Price of feed is so expensive rant.

[Wifezilla]

Unless you are producing a fair part of their feed yourself there is no way to compete with the economy of scale that the big factory farms have available.

Very true. Even with that there are things you can do to reduce the amount of purchased feed needed. I have a very small lot and 6 ducks. I used to free range them in the yard for extra greens and bugs, but a hungry hawk put an end to that. Now they are in an aviary during the day (used to be my herb garden).

For now, to supplement their feed, I am giving them pumpkins that have gotten a little soft (free off of freecycle and some from friends). I have started some duck weed and water lettuce in my little pond (the ducks used to swim in this but this is outside the aviary...they now have their own kiddie pool). These plants spread rapidly and as those take over, I can scoop up a bunch and give it to the ducks. I got the starters for free from a local pond. Other than Shelley escaping from the aviary twice and eating half of the plants, this is going pretty well.

Next spring we are going to try growing some forage. I have some wire cages I can use to protect the "crop" until it gets to be a good size, then I can move over the cages and start a second crop. Kind of super-mini version of pastured poultry methods used by Joel Salatin of Polyface farms.

Even with that it is still cheaper for me to buy eggs. But think of it this way. It costs me $26/month to feed 3 cats. It costs me about $16/month to feed 7 ducks. In the 20 years I have had Cookie, the 13 years we have had Xena and the 2 years we have had Zeus, those cats have NEVER made me breakfast even ONCE!

 

[ziggywiggy]

Quote:
I just emailed my feed store and asked them why our feed in Southeastern Az, is so much more expensive that elsewhere. Believe me, I could live with $10.50. I'm paying $19.00 for flock raiser and I think Game bird is even more. I might be able to drive to Tucson (3 hr round trip)and get it cheaper. I am definitely going to be making some phone calls after learning what the rest off the country is paying.

 

[Wifezilla]

In Colorado Springs there are 2 feed stores that carry game bird feed. One place sells it for $16. The other place $25. IT IS THE SAME STUFF! So yes...definitely call around!

 

[ams3651]

I get my game bird at the feed mill. TSC doesnt even carry it anymore so its the only place I can get it. Maybe check around and see if there is a place like this to get it, I dont know how much of an agricultural community you have there.

 

[wombat]

It's like any other product; there's the cost of creating the product, processing it, and shipping it. When something sells for only about $10 for 50 lbs, you can guess that shipping costs are a major part of the end price. How much to you think it costs to haul 50 lbs of something from several states away? Add that shipping cost, and suddenly your $10 bag of feed is $18.

So ... if you live near where the product is produced, or in an area where the product is in demand and can be shipped in bulk, you'll pay less. If you live where a small quantity has to be shipped to meet weak demand, expect that shipping will add a lot to the cost.

I'd still go with calling around and checking prices. Sellers who move only a small amount of anything to serve a niche market will charge what they think the market will bear.

Chickens make financial sense for me on a small scale because we do a lot of gardening, and my wife's into organic food and would come home with $5 a doz eggs from the health food store. Instead of composting damaged vegatables, we run them through a chicken first, get some eggs, and then compost the chicken waste. Cuts down on chicken feed costs, waste, and we get better fertilizer (and better eggs). There's still no way I could beat $.99 a doz eggs on pure efficiency, though.

Tonight I'm dropping by the yuppie farmer's market stand to see how many cheap left-past-Halloween pumpkins I can score! I'll buy a few at a discount, and leave my number and ask them to call when the remaining pumkins "go on sale."

You might also want to check with the produce manager at your local grocery store, and see if they'll save you trimmings and discards if you pick them up on set days.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Is there a feed mill anywhere close by you? or is it all bagged/namebrand? We drive an hour to our feedmill and buy in bulk.

Steve in NC

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

I'm paying $400 per ton for this special Starter/Grower mash in the Michigan UP:

Country Acres Poultry Blend 515 lbs
Ground Corn 1445 lbs
Calcium Carbonate 10 lbs
Dicalcium Phosphate 30 lbs

That would be equivalent to $10 per 50 lb bag.

 

[wombat]

Heh, if you're paying that much per ton, I don't feel all that bad about paying $12.99 a bag!

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Quote:
The Purina Mills product, Country Acres Poultry Blend, costs me about $30 per 50 lb bag. It's a 44% minimum protein/mineral/vitamin additive. The corn is costing me close to $7 per 50 lbs. I may be able to substitute 300 lbs of oats and barley for the corn, and this will cost me $3.50 per 50 lbs. This would lower my cost per ton by about $50. In effect the new mix would cost me $8.75 per 50 lbs.

 

[nop169]

When it comes to feed prices you also have to look at who you are buying feed from. TSC or large chain stores buy bulk for multiple stores so their price can be as much as $2 to $3 less per bag than a privately owned store pays for the same product who buys less tonage. It makes no sense for the independent owner but that is how the feed mills work. With the economy as tight as it is we independent store owners are struggling & I know many in my 3 state area who have went out of business. As I see it though - you can save a few dollars & go to a TSC or you can patronize the small business who usually knows more about animal health & nutrition than does the generic employees at the chain stores. Although in my area (sc/ga/nc) TSC only beats my prices on select items. Many of my past customers are buying at TSC this past year because they are buying a CHEAP grade feed - which in the long run will cost them more by feeding more faster & by the compromised health of their livestock. My frustration comes from the fact that when they run into problems or issues with their livestock, then they call me because no one at the TSC can answer their questions or give solid advice & the local vets charge so much for their services. I live on a small farm with multiple livestock/poultry & garden. I am knowledgeable & capable of helping my customers & I DO NOT SIMPLY TRY TO MAKE A BUCK... I try to share & help my customer.... you can't get that at the chain stores or Walmart. Even before I bought my store I patronized the individually owned store. This lifestyle is fast disappearing in America & as for me - it is worth a few extra dollars to maintain my way of life & spend less in other areas of my life... don't need a gym when working out on the farm & only go out on special occaisions. Is it a work filled life - yes - but better than the spend money or use credit for a compulsive buy of something I really don't need or to be sucked into the "drama" that people call life these days. And you can't beat the feeling of supplying food for your family with your own hands, watching a newborn lamb or calf or colt galloping across the pasture or collecting a just laid warm egg for breakfast. The lessons of continuing life cycle of birth & death are educational for my children & showing them the correct way to care for livestock in a natural environment until time for slaughter connects them to humane care in raising & merciful killing to provide food for us. When my youngest saw the commercial chicken house way - she cried for the chickens.... when she saw a drylot cattle operation she wanted to know why they were feed that "brown stuff" (chicken litter mix with feed) & why they had no grass. She is learning with her heart & head. NOT to mention the hormone useage in today's industy - have you looked at the 10 year olds who look to be 18? That is from the hormone use in factory farming in the USA. So - choose what works for you - but as for me & mine it is not only about a few dollars difference in feed prices but about a disappearing lifestyle, healthy hormone free living for our children & a peacefull albeit hard work lifestyle where there are consequences for the choices you make.