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

[Al Gerhart]

Now is the time to practice feed security and sanitation. Track your feed use, anything over a quarter pound of feed per hen per day (ignore the roosters) means you are feeding something else besides your chickens. I know, you think you can't afford to invest in a treadle feeder but in fact you pay that much and more several times a year.

Most areas of the country have some sort of trash fish like carp or gar. If things got too bad those fish could be a huge supplement for a backyard flock or even pets if you pressure cooked the bony fish. Earth worms are easy to raise and much cleaner than a compost bin especially to keep the rodents at bay. And for hundreds of years people raised hogs on acorns, a bit of grinding and leeching would make an edible feed.

 

[ParadisedivaChic]

My flock has access to a compost pile year round and I feed them from my garden but it's not enough to maintain them. They can snack on greens through chicken wire and they have a grass frame to graze. I prepare the best I can and keep a couple months of feed on hand. If getting feed became a problem for more than a month I'd be forced to downsize. My chickens would still provide meals as meat for the table. After that, it would depend on the situation.

Hi I’m new to chickens! This is a great subject as I was thinking about this topic as well . I’m also gonna start a compost pile not to far from the hens coop. Lots of browns greens and chicken pop. Lol but allowing the hens to air rate it everyday helps keeps smells down. I saw a YouTube video about this Amish old man who gave a tour of his farm and he never had to give his hens grain feeds at all! Just scraps from the house and that warm heated compost pile sitting there all year even in winter. Part of it was under a cover and part was out in open. It really was so educational! I’m gonna try to find the link again. As I can’t have grains in my diet .. makes me sick . Love all the ideas on here! Thanks for bringing up this question!

 

[Cole725]

I do not want to start a panic, rather a conversation. No I haven’t heard rumors of feed shortages. Yes we all are aware of the virus situation in the United States and everywhere in the world.
Just for the sake of conversation If someone needs to decide to stop buying feed and could not free range what would be your go to way of feeding your flock?
Yes we all know free range is the ideal. This discussion is about a situation where that is not an option, neither is purchasing grains. Let’s just include the thought that this is not a farm with fields to grow tons of grain but perhaps a “backyard garden” could include a bit dedicated to chickens. Let’s discuss this in terms of various seasonal and environmental conditions. Let’s also include that you are not open to the idea that you should stop raising chickens because you can’t afford them. This isn’t about affordability. It’s just a discussion.
What would you feed your flock? What would you grow for them? What would you do in winter?
If this discussion becomes problematic I request moderators to remove it. Let’s just enjoy exchanging ideas.
I’ve had some thoughts. I have a small framed chicken garden in their run so they can eat greens through a wire barrier without destroying roots. Perhaps I could expand that idea with frames of various heights to allow more mature growth an possible fruiting. Maybe grow a protected amaranth plant to allow the grain to fall for the chickens to eat.
I have other thoughts to share but let’s start there.
Your turn.

Hubby and I have already discussed this. We are fortunate to live 5 minutes from a very clean and healthy river. We would fish like crazy, keep the meat and feed the guts to the birds. We also have loads of squirrel and when we hunt them in the fall the birds get the innards then so that’s a practice we would maintain as well. We currently have 25 chickens and 10 ducks. Ducks are my babies (pets) and would definitely be getting some of that fresh fish meat!

 

[Spinster Acres]

I raise quail for eggs and meat. If it came down to a point that I couldn't keep the covey fed, I'd thin down to a mating pair and eat the rest.

 

[Peakbaggers]

What you would do for your geese I already do for my chickens. They eat weeds and grass clippings and kitchen scraps and garden failures. So why get rid of chickens? Remember the parameters of the discussion is about someone who cannot freerange and won’t get rid of them. Maybe imagine they live inner city and raise a few chickens on the roof of an apartment building. Can’t free range. They’ll fly off the roof to their death. Won’t get rid of them. They are pets, or they provide food. Whatever, it ain’t happening, especially not for geese on a rooftop!
So what would you do?

Not sure geese are as useful as chickens. They are pickier eaters, don't produce eggs regularly and are kind of belligerent. As far as feeding them, look at some of the alternatives on this site regarding food and snacks. Pretty hard to give them the nutritional balance that store-bought food offers and free-range is good to supplement their diets. But there are quite a few human food alternatives. (Oatmeal and scrambled eggs come to mind, boiled mashed chickpeas, dried black, pinto, and lima beans can all be used in this way. Good nutritional value)
Anyway, you do have alternatives to store-bought chicken food.

 

[Justso]

I've already started seeds for the garden inside. The problem is it takes weeks for these things to grow! every day I go stare at my planters seeing if another sprout has come up or not. This is intermittable!
Using this scenario of having a shortage of feed, I would start to write very sweet polite notes to my neighbors saying "Wait! Those leftovers may not be garbage! I'm looking for the following before you throw it in the trash to give to my chickens (list of acceptable things here). In return we can all enjoy future eggs."

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I'm in a quarantine zone and while all my local feed stores are closed to the public. All will take your order over the phone, you drive up and they load it into your car. I know that doesn't really answer your question. I live in the city so there's no way my hens would get enough to eat in my tiny garden. They are also older hens and really need their calcium and balanced nutrition to lay eggs.

 

[kntry]

I raise Dubia roaches for my bearded dragon and to sell. The chickens love them. The roaches breed pretty fast once they're breeding age. Black Soldier Fly Larvae are easy to breed and in a lot of places, they are found locally.

 

[gtaff]

Good idea to plan ahead. People are starting to go nuts, which threatens everything.

Mealworms, soldier fly larvae, perrennials like comfrey. I hope to get going this summer a coldframe where I can grow collards and such year round, with compost pile that I can let the chickens occasionally pick through

How do you get meal worms and solider fly larva going

 

[Ol mcmissy]

I do the same thing. Well, I do eliminate beans since those are toxic for chickens. And I know they won’t eat citrus foods like oranges and such, they just don’t like them I guess. But none of that is a problem. That bit goes into the compost pile.

I would love to see weed ideas!! I have 4 acres and about 1/8 is over grown most of the summer.