Increase in feed prices

[entropy]

I was wondering what people are feeding their larger flocks. When I only had 1 coop full of chickens commercial feed was affordable. Now that I keep adding to my flock (Stupid chicken math!!!), my feed bill has increased astronomically. Do you always feed commercial brands or do you make your own or add to existing products? I have a coop of just egg layers but I am starting to raise some young langshans, barnevelders, and bantam polish to hopefully show. I have been feeding nutrena as that is readily available in the local feedstores but I am considering custom milling if it is available nearby. I am in N. Ca, near Sacramento.
Thoughts???

 

[coffeenutdesign]

Have you thought of buying in bulk? That might be an option.

 

[DMRippy]

I buy from a feed mill that mixes their own feed. I also buy a ton a trip, that gives me a discount. I don't know if this is available in your area but I also use Tuckers Layer mini pellets. 22% protein and is made with pork. I mix the Feed Mill feed and Tuckers in equal amounts. I also use spent grains from a local brewery. That cuts my feed bill by about 1/3 maybe more.

We have a feed mill that will mix feed close to me, but I have to have the formula and they could only use soy as the main protein source. I like to feed MEAT to my chickens.

 

[cknkids]

Don’t know it this will help. I’m new to chickens and am trying to decide what organic feed to use and came across this mill in Medesto
www.modestomilling.com/products.html

 

[Fred's Hens]

A typical retail store, selling pre-bagged feed? No way that is affordable, once you go over just a few birds. A local feed mill, that grinds their own feed, then sacks it in old time feed sacks with draw strings, now that is the ticket. YMMV, but I buy a quality layer, by the 100 lb bag for 1/2 the price of say, a Purina, at a local retail store. These places are harder to find, and often, don't even have a web presence.

 

[HiddenHens987]

I buy my feed from a local feed mill as well! Since the middle of June, they have a sign on the door indicating that feed prices are fluctuating and they are doing their best to keep prices low for their customers. So far, the price for a 50lb bag of layer pellets has increased $1.40. Scratch has increased $2.00 so I barley phased by this. It does seem that tractor supply has increased their prices quite alot.

My girls love the Manna Pro Harvest Delight and that has risen close to $2.00 per bag since spring time.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Feed frustrates me because it is so expensive now.

I've ended up looking into feeding them other foods. I've found a source for free boxes of organic fruit and vegetable scraps as well as a source for cheap expired bread. I mix those two plus feed Stock and Stable 14 and layer pellets. I figure I increased their ration by almost half doing it that way, thus extending a week's worth of food over 10 days or so.

Right now, they're getting carrots, broccoli, peppers, onions, bok choy, lettuce, carrot tops, herbs, beets, celery, chard, tomatoes, kale, egg shells, peaches, plums, grapes, cherries, apples, strawberries, cantaloupe, melon rinds, and probably some other stuff I've forgotten. I add meat scraps and fat, leftover rice and noodles, expired yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products, along with any bread I get, and some hay. Chicks get chick food, turkeys get grain with some veggies and hay, and the quail get their expensive ration, but the geese, ducks, and chickens get fed a mixed diet.

Does it work? My chickens appear to be laying more eggs than before.

I'm not sure if it's balanced, but I would think they would have problems if it wasn't.

I'd like to say they prefer the mixed diet, but those silly birds run to the grain as though they get nothing else. They act the same way around the bread, too. Guess they like junk food.

 

[duckinnut]

A typical retail store, selling pre-bagged feed? No way that is affordable, once you go over just a few birds. A local feed mill, that grinds their own feed, then sacks it in old time feed sacks with draw strings, now that is the ticket. YMMV, but I buy a quality layer, by the 100 lb bag for 1/2 the price of say, a Purina, at a local retail store. These places are harder to find, and often, don't even have a web presence.

Agreed. I buy from a mill that when you buy in bulk(1000 lbs) I save $11 a 100lb bag in comparison to 2-50lb bags of Purina. You can get 50lb bags at the mill also but you save only $5 a 100lbs.

 

[Ridgerunner]

To find a mill near you, you could call your county extension office and talk to them. They should be in the phone book under county government. They should know what mill options are within driving distance for you.