money's tight... out of feed

[Ravishaw]

so... we're down to food storage 'till my next big commission check.

We have lots of off-feed type food for our little pullets, but I wanted to ask if the ground up pasta/squash/egg shells/other stuff we eat (free from mold) would give them enough nutrients until I can go get a bag of feed for them.

They're free-ranging (or at least I leave the door open for them to head out into the yard and free range... the choice is up to them), and I know there are juicy crickets, spiders and other bugs out in the yard for them to eat.

 

[burquechick]

Probably. My friend from Thailand says they only feed chickens rice. They are mostly free range though..

 

[crtrlovr]

for a very short time, maybe. How long a time span are you referring to?

 

[suburbanminifarm]

Do you have dry dog food? Soaked in water till soft, it's a tasty and nutritious food for them. Along with free-ranging, they should be fat and happy.

 

[Camelot Farms]

I dont feed in the summer months. They free range 24/7 and do just fine.

 

[Keri78]

My grandmom(89yrs.) says that growing up on a farm they only fed cracked corn and their chickens free ranged and they survived just fine. Also...just a thought but dog food is high in protein and my girls are constantly stealing dog food...I think they actually prefer it! The "real food" probably has much more to offer anyway. I feed mine a mix of feeds but they also free range and I have been in your shoes and they survived just fine for a few days. Don't worry.

 

[Ravishaw]

ya this might be more like a month or so... comission checks come 30 days after a good month... so commission check i'll get the end of the month won't be very big.

 

[Keri78]

WOW!!! Chickenista!!!

I sooo wish I could go a couple of months with no feed bill! Unfortunately to make that happen would mean that I have to stop buying and hatching out baby chicks!!!

"Chick Starter" is EXPENSIVE!!!

Especially when you keep getting more chicks!!!!

 

[Keri78]

How old are your pullets? If their young you want to be sure they are getting enough protein. I'm liking the soaked dogfood idea...I think you could easily make that stretch a month.

 

[Ravishaw]

as it is they turn their little noses up at just about anything I offer them (for a while). I'm hoping that if the feed disappears out of their little coops they'll venture out into the yard a bit more and start acting like built-in pest control.

Not that I'd never feed them but I like to see chickens scratching, looking and pecking.