Saving Money

[Cameron_8]

Anyone have good ways to save money when it comes to feeding your flock. Right now I'm going through 4 50lb bags of feed per month. For around 65-70 chickens (all different ages) who free range all day in a giant area. I've began fermenting the feed and that's going good. But would love to hear everyone's ideas and techniques of saving money.

 

[ChloeSilkie08]

Anyone have good ways to save money when it comes to feeding your flock. Right now I'm going through 4 50lb bags of feed per month. For around 65-70 chickens (all different ages) who free range all day in a giant area. I've began fermenting the feed and that's going good. But would love to hear everyone's ideas and techniques of saving money.

For us, we had to forget about the organic or non-gmo. We're saving $3 for 15 pounds more of feed.

 

[WallyG74]

I’d say you’re doing pretty good for that many birds. Keep it up!

 

[Acre4Me]

You are doing well with 200 lbs of feed per month. An adult chicken eats approx 1/4 lb per day. So 65 chickens would exceed 400lbs a month, so you don’t have much waste, and they are successfully foraging.

fermenting feed, or even just mixing with water, is a good step, so that has been good for the budget.

some people plant good forage for the chickens in the field or garden, but no idea where you are located, nor if you have space for that.

some people grow fodder indoors for fresh greens for the chickens.

some people will feed cheap corn and/or leftovers. However, the health can suffer or egg laying if things get too unbalanced.

some people supplement with dry cat food - as it can be around 30% protein. However, you should never make this a significant part of the diet.

 

[Cameron_8]

I’d say you’re doing pretty good for that many birds. Keep it
I think letting them free range all day really helps the feed cost. I wonder how much I would be going through if they didn't free range?

 

[Cameron_8]

You are doing well with 200 lbs of feed per month. An adult chicken eats approx 1/4 lb per day. So 65 chickens would exceed 400lbs a month, so you don’t have much waste, and they are successfully foraging.

fermenting feed, or even just mixing with water, is a good step, so that has been good for the budget.

some people plant good forage for the chickens in the field or garden, but no idea where you are located, nor if you have space for that.

some people grow fodder indoors for fresh greens for the chickens.

some people will feed cheap corn and/or leftovers. However, the health can suffer or egg laying if things get too unbalanced.

some people supplement with dry cat food - as it can be around 30% protein. However, you should never make this a significant part of the diet.

I have alot of silkies and younger chickens too so I definitely think free ranging helps the feed bill stay down. Probaly around a 100lbs a month being saved at least!

 

[Kirkwooder]

I buy grain straight from local farmers. Wheat, barley, soy, corn, sunflower, oats, buckwheat, even weed seeds, cleaned from hay seed harvest and processing, corn chaff cleaned up from around dryer bins. I have fed all of these with varying success.

Of course range/pasture is best. Good quality green stuff seems to be the best, and its free. When my hens have access to grass in the yard, nettle in the verges around the garden, weeds and excess thinning's pulled from the garden, they eat almost no pellet feed. If you have the area to get them on fresh green stuff every day, they seem to eat way less commercial feed. Even this time of the year, I will plow snow off strips of the yard to get down to the grass. My hens will scratch through any thin snow to get to the frozen grass below.

At $12-$15 a 50# bag for the cheap stuff at the feed store chicken feed can ad up. I feed the grains above fermented. Most can be bought by the bushel for around $6-$8 straight out of the field. A bushel of wheat weighs 54-56 lbs and is 16% protein. Substantial savings. Soy, sunflower and the like tend to be two times that, but should be feed sparingly anyhow.

 

[MissE]

You could try fodder as a supplement. I saved a lot when I raised rabbits doing 50/50 pellets and fodder. For my chickens, fodder is a treat in the winter when they can't forage. It doesn't make up a large portion of their diet. Some people don't notice a drop in egg production when using fodder as a main food source, but layer mash is formulated for egg production, so I feel better using that as the main food source.

 

[JessesChickens101]

In Australia I go to the local supermarket and ask for any old vegetable scraps that they cant sell and I get a bucket load for FREE! I don't know if this allowed in USA or UK But its worth a try!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

As others have said, you’re doing pretty good for that size flock (I have roughly 75 in my flock so similar number).

Most things you can do to reduce cost WILL increase labor...not a bad thing...but just calling it out.

Some good suggestions in the thread already.

Another is compost with food waste and/or sprouted grain. I’ve partnered with a local food pantry to pick up their expired food...it all gets added to my in-run compost system - the hens eat everything they want, and the rest composts and feeds the worms. The hens also eat a lot of the worms and bugs.

Lots of work, but off-sets food intake significantly.