The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[shortgrass]

Thanks @shortgrass
 No need to rush on my account - I remember all to well the constant needs of a newborn - my youngest is six and she nursed until 2.

Oh, its not a problem at all; love to share my recipes ha-ha

He's constantly hungry, especially when I find a moment to myself

I found the coolest website though, so it was worth the wait!

The protein on the beet pulp is about 11%.

I had the millet and oats switched, millet is 8-11%, and oats are 11-14%...

And I had the BOSS wrong, its about 17% protein.

Goes to show what baby does to the brain!

Anyway, here's a very very cool site that breaks down pretty much every little thing you could eat or feed to livestock, % dry matter content of energy, fiber, protein, and fat, plus essential nutrients! I left it on BOSS
http://www.feedipedia.org/node/40

 

[CuzChickens]

Yep. I assume that's a 40# bag, so that makes it almost $.50/ lb.

I mix my own, so its way cheaper. I can get the grains at market price that way, and no animal byproducts. At an average of $7/bu for most of the ingredients, I can make a 500# drum of feed for about $75. That's about $.15/lb.

Only problem is I have to go to a couple different granaries to get everything I need organic. Odd thing is, the organic millet I buy at one granary is cheaper than conventional millet at the other granary lol; they keep me on my toes

But for bagged feed, especially organic non GMO, its a fair price. I've seen way worse lol

Wow, that is an awesome price!! My feed comes in 50# bags. What do you mix 500# of feed in?

 

[shortgrass]

Wow, that is an awesome price!! My feed comes in 50# bags. What do you mix 500# of feed in?

Well, I live smack dab in the middle of grain and hay country, so I can usually find things fairly cheap if I buy it in bulk a few times a year when prices drop. That and last year, we stumbled onto 500# of wheat and oats for free because they had gotten mixed up in the combine and the elevator wouldn't take it; woohoo that was my wheat for the whole winter, for free!

I use 55 gallon drums. They used to have molasses in them so they're lined really nicely, no rusting if I decide to even ferment in one. And they have lids that I can snap a lock ring onto so no water gets in there

 

[CuzChickens]

Man, that is awesome! We use those drums as well for storing feed. And you can mix 500# of feed in one of those?

 

[shortgrass]

Man, that is awesome! We use those drums as well for storing feed. And you can mix 500# of feed in one of those?

Yep, sure can, especially the grains, like millet; they settle fast. The pellets are hard to cram 500# into one though. They're bulky with lots of air space, so more like 400# if its pelletized feed.

When I mix it, I dump a half of a 5 gallon bucket of each grain, in a rotation, along with a portion of the molasses(i get mine as powder) and DE. That way, I don't really have to mix it up. But I've got a couple of older kids that I make do that, lol they have fun getting in the drum and mixing it all up for me

 

[Leahs Mom]

On the feed ingredients - I also have a spreadsheet that Jeff from Fertrell sent me that lists nutrient contents. You just put in the spreadsheet how much of each item you are using and it calculates not just protein, but vitamin and mineral levels as well. It also has a list what is supposedly needed for each age break in chickens so you can look at what you've mixed up and compare it to what's supposed to be needed so see if anything is lacking.

If anyone would like a cc of that, pm me your email.

 

[CuzChickens]

Yep, sure can, especially the grains, like millet; they settle fast. The pellets are hard to cram 500# into one though. They're bulky with lots of air space, so more like 400# if its pelletized feed.

When I mix it, I dump a half of a 5 gallon bucket of each grain, in a rotation, along with a portion of the molasses(i get mine as powder) and DE. That way, I don't really have to mix it up. But I've got a couple of older kids that I make do that, lol they have fun getting in the drum and mixing it all up for me

Sounds like you've got an amazing setup! Lol yeah, I'm sure the kids just LOVE helping mix that feed!

 

[shortgrass]

Sounds like you've got an amazing setup! Lol yeah, I'm sure the kids just LOVE helping mix that feed!

Nothing amazing, really, lol just a bunch of buckets and drums But they are nice when I can put them right next to the coop in winter and just dump the snow off the lid and I've got food. No trekking all over the yard to get the chicken feed.

Oh yeah the kids love it; its better than stomping grapes anyway I don't know but I'm guessing that once in a while, they get lazy and I can tell they dumped an entire bag in at once and I have to dig through 3 inches of corn to mix it back up...slackers

 

[Leahs Mom]

For everyone that requested the file - It will probably be tonight when I send them out. Just wanted to let everyone know I got your requests!

 

[CuzChickens]

Nothing amazing, really, lol just a bunch of buckets and drums But they are nice when I can put them right next to the coop in winter and just dump the snow off the lid and I've got food. No trekking all over the yard to get the chicken feed.

Oh yeah the kids love it; its better than stomping grapes anyway I don't know but I'm guessing that once in a while, they get lazy and I can tell they dumped an entire bag in at once and I have to dig through 3 inches of corn to mix it back up...slackers

Lol, don't worry, they probably won't grow out of that anytime soon, my dad has employees that follow instructions worse than my five year old sister.

I got your email, thanks!