Is there an alternative to feeding grain or pellets?

[All Ball]

If you have camper feedwaste - you may also want to look at the Vermont Compost Co. model, which uses chickens in its large scale operation - maybe there is a way to downscale it? - see
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/composting-with-chickens

 

[centrarchid]

Look into germinating seeds allowing them to grow a little before being fed out. Odds are you will still need to outsource seed as a grain. The germination with a little growth in sunlight will increase content of some nutrients. Look into taking advantage of insect drift using an insect trap employing UV light at night and pheromones during the day (for Japanese Beetles). Insect drift will be seasonal, and subject to variations in weather and wind direction. Also look into use of fish scraps. My grandfather used to take river sourced rough fish and scraps from butcher to supplement protein. Care must be take with methods not to overly entice predators into putting more effort into beating your coop design.