HYPOTHETICAL DISCUSSION: What to feed your chickens when we can't buy chicken feed anymore

[Steena]

I'm not a farmer or a land owner, but I love the small property I have and now share it with three girls. Or I thought I had three girls. I really now only have two girls and one guy! Rosie is a Roo, but we'll continue to call her Rosie and enjoy her 'Hello sunshine' in the a.m.! We thought she was a little bossy from the start!

Anyway, these three 'live wires' are very picky - to say the least.
I bought live meal worms for them and they gobbled them up in an instant.
I bought freeze dried worms and they were entirely ignored.
I've tried butternut squash, shredded carrots, celery, cooked spinach, oatmeal, dried cereal, left overs of various kinds and to date, nothing seems to peak their interest.
What can I feed these "gourmet" palates??????????? I mean during the winter months when they can't free range and I want them to stay healthy, well and happy???????

Thank you all so much.
I'm new to raising chickens and new to the Backyard Chickens site.
I've been reading other people's blogs, but now I've taken the plunge and am part of the events.

Steena

 

[Steena]

I agree with you.
I only recently found out that "Rosie" is a rooster.
We just love our three girls (I mean two girls and a guy) and cannot think about giving one up to a 'pot' or a farmer we don't know, but only heard about.
So I'm keeping "Rosie" who began a "Hello Sun" about a week or so ago, approximately 7 a.m.
Nothing too loud just a few 'Cock a doodle do' sounds.
This morning it was a little louder but really rather - nice sounding. I've asked my two neighbors if they've heard "Rosie" belting out her morning song and they said, "Yes, but it's OK and we're already up........etc."
I, at this point, do not intend to give Rosie away or return her to the breeder........
Of course, I'm wondering what I'll do if I get fertilized eggs!!! Heavens!!!!

Right now, I'm trying to read all I can about what to feed these three 'gourmet palates' over the winter.
I give them ground-up or cracked corn as a continual staple.
And I do try everything else with little success. They love meal worms but only live ones not freeze dried ones!
They are very very picky about what they'll eat.
I hung a cabbage in their pen, because I read that people said it was a fun thing for them. They have never even examined it. In fact, they ignore the cabbage hanging under their 'nose'.

What if I've spoiled them.
They love to free range, but the ground is cold and hard now and soon more snow and cold will be upon us.
Honestly, if anyone has ideas about winter "chow" let me know.
I don't like the idea of dog food. I think you know what I mean.

I have some kale left in the garden which I'll freeze for them.
The butternut squash which I bought two days ago, is untouched.
See what I mean???

Steena

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Steena; you could try fermenting their feed and mixing in the fresh vegetables. Chickens also tend to like squash once it's gotten all soft and mushy and soupy better than fresh squash.

 

[Steena]

Thank you for your reply.
You mentioned fermenting food for the girls. How do I do that?
I will soften the squash and try again. Thanks so much for the suggestion.
Steena

 

[triplepurpose]

Oh boy, I love these discussions!

My situation is tropical, so probably different than many others here. But on my small farm, I would probably...

1) restructure my land use so that the chickens could roam freely. I have no land or aerial predators here except neighbors dogs, which possibility I would have to take into account, and I would have to fence them out of my vegetable fields somehow, and make provisions for keeping them off the porches and out of the shed where we sell our produce and keep our plant nursery. I would lose one to traffic on the road occasionally maybe, or have a couple wander off. But letting them roam would take care of lots of feeding concerns. The feral chickens survive here easily.

2) I would set up a connection to a recreational or commercial deep-water fisherman who could supply me with free fish heads and offal that I could freeze in portion-sized blocks to feed later. I know people who've done this, and it's a great source of protein and nutrion, although it can give eggs a slight fishy taste. But some people like the taste of fish, and even if not, it beats not having eggs at all.

3) I would continue planting extra root crops, especially cassava. This keeps in the ground and can be dug up as needed and cooked, then kept refridgerated for longer periods or used up within a week or so. It is a fantastic and easy to grow source of whole-food calories.

4) I would continue feeding greens from the garden, and overripe fruits, etc.

5) I would continue feeding household scraps, and maybe try to source scraps from elsewhere too, and continue allowing access to the compost pile(s).

6) Oh, and I would probably keep a smaller flock of chickens to begin with...

 

[houseofknauss]

personally, I have found they hate carrots, are not fond of cereal

they love meat, beef, ham, pork, chicken,
they also love their own egg shells,

I try just about everything on them.

