SIMPLE and cheap feed

[johndeerematt]

Hey e everyone! Up until now, my flock of 32 birds has Been fed only commercial starter/grower feed from the local feed store. I just bought a bag of layer pellets, as they will hopefully be laying soon. The problem is, commercial feeds are EXPENSIVE! So, my game plan is to feed the lAyer pellets, but to supplement them with a lower cost, easy to make, simple home feed. They need the layer pellets for peak laying performance, but I'm looking for a simple way to lower the price. Thanks in advance!

 

[chicknmania]

We mix cracked corn or scratch with layer, or Flock Raiser, to stretch the more expensive feed. they really do need the nutrients in the regular chicken feed though, especially if they don't free range and you don't have a lot of forage for them. Otherwise, they will just get fat.

 

[johndeerematt]

What proportions approximately?

 

[chicknmania]

We do roughly half and half.

 

[Fred's Hens]

You can do that, mix in 1/2 and 1/2 corn to save a bit. Maybe.

But when you average the protein between corn at 8% and layer pellets at 16% you're now feeding a diluted product of 12% protein. Plus, corn alone is missing some key ingredients and minerals found in the layer. Those get diluted as well.

Will the chickens survive on a slightly cheaper, but lower quality diet? Oh sure. Chickens are amazing at survival.

 

[foreverlearning]

Try fermenting the layer feed. It cut my feed bill down to 1/3rd of what it was. If you need stretching further than that add some oats and boss from the feed store. Make the portions equal parts. The fermented feed absorbs nutrients better so it requires much less per bird.

 

[Bullitt]

Hey e everyone! Up until now, my flock of 32 birds has Been fed only commercial starter/grower feed from the local feed store. I just bought a bag of layer pellets, as they will hopefully be laying soon. The problem is, commercial feeds are EXPENSIVE! So, my game plan is to feed the lAyer pellets, but to supplement them with a lower cost, easy to make, simple home feed. They need the layer pellets for peak laying performance, but I'm looking for a simple way to lower the price. Thanks in advance!

If you can, allow your chickens to free range. They will get much of the food they need from grass, seeds, worms, insects, and other things. Or, at least have a big run where the chickens can scratch up some things.

I found some information on using acorns as chicken feed.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/817218/feeding-acorns-to-chickens#post_11879359

 

[chicknmania]

You can do that, mix in 1/2 and 1/2 corn to save a bit. Maybe.

But when you average the protein between corn at 8% and layer pellets at 16% you're now feeding a diluted product of 12% protein. Plus, corn alone is missing some key ingredients and minerals found in the layer. Those get diluted as well.

Will the chickens survive on a slightly cheaper, but lower quality diet? Oh sure. Chickens are amazing at survival.

Our flock free-ranges, so they get all they need, at least during the warm months. In winter we throw in extras like show feed sometimes. But chickens can eat anything. People USED to feed chickens just table scraps and whatever they had available, although that was back in the days before chickens were really considered pets....