So just how big is your flock?

[Going Quackers]

Just 4 lol I waffle on possibly trying some more next spring, but i'd have to build a whole new coop/run set-up no way would i try to integrate flocks, that would be a very costly venture so not sure if i'll do it.

Anyways, i also have 10 ducks... feed wise? chickens don't eat much IME well in comparison to ducks, i had 17 of those till i sold the rest of my summer hatch. I use a flock raiser here, comes in a 55lb bag and a 90lb bag of mixed grains, plus i add BOSS ..

One bag of each will not feed the entire flock of poultry for a month(14 total) so 110lbs of flock raiser a month and likely, more than one 90lb bag of the grain feed.. so 180lbs there... i think i go almost 3wks with the grains, as i am light with them but still a single bag won't go the month.

The BOSS i buy in smaller amounts 2-3lbs for every week, week and a half i can buy it in bulk, so no need to buy it in a larger quantity, less to store this way.

 

[BonnieDaleFarm]

I have 8 hens and 2 roosters, mixed breeds. I had over 50 this last summer and was letting them free range and they were still costly to feed. So I downsized and closed down two of my chicken houses (i have four). I now have my ten in my two small houses and get plenty of eggs for my family and the feed costs have went way down. In my case too having so many hens I had so many eggs and no buyers, so I had to give them away. No profit in that. I also have 8 ducks, but they are free range and just pretty on my pond.

 

[weaversfarm]

We just retired our flock of 35 Buff Orpingtons and at this time we currently have 52 Rhode Island Red hens and 2 RIR roosters. I just put 36 eggs in the incubator today...they are a mix of Copper Marans, White Wyandottes, and Plymouth Barred Rocks. We also have 12 Khaki Campbell ducks. I already have egg customers waiting for more eggs. They were stopping for eggs for a month after I took the sign down, so I will be selling a lot of eggs. There isn't anyone around here who sells fertile hatching eggs, so I am reading up on that and will try doing that. I will also try to sell day old chicks, but again, need to do more research on how to do that too. I am thinking I will need to have them pre ordered. Congratulations on your new flock and Iam sure if you aren't already, you will be addicted to chickens in no time.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I keep a flock of 20, but 10 of them are 14 week old DP birds.
I go through under 3- #40 bags per month, at a cost of $42 a month. They free range 2 acres of clearing and forest from dawn til dusk. It is a mild climate, so this is possible year-round.
I went through almost twice that much until I began using fermented feed.
Using this much more effective method, I have reduced my feed bill by almost half, have a much healthier flock, and get twice as many eggs as I did using dry feed alone.
There is no waste and the results are nothing short of amazing.

 

[cwade]

Thanks everyone for their advice and sharing about their flock. I would love to be able to free range our chickens being that we live on 8 acres and 4 to 5 acres of that is pasture. That would be great. But we have a 5 year old dog that loves to go after little animals. I dont think it would work out too well.

I went through almost twice that much until I began using fermented feed.
Using this much more effective method, I have reduced my feed bill by almost half, have a much healthier flock, and get twice as many eggs as I did using dry feed alone.
There is no waste and the results are nothing short of amazing.

So what is fermented feed

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Thanks everyone for their advice and sharing about their flock. I would love to be able to free range our chickens being that we live on 8 acres and 4 to 5 acres of that is pasture. That would be great. But we have a 5 year old dog that loves to go after little animals. I dont think it would work out too well.
So what is fermented feed

Really too bad the dog can't be kept separate from them so the birds could enjoy all the many benefits of free ranging. I reduced my feed bill by another percentage by letting them find their own much healthier meal.

Fermented feed is the same feed you feed now, plus water and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. Chickens do not have stomach acid to break down the nutritional constituents in their feed, so much of it sails right thru them, unused. Fermenting the feed first allows them to glean much more of the nutrition and to require less.
Fermenting feed is easy and requires significantly less feed to feed the same number of birds. It increases their overall health, increases egg production, and gives birds better overall condition.
I highly recommend the Fermented Feed for Meat Birds thread under Meat Birds category. It gives step by step instructions on how to begin a batch and keep it going.
I will give you my process to give you an idea.
I took a 5 gallon bucket and added the regular amount of feed I normally fed my flock for one day. I covered the feed with warm water and added a couple of glugs of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. It has the be the unpasteurized kind for best probiotics. This also contributes to positive intestinal flora which prevents worms, disease and digestive problems in chickens. MUCH easier to prevent than to cure!
Place this mix in a warmish place (not next to a heater or wood stove), I keep mine in an unheated laundry room, and stir twice daily. In 24 hours the mix should smell a little like pickles or beer and be bubbly. Now it is fermenting.
Scoop out the same size container used to dry feed (despite the feed having swelled) and feed the birds this amount. A little more if they are growing, or laying, a little less if they are overweight..
I feed mine outside on the ground, so they can scratch thru it and there is no waste. Other people use a trough feeder. Just depends on your circumstances.
Each day add another scoop of feed and a little more water. No additional ACV is necessary, as the back-slopping (keeping same water in the bucket) continues to allow the mixture to ferment.
The bucket mixture should be stirred twice daily.
Before beginning, I highly recommend checking out the FF thread to familiarize yourself with the process and to read questions and answers folks have already asked and answered about it.

Best of luck with your flock! I have been delighted by the results of FF and by the remarkable savings, economically. Not to mention the bunches more eggs at a time of year my flock's production is normally in decline.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have a mixed flock of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and pea fowl. I buy almost 1 ton of feed every month for all of my animals.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I have a mixed flock of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and pea fowl. I buy almost 1 ton of feed every month for all of my animals.

I feed all purpose poultry and waterfowl feed- which could serve for all those birds.
Anyone who uses that much feed could definitely benefit from the savings of FF!!!

 

[weaversfarm]

I buy 1000lbs a month. I also have goats and a beef steer along with all the chickens and ducks.

I made a batch of fermented feed tonight for my 6 week old chicks. I hope it turns out. I followed your instructions Rachel's Flock. I use 10 lbs of chick starter a day, so I went with the 10 lbs, 3 1/2 gallons of water and 3/4 ACV with "mother". Hope this was right.....and hope the chicks like it.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

At the beginning of this year I had 60+ chickens, I was going through about 150lbs of feed every 2-3 weeks (and most of my birds were LF Cochins, they ate a ton a didn't lay very consistantly- holy feed bill Batman)! I've downsized CONSIDERABLY, I now have 5 Silkies and an OEGB, and my feed bill is next to nothing now. Thank goodness!!!