Saving Money on Chicken Feed??

[WhitneyG]

4-6 oz per bird per day is normal - which works out to about 2.x lbs per week per bird. You should be going through about a bag every two weeks - longer if the birds get outside foraging time.

So a bag a week at 10 birds is about twice what you should need (if not worse)

Sorry I should have been more specific - what is the ratio of feed to water that you do for fermenting your feed?

 

[HighStreetCoop]

I've also seen mention of fermenting feed makes it last longer but I haven't looked into it further and not sure how it all works.

I started doing this a few weeks ago and the savings in feed are literally unbelievable. I am giving them < 20% of what I did when I was feeding dry. I was really worried for a few days because it just seemed crazy, but then I thought about all the feed that I would find in the bedding when I cleaned out the brooder ...

This is a great blog post about how to get started:

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

Two good threads

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/715995/fermenting-feed-for-layers

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Sorry I should have been more specific - what is the ratio of feed to water that you do for fermenting your feed?

I do 50/50. Feed is thick, like a heavy bread batter. Other people keep theirs loose with a layer of water over the top and strain it. Lots of different methods, not one "way" you have to do it. I was doing the lots of water/straining thing, but it was a PITA and the birds seem to vastly prefer the thicker version.

 

[CrazyTalk]

I started doing this a few weeks ago and the savings in feed are literally unbelievable. I am giving them < 20% of what I did when I was feeding dry. I was really worried for a few days because it just seemed crazy, but then I thought about all the feed that I would find in the bedding when I cleaned out the brooder ...

I think most of the advantages of fermented feed come from this.

There have been a couple of studies in the broiler industry, and in the layer industry regarding fermented food, and they haven't been hugely positive - there's definitely higher protein availability, but caloric availability in the food seems to go down.

Common store bought feeders are terrible - some people like fermented feed because it makes the dust edible and keeps the waste down - some people build better feeders, etc.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Common store bought feeders are terrible - some people like fermented feed because it makes the dust edible and keeps the waste down - some people build better feeders, etc.

I've also thought about buying a Grandpa's treadle feeder, and I may still end up doing that simply because of the convenience of it. It's one thing to farm out the dog when I go on vacation, it's another thing entirely to ask someone to deal with the chickens.

 

[WhitneyG]

The surest way to reduce feed costs is to feed them twice a day, morning and evening. Have multiple feed stations so everyone gets a chance to eat and only feed as much as they can eat in 20-30 minutes. It will take some trial and error to get the amounts right. But don't have a feeder out 24/7 full of feed. They will waste it and it will attract rodents, which bring disease and eat your feed. You could over feed them in the morning see how much they have left before the evening meal (1-2 hours before they go to roost) and then just feed them less for dinner. If there is any feed leftover when they go to roost, then you know you fed them that much too much.

You could also ferment or moisten their feed. The wet feed will be harder for them to fling around and waste it.

I think I might try that - how will I know if I'm under-feeding them?

 

[TrueBlueKYGirl]

I usually purchase a 50# bag about once a month for seven girls. My son built me the PVC feeder, but I don't think it works all that well for me. The girls tend to toss the food around, a lot! This is the first time I've heard of fermenting their feed, I am going to give this a try. I also want to point out not all feed is created equal----read your ingredients and know what you are buying. I tried the Purina Layer feed because going to a local supplier was more convenient than driving out to my Tractor Supply for Dumor Layer Feed. I found the Purina really "causes a stink" , so I will make the drive to pick up the Dumor.

 

[pdirt]

If they start to look thin, stop laying eggs, are getting sick, etc, then you could be underfeeding them if they have no food left in their feeders when they go to roost. I'd just take the trial and error to get to the point of having just a small bit of uneaten feed in their feeders when they go to roost. Then you'll know they are getting enough. The only problem with this method is some birds are just less thrifty with feed...they eat more than they need and therefore poop a lot more. But I wouldn't worry about that too much, I'd focus on making sure they're getting as much as they want. You will for sure notice a big drop of feed waste.

Now if they are truly wasting feed, tossing it all over the place, letting it pile up on the ground, that isn't good. You don't want that for the obvious waste reason and it will attract rodents. If they are wasting feed like that, then I would reduce their feed until they learn not to waste it. Let them go to bed hungry for a few nights...I don't mean to not feed them anything, but only feed them as much as they will eat without wasting anything. Again, this will take some effort on your part, noticing what they are doing and adjusting accordingly, but it will save you a lot of money and headache down the road. Also, making or buying a better feeder that helps reduce waste, like the homemade one someone here suggested. There's a big thread about it on here.

We use a treadle feeder that helps reduce both waste and rodent issues. We made ours. There's the Grandpa one which I think is around $300 or there is the all-metal one, a bit more flimsy but still functional for about $60+shipping.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

We use a treadle feeder that helps reduce both waste and rodent issues. We made ours. There's the Grandpa one which I think is around $300 or there is the all-metal one, a bit more flimsy but still functional for about $60+shipping.

The cheaper ones I've seen aren't waterproof and don't appear to have a side guard to keep a bird who's not standing on the treadle out of the food (which means that bird could get injured). A lot of people have had success with the 5G bucket with a pipe to access to the feed (seems cheap enough that it's hard not to try it out):

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...te-5-gallon-25-feed-bucket-feeder-for-about-3

 

[WhitneyG]

If they start to look thin, stop laying eggs, are getting sick, etc, then you could be underfeeding them if they have no food left in their feeders when they go to roost. I'd just take the trial and error to get to the point of having just a small bit of uneaten feed in their feeders when they go to roost. Then you'll know they are getting enough. The only problem with this method is some birds are just less thrifty with feed...they eat more than they need and therefore poop a lot more. But I wouldn't worry about that too much, I'd focus on making sure they're getting as much as they want. You will for sure notice a big drop of feed waste.

Now if they are truly wasting feed, tossing it all over the place, letting it pile up on the ground, that isn't good. You don't want that for the obvious waste reason and it will attract rodents. If they are wasting feed like that, then I would reduce their feed until they learn not to waste it. Let them go to bed hungry for a few nights...I don't mean to not feed them anything, but only feed them as much as they will eat without wasting anything. Again, this will take some effort on your part, noticing what they are doing and adjusting accordingly, but it will save you a lot of money and headache down the road. Also, making or buying a better feeder that helps reduce waste, like the homemade one someone here suggested. There's a big thread about it on here.

We use a treadle feeder that helps reduce both waste and rodent issues. We made ours. There's the Grandpa one which I think is around $300 or there is the all-metal one, a bit more flimsy but still functional for about $60+shipping.

Ok, then I think I'll start by not letting them have access to feed 24/7 by filling it up once a day - with just enough feed to get through the day. Thank-you so much for your help everyone!