I want to buy some bulk grains at the grocery store for this winter.

[countrygoddess]

What kind of calcium do you use and where can you buy it? I would like an alternative to oyster shell one day, I think.

http://www.countrysideorganics.com/home.php?cat=43

I use the Calcium Carbonate. It's a small amount that I put in and then I also offer oyster shell free choice.

 

[countrygoddess]

I use spinach and carrots to supplement the calcium along with oyster shell... carrots have 4x the calcium of a glass of milk (for example, not that I give milk to chickens...) and spinach has 10x... good stuff, and they like it.

They DO like those things. =) They also like milk and a lot of people feed it. In the old days, chickens got a LOT of milk.

 

[cracked egg]

We basically grow our own feed and let the birds have at it when its ready saves us months of feed bills. The birds start on onions and beets in early summer then oats, barley and wheat. Sunflower follow for about a month and now they are working on the corn,millet and anything left in the garden. Through the winter we feed whole oats and rolled barley with all the table scraps they can get before the dogs find them. The birds really go nuts over fish that we give to them also I see them running around with mice. We free range the birds so in reality we only feed from mid November till the end of March.

 

[blondiebee181]

They DO like those things. =) They also like milk and a lot of people feed it. In the old days, chickens got a LOT of milk.

My chickens like milk, and they LOVE yogurt and sour cream.....the ducks like to dabble cheerios with milk...

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I am raising mealworms, and make yogurt almost daily by the gallon. Starting fermented feed too! there's a huge amount of info here that's just amazing. check out the "feeding your flock" section, lots of wonderful info! I use about 50lbs of feed a week with everything we have...geese, ducks, guineas, laying chickens, meaties (CX), pigs, Alpaca and cows any day lol... (when my DH wants to make the trip to get them!) The grocery stores are killing my budget.. there will be a huge garden started this coming spring. I keep looking at the sign next to our property... 40 acres that's been for sale about 11 years now...
hmmmmm...

 

[Brethren49619]

I've been feeding my chickens and peas a combination treat of dry cat food (for molt), black sun flower seeds and some of my horse feed.
They love it. It has an assortment of grains and alfalfa pellets. There is never anything left on the ground.
We get it from our local co-op, mixed fresh each week.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote: Thank you! I had already asked the feed store if they have aragonite and they said no. I'll have to ask for High calcium lime (food grade).

 

[laurie9503]

Beans and such are on the toxic list for chickens, including things like avocados, onions and tomatoes.

 

[countrygoddess]

We basically grow our own feed and let the birds have at it when its ready saves us months of feed bills. The birds start on onions and beets in early summer then oats, barley and wheat. Sunflower follow for about a month and now they are working on the corn,millet and anything left in the garden. Through the winter we feed whole oats and rolled barley with all the table scraps they can get before the dogs find them. The birds really go nuts over fish that we give to them also I see them running around with mice. We free range the birds so in reality we only feed from mid November till the end of March.

Ah, love a story like this! This is precisely as it should be, and as it always was before family farms were forced not to exist because of factory farms. Your flock is incredibly lucky, cracked egg!!

 

[countrygoddess]

I am raising mealworms, and make yogurt almost daily by the gallon. Starting fermented feed too! there's a huge amount of info here that's just amazing. check out the "feeding your flock" section, lots of wonderful info! I use about 50lbs of feed a week with everything we have...geese, ducks, guineas, laying chickens, meaties (CX), pigs, Alpaca and cows any day lol... (when my DH wants to make the trip to get them!) The grocery stores are killing my budget.. there will be a huge garden started this coming spring. I keep looking at the sign next to our property... 40 acres that's been for sale about 11 years now...
hmmmmm...

The pasture our chickens are on belongs to our neighbors; they said we could put them out there. I've asked several times if they would consider selling (they sold the herd that was on it 15 years ago) but they keep saying no. They're afraid we'll build houses on it. I have told him we'll put a no development clause in the contract, but he still says no. =( I would so love to build a little barn, keep chickens, ducks, turkeys, pigs... Maybe if I can get a cash down payment together and hold it in front of his nose, he'll bite. Or maybe I'll hold it in front of his wife's nose--she likes to shop!! =D