If feed stores closed and you can’t free range...

[Mtnboomer]

You’re right! I’ve just read “don’t feed them beans, they’re toxic...” and I never noticed the art that said “To make them safe for both humans and chickens, beans should be soaked in cold water for at least five hours - preferably longer. Then, discard the water, rinse the beans rinsed thoroughly and boil rapidly in fresh water for at least ten minutes - fifteen to be on the safe side.”
Thank you for making me take a closer look!

It also makes them edible. Dried beans are hard as a rock. My mother taught me to soak them over night if I plan to cook them the next day.

 

[Cryss]

Broadleaf plantain. My yard's full of it.

Mine too! I was planning to dehydrate some leaves for medicinal purposes.

 

[Cryss]

It also makes them edible. Dried beans are hard as a rock. My mother taught me to soak them over night if I plan to cook them the next day.

Yes of course. But boiling them rather than crockpot cooking is important. I really thought cooked beans was what those warnings were about. Odd, I’m usually pretty thorough about checking such things.

 

[rosemarythyme]

But boiling them rather than crockpot cooking is important.

I believe this mainly applies to kidney beans. You can crockpot them (like if making a slow cooker chili), but you need to bring them to a rolling boil for about 10 minutes on the stovetop first, then dump them into the crockpot.

 

[daystardoberman]

You can cook rice, feed leftovers from your table. Chickens eat pretty much anything. In a survival mode, that's what I'd be doing.

 

[daystardoberman]

I can even now go to the larger grocery store and purchase a box of greens for about $4-5 dollars. I have asked before about the few day older that's thrown out, and was told they can't give it away. So I hold out for the reduced price greens. A reduction of 30-40%.
Plus I purchase mealworms as a treat and protein added food.

Don't ask, just go look in the dumpster when the store is closed at night.

 

[cottontail farm]

You’re right! I’ve just read “don’t feed them beans, they’re toxic...” and I never noticed the art that said “To make them safe for both humans and chickens, beans should be soaked in cold water for at least five hours - preferably longer. Then, discard the water, rinse the beans rinsed thoroughly and boil rapidly in fresh water for at least ten minutes - fifteen to be on the safe side.”
Thank you for making me take a closer look!

Thank you for the update! When I read that I wondered if I was missing something and wanted to look into it more... then forgot. Lol. Thanks for explaining it to me. Yeah, there's not much the chickens get more excited about then leftover rice and blackbeans. Maybe because theose both look like bugs? (I know, I know, sorry)

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

So how many beans can you feed to a chicken if they're de-toxified? I've got like 15-20 lbs of old navy beans that I need to get rid of.

 

[centrarchid]

Anyone taking more seriously an interruption or change in feed availability? In some areas at least there will be store closures and those serving animal keepers may not get a pass for staying open, at least as until enough people complain to make an exception. Countries in world that have been nay sayers have been getting hammered before they start shutting business doors. My state has been doing a lot of nay saying so far.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Anyone taking more seriously an interruption or change in feed availability? In some areas at least there will be store closures and those serving animal keepers may not get a pass for staying open, at least as until enough people complain to make an exception. Countries in world that have been nay sayers have been getting hammered before they start shutting business doors. My state has been doing a lot of nay saying so far.

Yep I did today. Now have 3 bags of feed and 2 of scratch. The store was well stocked, and the cashier said there had been no panic buying. The food stores were a different story.