Struggling to Find Reasonably Priced Feed?

[AnotherKim]

I hear you. I was picking up feed for my animals today. Alfalfa for my goats was $14 a bale last year. Now I'm paying $24. My 10 lb bag of Gamebird starter was $8. I may just check into those soldier flies.

 

[Perris]

Instead of black soldier fly eggs @£25, you can usually get a carton of live mealworms at an aquatics supplies shop for about £2.50. Each female will lay about 200 eggs, which will grow into about the same number of mealworms as you started with, so multiplying by a factor of however many females you get, in about 6 weeks. From such a single initial outlay I am now harvesting more than I can use with a flock of 20.
Thread here if you're interested: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/first-attempt-at-mealworm-farming.1350136/

 

[vall]

Now that my new greenhouse is done, it's time for me to start my black soldier fly project back up. They're high in protein and contain calcium, so they're a good addition to feed. They will allow me to feed my birds a bit more veggie scraps too. That's one way to reduce feed costs.

I hope your project goes well. I had BSFL in my compost bins, and the quail wouldn't touch it, maybe due to the composty smell... there was quail poop in there, after all

 

[NatJ]

Found a possible starter feed for turkeys I may have to purchase?...But no where can I find reasonable layer feed that has both the protein and calcium at a good level!

With chickens, you can feed the adults on food meant for young ones, and put out free-choice oyster shell for the extra calcium needed by the layers. I don't know whether that works for quail too, but it might be something to consider.

(Since this is in the quail forum, I am assuming you have quail.)

 

[Nabiki]

Instead of black soldier fly eggs @£25, you can usually get a carton of live mealworms at an aquatics supplies shop for about £2.50. Each female will lay about 200 eggs, which will grow into about the same number of mealworms as you started with, so multiplying by a factor of however many females you get, in about 6 weeks. From such a single initial outlay I am now harvesting more than I can use with a flock of 20.
Thread here if you're interested: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/first-attempt-at-mealworm-farming.1350136/

Mealworms are very high in fat, so they should be considered a treat. You don't want to make those a regular part of quail feed.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

With chickens, you can feed the adults on food meant for young ones, and put out free-choice oyster shell for the extra calcium needed by the layers. I don't know whether that works for quail too, but it might be something to consider.

(Since this is in the quail forum, I am assuming you have quail.)

Definitely looking to be what I may have to do, I do already supplement extra calcium and my feed is pretty high in calcium (they have it always as an optional bite).

 

[igorsMistress]

Now that my new greenhouse is done, it's time for me to start my black soldier fly project back up. They're high in protein and contain calcium, so they're a good addition to feed. They will allow me to feed my birds a bit more veggie scraps too. That's one way to reduce feed costs.

We have a farm here that grows BSFL and their flock gets them along with veggies. We would need too much climate control for me to manage unless I set up inside. Not sure I want to do that.

 

[Nabiki]

We have a farm here that grows BSFL and their flock gets them along with veggies. We would need too much climate control for me to manage unless I set up inside. Not sure I want to do that.

That's why I'm going to raise them in my greenhouse. I certainly don't want them in the house, but it gets too cold at my new place for them. I'm hoping to get some grey peacock pheasants and I'm hoping they enjoy eating the adults since they'll be living in the greenhouse too.

 

[igorsMistress]

BSF don't take up much space, and they will eat your food scraps.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/nabikis-black-soldier-fly-project.76873/

I’ll be curious about your next try with this. I hope you post updates to your article!

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

That's why I'm going to raise them in my greenhouse. I certainly don't want them in the house, but it gets too cold at my new place for them. I'm hoping to get some grey peacock pheasants and I'm hoping they enjoy eating the adults since they'll be living in the greenhouse t po

Curious, how well do they feed to quail? For example how much nutrition does say 20 provide to one quail in a day. If they're not high in fat, I wonder how many you would need to effectively supplement the lack of extra protein and buy a regular layer feed