Need Tips on Natural feed for chickens and ducks

[U_Stormcrow]

I wish you and your flock ever fortune in this endeavor. As you already know what you are up against, I'll not type out a lengthy post about the difficulties of successfully crafting a home-brew complete feed recipe for poultry and then actually growing and storing the ingredients in the quantities needed to see you through the year.

 

[rjmyooper]

Here is a link to the baking post; https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/any-bakers.1427807/#post-23509068

That is a beautiful loaf! We just bought a grain mill and I baked my first loaf with freshly ground hard winter wheat yesterday. I bake all of our own breads and have just recently started using the sourdough starter for all my loaves too. Sourdough starter + freshly ground grain is a great thing!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Interesting idea with the seaweed. Check local regulations as in some places harvesting it is illegal, but assuming it’s not too salty you’re looking at some greens, some creepy crawlies, and some nice trace minerals for your flock AND compost.

 

[raingarden]

Start learning how to prepare the field, plant, harvest and store corn, wheat and other grains. It's a long road but you can do it

 

[Saveria]

Great, I will just do a fast run down. We have a little over 20 birds, and so we settled on a 2 gallon bucket. A gallon glass jar almost worked. If you have a bigger flock you might need a 5 gallon bucket, but less than 20 could probably use the jar.

I started by putting 8 cups of feed (2 yogurt containers) with 8 cups of warm water and 2 cups of starter. Let it sit overnight, you will see some bubbles on the side, just like with the bread sponge. In the AM I would take out about 8 cups to feed with a wooden spoon (which isn't everything in the bucket, because the feed swells so much). I would put in 4 cups or so of mash feed, or 2 cups of pellets, with 4 more cups of water to replenish it (it doesn't have to be warm water, but it helps it ferment further).

The process is very forgiving, and if you try it you will find what texture your birds like, and what is easiest for you in regards to water and feed amounts. I have no waterfowl, but I am pretty sure they will go nuts over the stuff like the chickens do. It smells funny to me, so I am always amazed they treat it like the greatest delicacy! They also aren't as reliant on water, too, and only drink it for thirst and not digestion.

Let me know if you have any questions at all. I'll check before I go to bed.

Good luck!

My husband also started putting in 8-12 cups of feed and water at night so everything is fully fermented for the next day, then you don't have to replenish through the day, just once at night.

I also try to clear the bucket almost all the way out every couple of days so nothing is getting old.

 

[Saveria]

It is funny, maybe getting to 100% self sufficient is hard, but you can make a lot of ground by just getting more efficient. I wouldn't focus on never buying grains, because that might feel defeating, but focus on filling in your own stuff and getting more efficient with what imputs you do have. This time next year you will be giving other people advice because of how much you will have learned just by trying.