KlinoClucks
Songster
- Mar 27, 2019
- 67
- 107
- 114
Hi fellow chicken lovers!
I am from Australia and there might be some Aussies out there who can give me advice. I have been keeping chickens for five years now, with my flock increasing over this time. The cost of keeping the chickens was not a big deal, as it was a small hobby, but the last two summers proved trying in keeping their hunger at bay! I have started on small scale these past two summers to raise chicks that was hatched under broody chooks to point of lay, and then selling them, but recently counted up the food cost to be around $295 per month during these seasons. Then I started researching on how to lower feed bill costs, and tried the fermenting method, started with mealworms, and scraps. It hasn’t brought down the costs at all. I put apple cider vinegar in their water, and when I can I make a porridge with bran and add cayenne pepper with a bunch of other herbs. If anyone has any tips at all, it would be highly appreciated. I have about 20 laying girls and I’m currently raising 30 pullets to point of lay.
I have also been battling severely with red mites and leg mites for two years now, and I’ve tried chemical and natural treatments and have had them on once a week treatment schedules, but the mites stay just where they are! I’m getting a bit discouraged and once again advice would be highly appreciated!
Thanks
I am from Australia and there might be some Aussies out there who can give me advice. I have been keeping chickens for five years now, with my flock increasing over this time. The cost of keeping the chickens was not a big deal, as it was a small hobby, but the last two summers proved trying in keeping their hunger at bay! I have started on small scale these past two summers to raise chicks that was hatched under broody chooks to point of lay, and then selling them, but recently counted up the food cost to be around $295 per month during these seasons. Then I started researching on how to lower feed bill costs, and tried the fermenting method, started with mealworms, and scraps. It hasn’t brought down the costs at all. I put apple cider vinegar in their water, and when I can I make a porridge with bran and add cayenne pepper with a bunch of other herbs. If anyone has any tips at all, it would be highly appreciated. I have about 20 laying girls and I’m currently raising 30 pullets to point of lay.
I have also been battling severely with red mites and leg mites for two years now, and I’ve tried chemical and natural treatments and have had them on once a week treatment schedules, but the mites stay just where they are! I’m getting a bit discouraged and once again advice would be highly appreciated!
Thanks
will try the ideas, thanks! Meal worms (the naturally raised and bred ones) are slightly on the expensive side. I have started breeding them last year November, but haven't had enough to feed them to the chooks yet and continue with the breeding. Was thinking I might just buy another lot and start two different lots of meal worms so as to constantly have a supply. They used to be able to forage all day, one acre per flock of chickens, and we had wheat planted. They have been confined in coops and runs this summer, but will go back to the paddock in a months time. I let them out to forage in my garden every afternoon though. My garden is pretty bare at the moment, Australian summers are very dry. Hoping the rain comes soon!
