even consider it a choice... I do, however, use as little of it as possible!

Good luck!

 

[triplepurpose]

Really enjoyed reading the collective wisdom on feeding alternatives. I'm just starting a flock with baby chicks next month

and am wondering if anyone has any insight as to how feeding chicks in this way would differ from adult chickens? We already collect our kitchen waste for the compost bin so that's a start. I'm ordering the Ussery book! Great thread!

I'd say that feeding the chicks shouldn't be that different from feeding the grown birds--though obviously, you would want to make sure that the things are in small enough pieces, or soft enough, that they are able to swallow or tear of pieces. And bearing in mind that young growing birds might benefit from a little touch extra protein-rich foodstuff, and don't need as much calcium as layers (although if you have a flock of mixed ages it's easy to just give calcium free choice and that solves any of those issues quite nicely).

IMO starting the chicks as young as possible on a diverse, interesting diet will give them a healthy start, but also make them more amenable to trying new things you may want to feed them in the future. It's a good opportunity to "train" them to eat the things you will be feeding them later on.

For example, in the Korean Natural Farming method, they start the chicks out immediately on a diet of brown rice and bamboo leaves, so that their digestive tracts become better adapted to a high-fiber natural diet, and then after that they feed them the same kind of mix the adults get, just chopped up much smaller.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote: Oh I have some bamboo leaves!!!! Do you just chop them up for them? I tried once confining two adult hens in a circular pen with a bamboo plant in it and they didn't eat the leaves (but only for about 30 minutes or less). Maybe I should have let them have more time in there!

Can it be the grown leaves or does it have to be the shoots?

 

[cottagechick]

I saw a post about someone raising their ducklings and chopping up weeds that they want them to eat when they get older so they get used to them...

I'd say that feeding the chicks shouldn't be that different from feeding the grown birds--though obviously, you would want to make sure that the things are in small enough pieces, or soft enough, that they are able to swallow or tear of pieces. And bearing in mind that young growing birds might benefit from a little touch extra protein-rich foodstuff, and don't need as much calcium as layers (although if you have a flock of mixed ages it's easy to just give calcium free choice and that solves any of those issues quite nicely).

IMO starting the chicks as young as possible on a diverse, interesting diet will give them a healthy start, but also make them more amenable to trying new things you may want to feed them in the future. It's a good opportunity to "train" them to eat the things you will be feeding them later on.

For example, in the Korean Natural Farming method, they start the chicks out immediately on a diet of brown rice and bamboo leaves, so that their digestive tracts become better adapted to a high-fiber natural diet, and then after that they feed them the same kind of mix the adults get, just chopped up much smaller.