inconsistent quantity of food

[nellynelly]

our flock gets the same amount of crumble/day. but they get allot of other things to eat, but not daily. they get the leftovers (trimmed off for sale) of harvested vegetables (lettuce, broccoli, chard, cabbage etc, etc.). the harvest happens 2-3 days/week. and the extra is usually 25-50 kilos of leafy bits. also, they get 20 kilos (dry) of spent beer grain 1 day/week.

they might get the beer grain/harvest leftovers on the same day.

my question, is it bad to have the amount of food so varied day to day?

thank you

 

[Den in Penn]

Do they clean it up? That would be what I would go by. If they have their regular food available they should do alright. The vegetables and spent grain maybe a little light on protein for the best production, but if its free. Since the spent grain is dried I might hold that for the days that don't have the vegetable trimmings or spread it out over several days.

 

[nellynelly]

the grain is wet, and does not store well. i start with 20 kilos of dry, but it retains water after the mash/sparge.

they clean up the grain. but always leave some of teh vegi trimmings.

 

[nellynelly]

i buy they grain for making beer, so not free, but a good second use.

 

[Den in Penn]

I misread the dry part in OP. I almost would expect them to leave some of the vegetable trimmings. There are always some parts that are tough or get dry. The vegetables trimmings really aren't free either, there is the effort put in to grow them. Not many take their own work as part of the cost. As a farmer you try to use every part of the pig though. If I was doing it with your resources I might well do it the way you are.

 

[nellynelly]

they are free in the sense that we keep clients happy by removing them. it does take a bit more time to cart them over to the chickens, but that is minimal.

growing pigs is teh next step. i have had problems finding pasture eating breeds here.

 

[Den in Penn]

It is a two for the price (effort/work) of one. You would without the chickens have to find a less profitable use, like composting, for your vegetable scraps and spent grain. I like to think of it as being efficient.

 

[donrae]

I think it sounds good, actually. I know there are folks here who swear you need to feed only "feed" and severly limit scraps or treats, but my thinking's different. Chickens are omnivores and in nature their diet would be quite varied, just like ours should be. I think your feed plan sounds. good. But, the proof is in the birds. Are they healthy and thrifty? Glossy feathers, not prone to disease or parasites? Behavior issues? How is production? If you're happy with all those, I call it a win!