- Jan 7, 2012
- 6
- 0
- 7
Hey y'all!! Looking for all kinds of opinion, as fast as I can get it! My husband is getting frustrated at the amount, and cost of feed we are using for our flock. We need some ideas:
Here's our situation, then I will post my questions:
We have about 30 chickens of various breeds (Easter Egger, Brahma, Buff Orpington, etc. - all regular to large breed birds) - we use them mostly for egg laying. We also have a flock of ducks, and 1 pair of Toulouse Geese. The girls are allowed to free range during the day on our fenced 5 acre property. We live in rural SE Kansas, where it is windy and mostly DRY. While we do have some grass, I can't vouch for the quality or type. It used to be pasture land. It is NOT the lovely thick green grass of lawns - it is various weeds/grasses of prairie. We do allow it to grow as much as possible, but do have to cut it several times a year. We had flying insects till about a week ago with the warm weather, but now, we are going to have bitter cold and winds coming, so the insects will be sparse.
My questions are these:
My husband wants me to get advice on how much and what kind of feed we should be using - especially since they free range ALL YEAR round. We bought a HUGE batch of feed when it was on sale and he expected it to last a year, it lasted 4 months... BUT I have seen the wild ducks bring all their flock buddies in to feast too... So we need an idea of what a free range chicken should be supplemented in feed (regardless of the duckies... )
1. HOW MUCH FEED
2. WHAT KIND of feed... (layers)
3. What should the duckies be getting regardless of the chickens?
Thanks for ANY and ALL advice!!
Here's our situation, then I will post my questions:
We have about 30 chickens of various breeds (Easter Egger, Brahma, Buff Orpington, etc. - all regular to large breed birds) - we use them mostly for egg laying. We also have a flock of ducks, and 1 pair of Toulouse Geese. The girls are allowed to free range during the day on our fenced 5 acre property. We live in rural SE Kansas, where it is windy and mostly DRY. While we do have some grass, I can't vouch for the quality or type. It used to be pasture land. It is NOT the lovely thick green grass of lawns - it is various weeds/grasses of prairie. We do allow it to grow as much as possible, but do have to cut it several times a year. We had flying insects till about a week ago with the warm weather, but now, we are going to have bitter cold and winds coming, so the insects will be sparse.
My questions are these:
My husband wants me to get advice on how much and what kind of feed we should be using - especially since they free range ALL YEAR round. We bought a HUGE batch of feed when it was on sale and he expected it to last a year, it lasted 4 months... BUT I have seen the wild ducks bring all their flock buddies in to feast too... So we need an idea of what a free range chicken should be supplemented in feed (regardless of the duckies... )
1. HOW MUCH FEED
2. WHAT KIND of feed... (layers)
3. What should the duckies be getting regardless of the chickens?
Thanks for ANY and ALL advice!!