How to save money on chicken feed?

[kaeo]

I would just like to say i've been giving my chickens my home made feed and each chicken was laying eggs here is how you make it
3 cups of smashed shells. they can come from the beach or you can crush up the egg shells that works to. now for the inner just give them bugs or you can let some uncooked fish in a ziploc and leave it for a month and put it far away from home it smells and you make a compost pile cut the bag open put it in the compost pile and leave it for a month and keep put compost and feed the chickens the grub worms and shells. for each dozon chickens put 1 cup of shell s and about 4 cups of grubs

 

[rebelsmommy]

http://theelliotthomestead.com/2013/06/homemade-chicken-feed-organic-and-soy-free/

 

[nugget_night]

We get 500lb, 16% protein and all essentials, feed store ground mix- around 115$, chickens like it and chicks love the smaller size but skip the corn.

 

[Chicks and Bees]

I let my feed out 24/7 and wonder if anything gets it in the coop overnight

 

[tadaen sylverma]

I let my feed out 24/7 and wonder if anything gets it in the coop overnight

I wouldn't doubt it. Since I finished the run recently with 1/2" hardware mesh instead of the chicken wire the old thing was covered with the feed consumption has dropped nearly in half. I definitely had unwanted visitors helping themselves.

 

[Krazzy]

I buy my feed from a local farmer. He grows most of what he mixes into it himself. He sells 360 pounds of feed for about 45 bucks depending on the market. So I would suggest trying to find someone local who is willing to work with you. I have a flock of mostly wyandottes and I calculated that it cost me about 1.20 per dozen eggs on average for the year counting the winter months. Just make sure you know what they are mixing up.

I really like the duckweed idea

 

[chickadee43773]

The cheapest layer feed I could find at TSC today was $16.99 for 50 lbs. I think that's a lot to pay for it but its all I could find right now. My problem is a lot of the local suppliers are only open when I am at work. I wish they'd stay open just a little later. I went to one yesterday on my lunch break that was close to work but no one helped me and I couldn't figure out how to order their feed. I'll try again another day when I have some more time.

 

[realsis]

Watch ingredients in feed because cheapest isn't always best. You can find some good deals but just pay attention to what's in the feed.it might be worth a couple extra dollars for better feed. You can also cut feed costs by planting pasture and supplement that way.

 

[chickadee43773]

Watch ingredients in feed because cheapest isn't always best. You can find some good deals but just pay attention to what's in the feed.it might be worth a couple extra dollars for better feed. You can also cut feed costs by planting pasture and supplement that way.

I tried to look on the bag of feed we just emptied for whats in it but I couldn't find a list. Is that normal because I checked on the new bag I just bought too and didn't see one?

 

[blucoondawg]

I can get layer for 20 for a 100 lbs but the feed mill who has it is a little farther than my normal run to town so I try to get larger amounts