Texas

[Derangedplanet]

Hmm, well the feed costs depend on the number of hens too. Guess what it really depends on is how many freeloaders you have throughout the year. ie. older hens that aren't laying, roosters, etc. There is a definite ebb and flow to the cash. Right now, I'm getting up to 45 eggs a day. In January, the egg production was in single digits a day.

That's 11.25 in your good days. I'm sure there are some days it's less than 2$ but even 2$ a day would pay most people's feed bills. I think the main issue people have is not selling their eggs(aka giving them away), not having customers, and then of course people who feed food that is like 50$ a bag are gonna have a hard time selling eggs at a price that'll return costs. I think the main issue is people getting too many eggs and giving them off for free. That and coop upkeep adds cost

 

[NickyPick]

That's 11.25 in your good days. I'm sure there are some days it's less than 2$ but even 2$ a day would pay most people's feed bills. I think the main issue people have is not selling their eggs(aka giving them away), not having customers, and then of course people who feed food that is like 50$ a bag are gonna have a hard time selling eggs at a price that'll return costs. I think the main issue is people getting too many eggs and giving them off for free. That and coop upkeep adds cost

That could be a big consideration. I first looked into non-gmo/organic feed, way back when, but my frugal self could not stomach spending $45 a bag for it. So, I kinda put together my own when I started FF, mostly because I didn't like the mush that doing FF with a pelleted feed made. I use a mixture of grains, seeds and catfish pellets.

 

[Derangedplanet]

That could be a big consideration. I first looked into non-gmo/organic feed, way back when, but my frugal self could not stomach spending $45 a bag for it. So, I kinda put together my own when I started FF, mostly because I didn't like the mush that doing FF with a pelleted feed made. I use a mixture of grains, seeds and catfish pellets.

I would actuallt really love to get this recipe from you. How long have you been doing it?

 

[NickyPick]

I would actuallt really love to get this recipe from you. How long have you been doing it?

Since 2012, I believe. I get two bags each of rolled oats, barley, scratch grains, BOSS and one bag of catfish pellets. Using the 3 quart horse feed scoop, I mix it 4 scoops of the oats, barley & BOSS, 3 scoops scratch and 2 scoops catfish pellets. Any deeper and it's hard to get my arms deep enough to mix it well. I use the large rubber Tuff Stuff feed cans, both for the dry and the wet. Way back in the beginning, I started with some ACV in the water, but now it's just when the feed gets down to 6 inches deep, I'll toss in a couple more buckets of dry, get the seeds floating with water, mix in the cayenne and stir. The catfish pellets soak up a lot of water, and to a lesser extent, the grains. My hens scarf this stuff up. There's minimal waste compared to when we do pelleted feeds and the coops don't smell so bad.

 

[NickyPick]

I really wanted to get field peas in the mix, but couldn't find a store anywhere around here that would sell them.

 

[Derangedplanet]

Since 2012, I believe. I get two bags each of rolled oats, barley, scratch grains, BOSS and one bag of catfish pellets. Using the 3 quart horse feed scoop, I mix it 4 scoops of the oats, barley & BOSS, 3 scoops scratch and 2 scoops catfish pellets. Any deeper and it's hard to get my arms deep enough to mix it well. I use the large rubber Tuff Stuff feed cans, both for the dry and the wet. Way back in the beginning, I started with some ACV in the water, but now it's just when the feed gets down to 6 inches deep, I'll toss in a couple more buckets of dry, get the seeds floating with water, mix in the cayenne and stir. The catfish pellets soak up a lot of water, and to a lesser extent, the grains. My hens scarf this stuff up. There's minimal waste compared to when we do pelleted feeds and the coops don't smell so bad.

How long do you think most of that stuff lasts open? I'm only planning to have 20-30 birds. So I figure probably not ideal if I let anything expire. I used to ferment feed for my old job and for my own quails. But I've always just used actual feed. Usually crumbles because imo it works better.

 

[Derangedplanet]

I really wanted to get field peas in the mix, but couldn't find a store anywhere around here that would sell them.

I mean it looks like it makes about 9 bags of feed. Plus fermenting I know makes it go further. I guess my main curiosity is over how much all this would cost from a feed store. From tsc, not counting barley, comes out to like 115. I assume barley comes out around 20$ a bag. So overall comes out to about 155$. Assuming it's 10% cheaper to buy from a feed store that comes out to around 16$. Which is about what a mid quality bag of feed costs

 

[Derangedplanet]

I mean it looks like it makes about 9 bags of feed. Plus fermenting I know makes it go further. I guess my main curiosity is over how much all this would cost from a feed store. From tsc, not counting barley, comes out to like 115. I assume barley comes out around 20$ a bag. So overall comes out to about 155$. Assuming it's 10% cheaper to buy from a feed store that comes out to around 16$. Which is about what a mid quality bag of feed costs

Course I dunno, it could be way cheaper from a small feed store. Lots of stuff is

 

[RUNuts]

depending on season and pricing, alternate ingredients? Bulk pricing fluctuates and that is what the feed mills do. Price shop and buy in bulk.

Field peas for BOSS and such. How much work you want to put into it? You are trying to save money, therefore pool with a neighbor? Neighborhood? Post at the feed store for like minded people?

 

[Derangedplanet]

depending on season and pricing, alternate ingredients? Bulk pricing fluctuates and that is what the feed mills do. Price shop and buy in bulk.

Field peas for BOSS and such. How much work you want to put into it? You are trying to save money, therefore pool with a neighbor? Neighborhood? Post at the feed store for like minded people?

I usually buy the feed store feed. Like the stuff that specific store makes. I did see a listing earlier today on CL for someone else's homemade feed. Lemme go grab a screen shot. I was intrigued.