More Cost-Efficient Feed

[LaChicaLoca]

So I'm not the richest person around and I was wondering if any of yall had any suggestions on how to cut my feed cost. I'm about to begin cultivating the crops to make homemade feed at this point, but the military discounts at the feed store does help quite a bit. Does anyone have any websites or good cheap recipes to share? Thanks!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The best way to reduce feed costs is to reduce flock size.

The second best way is to free range in a large, biodiverse polyculture, supported by a high nutrient, well balanced commercial feed. Savings are seasonally variable, and risks of predation/injury/illness increase, of course.

The first two reasons are why, historically, flocks were culled coming into winter, then "Spring Chickens" were hatched as the new year began.

The third best way is to control waste - wet mash, pellets, or ferment. This may save 10%

Making feed at home is both very difficult, if you are interested in ensuring your birds have their needs met (yes, they can survive on less than optimal - but their production suffers. You don't save if reducing feed costs reduces egg/meat production of greater value). It is also, absent unusual circumstances, almost always more expensive than good quality cvommercial feed - producers enjoy economies of scale you will never achieve at home.

 

[nuthatched]

Selling eggs, reducing flock size, getting better feed-egg breeds, getting no waste feeders all helps. The stuff at the store is the most cost effective feed. Diy feeds cost a fair bit more since you need to buy in bulk, about a dozen different ingredients.

 

[kcan2]

This reminded me that Laura Ingalls Wilder (author of the Little House series) raised chickens and did feed them herself from crops produced on their land. I did find this article (linked below) which touches on some of the things she fed them, and also has references to other writings where she maybe goes into more depth regarding flock diet.

Wilder's Chickens

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Find a feed that male's their needs. They'll theoretically eat less if they're getting what they need easier than having to eat a lot to get minimum targets

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

This reminded me that Laura Ingalls Wilder (author of the Little House series) raised chickens and did feed them herself from crops produced on their land. I did find this article (linked below) which touches on some of the things she fed them, and also has references to other writings where she maybe goes into more depth regarding flock diet.

Wilder's Chickens

Keep in mind that Laura’s chickens were almost literally a different animal than current production hens. Increased egg laying requires increased nutrition.

Speaking of LHOTP, I bet the “head cheese” they made in the books would be a favorite chicken treat!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

My flock has access to compost piles (in addition to their regular ration). Especially in the warmer months, the food scraps and assorted creepy crawlies cut food intake by quite a bit.

Plus, the flock loves working the compost pile…and if they turn the compost, I don’t have to!

 

[Chickeeaholic]

Here is a link to a thread about growing produce in a wire ring for chickens:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-food-tower.1480872/page-23#post-26395882

Compost as already mentioned can help but it is time consuming.
The video posted in the thread is from edible acres on YouTube. They do a lot of supplemental feeding using compost. They have some great ideas on their channel.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Just back from a trip to the local food pantry to pick up their discards…

 

[Finnie]

Wow!

Just curious, do you have to supply your own buckets or do they give you those, or do you have to return them? Which I could totally see them needing them back!