I am working on a sustainable grow list “recipe” (with proportions) so that backyard homesteaders in temperate climates (or greenhouse gardeners) might be able to provide complete nutrition for laying hens and skip the feed store. That will no doubt include mealworms as a primary source of protein. I will post my recipe here when I have finished.
FYI: sweet potatoes can replace corn pound for pound (dry matter) though corn has a tiny bit more protein. Usually folks aren’t feeding corn for its protein of course. Sweet potatoes are used to “sweeten” meat in hogs near slaughtering time. It could no doubt be used that way for broilers or even cattle for that matter.
We built one earlier this spring for growing crops for us to eat and we love it. We were eating salads in April. Delish. Very easy to construct. We used James Prigionis plans. He has videos on youtube.
Our dog gets sweet potato/quinoa mix some days and raw chicken with bones other days (1-2x a week). We raise our own broilers so all the necks, gizzards, hearts, lungs extra meat goes to her. She loves it and it seems to be helping her itchies.first of all i have to say what an awesome thread this. i also took this as a SHTF scenario and this is my first full year with chickens. i will say i do rely too much on my commercial feed. but i have beeen lucky and have found a place that custom blended mine. now reading thru this really has my wheels turning of what i can be doing better for the next years to come. currently i give kitchen scraps, leftovers, fodder, BOSS, mealworms and of course the commercial feed.
now reading this thread.... i think i will be growing a garden soley for chickens needs from now on! storing winter vegetables(squash & pumpkins) growing sunflowers and drying the heads, drying more herbs and freezing more fresh veggies for the dead winter days. long term ill have to keep brainstorming since growing grains is not an option for us.
now if i could only figure a way for our four dogs. always having a back up plan is always a great idea. you just never know....last year we went 6 days with out power. me being the stock piler that i am, but after just moving, learned real quick that nothing is as important as water. especially when you have so many animals. that was the one thing i never thought of. that has since changed and i will hopefully never be in that struggle again. keep these comments coming! i love this post
