How can I grow my own chicken feed?

[GarrettHB]

Hey again everyone I'm sort of new to the forum and everyone on here was great on helping me find where I can buy chickens in my area and it turned out perfect . I have two 4 month old Buff Orphingtons, 2 Easter egg chickens about 5 weeks old and 1 silkie about 3 weeks old. The problem I have now is the only local place I can go to buy chicken feed is almost 2 hours away from me and it's impossible to get my parents to take me there every other week to get new feed. I am a mildly successful gardener and live in southern California so I get lots of sun. I was wondering what is something I can easily grow that I can feed to my chickens, I've heard amaranth might be a good idea? And also does anyone know how I can use the chicken waste to fertilize my garden, I would assume I use it like any other fertilizer or do I need to make compost with it?
Thank you

 

[Coop Cleaner]

www.FarmTek.com has a system to grow feed. It is a type of grass that you grow hydroponically and feed grass and roots. Their system is expensive but it might be "food for thought".

 

[DeepFriedBacon]

Well, I would look into starting a worm bin, soldier fly larve, or mealworm farm. Growing vegetables, i'd think various lettuce, cabbage, legumes(beans/pea's etc) would be good places to start. Growing strictly all your own feed would require more time and effort than making the trip every week. And a lotta room. Free ranging them will drastically reduce their "pellet" consumption. A bag of alfalfa seed is cheap, grows easily. Of course all this will take time to start and to produce. I'd suggest doubling up on the feed bags next trip. Also be sure that whatever you do choose, that the food is balanced nutritionally, that they are getting everything they need.

 

[DeepFriedBacon]

Oh, and you'll need to compost the poop, it'll burn the plants if planted directly.