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

[Yukonchick]

I hear you there. We had a very bad growing season up here in the Yukon. Alot of people up here have greenhouses in the Yukon. Our potatoes did good but I didn't even get radishes this year but they sure have pretty pink flowers, LOL! Leaf lettuce did ok. Nothing for carrots though. Really bad this year for wild berries too. The bears are a problem this year. Too many coming into town cause they're hungry and people are not securing their garbage well. 19 bears shot and another 50 relocated in the Whitehorse area this summer.

 

[milo1108]

Wow this has been quite an interesting thread. I have started thinking the same thing as well. (I have somewhat of a budget cut due to school) I actually started raised flower beds and threw in some sunflower seeds, oats, corn, milo, and some other things to see what will grow. Of course I have some of the winter/fall things growing as well. I'm trying to rely more on what I can grow for food rather than what I can get somewhere else. (It also works for the chickens as well)

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Wow this has been quite an interesting thread. I have started thinking the same thing as well. (I have somewhat of a budget cut due to school) I actually started raised flower beds and threw in some sunflower seeds, oats, corn, milo, and some other things to see what will grow. Of course I have some of the winter/fall things growing as well. I'm trying to rely more on what I can grow for food rather than what I can get somewhere else. (It also works for the chickens as well)

Milo, may I ask which area you live in?

I hear you there. We had a very bad growing season up here in the Yukon. Alot of people up here have greenhouses in the Yukon. Our potatoes did good but I didn't even get radishes this year but they sure have pretty pink flowers, LOL! Leaf lettuce did ok. Nothing for carrots though. Really bad this year for wild berries too. The bears are a problem this year. Too many coming into town cause they're hungry and people are not securing their garbage well. 19 bears shot and another 50 relocated in the Whitehorse area this summer.

Wow. I was just thinking about my friend who lives not too far from Whitehorse. I guess they won't too happy about bears being relocated to their area. I think they get warmer winters (not much sun tho) than we tend to in Northern MN. When I visited them (Myra and Chuck and their kids...no longer kids) some years ago it was in the 90's in June.
Never knew it got so warm.

Because of the short season here I would like to start earlier in the spring and use row covers.

Yeah. I guess it is going to depend on the season, too. Storing up (hopefully without hoarding) for bad years might be a good idea.

BTW five deer plowed down my garden with the open gate over night. Caught the swiss chard poachers red handed or I mean red hoof-ed.

Missa

 

[milo1108]

Missa, I'm in Southern Oklahoma. The fall/winter time fairs produce pretty well as long as it doesn't snow as it rarely does.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Thks!. From WAY north.
Missa

 

[centrarchid]

I did best to read entire thread. We did effectively keep chickens without use of chicken feed but it forces you to keep them in a manner that most backyard folks will have difficulty doing. First birds must be allowed to free-range, usually in the company of some sort of livestock. Livestock provide two services; first they graze down pasture making so chickens can get around through it, secondly they can transform much of the bulk fiber from consumed plants into something more insects will consume thus providing a source of insect forage. The pastured area best have a diverse assemblage of plants, some to provide food, others provide cover from elements and predators. Since birds need to be free-ranged the predator management needs to be intensified and sitting on porch with rifle when you have time will not be effective. Dogs will be needed. Also to provide a buffer zone with respect to predators, you are going to need to suppress predator numbers further by hunting and trapping to allow chickens to free range beyond paddocs containing grazing livestock. Supplemental feeding will also be needed but based on rules of thread it can not be a complete ration and must be cheap as well as locally available. In most instances that means a grain of some sort. When resorting to supplementing with a grain or grains you are in the realm of scratch where energy and some protein is supplied but you will be way short of quality protein and vitamins so forage will still be extremely important. Table scraps and offal from animal carcasses, including fish can supplement protein needs. Reproduction will have to be seasonal since hens will be providing needs of bitties for food. Hens with bitties will need to be dispersed otherwise forage base will be locally depleted. Many other issues including breed selection and use of roosters need to be addressed. Prior to about 175 years ago people did keep birds without use of complete formulated feeds and it was not done by everybody.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

cool thread I will be following this one

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Talked to a farmer today at church. He says he doesn't pay for his chicken feed. Hmmm. He says he grows his own corn and they grind it for him at the local mill and do a layer feed mix. I asked him to take me along next time (in about a week) This should be interesting. I asked him if I could buy corn from him to do the same thing, So...we'll see. Will keep you 'posted'.

 

[mabhera]

Talked to a farmer today at church. He says he doesn't pay for his chicken feed. Hmmm. He says he grows his own corn and they grind it for him at the local mill and do a layer feed mix. I asked him to take me along next time (in about a week) This should be interesting. I asked him if I could buy corn from him to do the same thing, So...we'll see. Will keep you 'posted'.

I'd been thinking about growing corn. But I wonder how much I have to grow to make a 50 pound bag that last me a month...I'll have to grow a lot. Anyhow I want to try.

 

[mickey328]

Corn takes a lot of space and a lot of water, which makes it impractical for us here. If you have the space and no water issues, you could surely do so! You can plant field corn for the chickens; they don't need the more expensive sweet corn we like to eat. By checking the seed catalogs, you can determine what sort of ears and how many the plants will produce. Of course, you have to figure in that the corn will be dried, so it will lose probably 50% or so of its weight.

I attended a lecture yesterday and the speaker recommended growing field corn or maize for chickens, then just drying the cobs. He gives them to his chickens during the winter when they spend more time in the coop...said it gives them something to do as well as treats to eat. I'm thinking I might put in a few plants come spring...won't be enough to really impact their overall feed bill, but every little bit helps. I'll plant pole beans with the corn so the beans can grow up the stalks (going to do the same with sunflowers). Beans are an excellent source of protein, but do need to be cooked for the chickens.

They get pinto beans now. For some reason, I've accumulated lots of pintos. So, I throw a couple cups of them in my small crockpot and cook them overnight. I give them a cupful or so every couple of days.