How to minimize feed costs?

[georgialee]

I'll have fresh veggies from the garden, dinner scraps, etc. to give my chickens, but are there other ways to cut down on the amt. of feed they'll eat w/o compromising nutrition? I am considering starting to raise mealworms - are these very healthy for the chickens? Is it okay if they eat a lot of them? Can they eat TOO many?

Another question: I'm guessing that most people who own chickens no longer have a compost pile? It seems like anything extra goes to the chickens, lol!

And another: has anyone ever tried the biopod (gives you harvestable black fly larvae)? What do you think about it?

Thanks!

 

[purecountrychicken]

After mowing your lawn you can toss the grass clipping in the run,,they love grass. Plus its good for them.

 

[Chicken Boo]

I have compost piles. The hens do not get everything (peels, refrigerator science experiments) and I have lots of yard waste to put in with the litter cleaned out of the hen house.

I did bring home several carry out cartons of rice from the restaurant the other night. I buy the marked for quick sale apples, pears and grapes at the grocery store.

My girls also spend several hours most days grazing in the yard and digging for worms and bugs under the trees and bushes. They go to bed with bulging crops.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

The best way to minimize expenditures on livestock feed is to get rid of the livestock. HE HE HE HE

 

[briteday]

I always like to keep an eye out for waste first. Be sure you have the feeders hanging so that the birds are not billing out the pellets andwasting on the ground. Also, pellets seem to be less wasteful than crumbles. Watch for rodents or wild birds that may be stealing from your feeders.

I feed my hens greens and a handful of grain in the morning, they free range most days for at least a few hours if not all day, they have layer pellets available at all times. A few times each week I give them a soaked alfalfa cube in the late afternoon.

 

[georgialee]

Thanks for the ideas!!!