 

[centrarchid]

Oh boy, I love these discussions!

My situation is tropical, so probably different than many others here. But on my small farm, I would probably...

1) restructure my land use so that the chickens could roam freely. I have no land or aerial predators here except neighbors dogs, which possibility I would have to take into account, and I would have to fence them out of my vegetable fields somehow, and make provisions for keeping them off the porches and out of the shed where we sell our produce and keep our plant nursery. I would lose one to traffic on the road occasionally maybe, or have a couple wander off. But letting them roam would take care of lots of feeding concerns. The feral chickens survive here easily.

2) I would set up a connection to a recreational or commercial deep-water fisherman who could supply me with free fish heads and offal that I could freeze in portion-sized blocks to feed later. I know people who've done this, and it's a great source of protein and nutrion, although it can give eggs a slight fishy taste. But some people like the taste of fish, and even if not, it beats not having eggs at all.

3) I would continue planting extra root crops, especially cassava. This keeps in the ground and can be dug up as needed and cooked, then kept refridgerated for longer periods or used up within a week or so. It is a fantastic and easy to grow source of whole-food calories.

4) I would continue feeding greens from the garden, and overripe fruits, etc.

5) I would continue feeding household scraps, and maybe try to source scraps from elsewhere too, and continue allowing access to the compost pile(s).

6) Oh, and I would probably keep a smaller flock of chickens to begin with...

I like your logic very much although in most scenarios I can think of where feed would be no longer available, power to run a freezer would also be lost. Result would be loss of ability to stockpile fishheads. I also would like to now what plant species are in the area that are suitable as forage. For me not all are equal and there is the issue of seasonal availability. Something else that in some ways is like composting is taking the advantage of a small number or grazing animals like goats or sheep that process some of the plants the chickens cannot transforming such into feces that can be consumed by chickens directly or after insects colonize it. Another trick that is seasonably effective in the Midwest is to allow patches in strips within the area the chickens forage in to stand. Such locations provide cover from elements and can serve as bio-attractors where insects and possibly in your location amphipods that otherwise drift through at night can stop in it so birds can glean them out the following morning. Latter system does not work well if you are surrounded by chickens.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

In a scenario where feed couldn't be bought, you'd revert to about 150 years ago, when what they ate was whatever they could find, as well as what one could grow in season to feed them. Planting Corn and other grains would work for most climates. You'd need to keep as many birds as possible so losses wouldn't wipe you out, and because egg production would be lower than our pampered, well fed birds .

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Well, I have learned you can't spoil them. Mine get fermented feed every day now....or starve. And believe me, they won't starve. I do find it takes them some time to catch on to new things...like that cabbage hanging in the winter coop. But it only takes one "pioneer" to get the rest on the bandwagon. It's deer hunting season here and they will go for the scraps and fat readily.

Wondering if anyone has tried mixing some powdered alfalfa into the feed. I can't imagine they would like it but they will eventually eat what's there if they don't have a bunch of choices.
We didn't have choices when we were kids in our family. And none of us are picky eaters today.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Steena; Fermenting feed is easy. Most people suggest a "two bucket" system. One bucket with a bunch of holes drilled in it sitting in a second bucket. (I suggest getting food grade buckets but I just use two clear plastic rubbermaids.) Then you pour a bunch of water in it, and some feed and let it sit. You can add some unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother in tact to help it ferment faster. Mix it once or twice a day. The colder it is out the slower the ferment. It can take a week or two to get it started but once it's going it doesn't stop unless it freezes or boils or dries out, it just slows way down in the cold.

Missa; Since I give fermented feed, I add all sorts of things to it. I add cubed alfalfa for horses to it since it's about %16 protein and high in calcium... It's a really good chicken feed. Since it gets mixed into a pastey mush with the feed and the grains they eat it right along side the rest.

I find that in general my chickens don't like eating hard things. Which is why they dislike fresh squash, and carrots, hay and their favorite seeds are either cracked or softer... But if I let them have squash guts, old mushy carrots, anything soft and older they go crazy! I put out 4-5 carrots from the bottom of the bags out for my birds once and they weren't touched for a week. Then one day they were all very pock marked and were half-eaten clearly by chickens because they'd softened up. They were gone completely within a few days. They also like the fermented feed mash WAY more than they like regular layer pellets.