Topic of the Week - "Off-grid" Feeding - Homemade feeds, etc.

[pennyJo1960]

Very that is why I had to join this one

 

[AllenK RGV]

Ok, after reading many more responses I have more questions.

Will chickens eat yarrow? I have an abundance of this that grows wild in the yard/field. Free ranging is not an option, but I can certainly throw it in their run.

Voles. We have lots of voles. Usually the cat (which I specifically brought home to take care of voles and prairie dogs) pulls them out of the wood pile. Will the chickens eat it if it's already dead? If the cat kills it and I throw it to the chickens is this a good treat? Do the chickens have to hunt and catch the live voles themselves? Or is it better for the cat than the chickens? Should I let the cat eat the things it catches? (I usually take the rodents away and dispose of them, but perhaps I am wasting a valuable resource doing this)

My cat refuses to eat anything he kills which I feel is a good thing as I don't need to use his revolution stuff as often for its deworming aspects.

 

[AllenK RGV]

In the garden just planted the seeds.
For the birds you HAVE to either sprout or cook, I usually just soak and cook (so I can have some lol)
Raw, undercooked and raw beans are toxic, cooked are fine. Sprouting them also eliminates the poison. Sprouting is probably better for the birds, either way beans are good for us bird or human.

Not all beans are toxic there are lists here somewhere. With mung and lentil they are fine just soaked, but sprouting gets you more nutrition.

 

[song of joy]

Ok, after reading many more responses I have more questions.

Voles. We have lots of voles. Usually the cat (which I specifically brought home to take care of voles and prairie dogs) pulls them out of the wood pile. Will the chickens eat it if it's already dead? If the cat kills it and I throw it to the chickens is this a good treat? Do the chickens have to hunt and catch the live voles themselves? Or is it better for the cat than the chickens? Should I let the cat eat the things it catches? (I usually take the rodents away and dispose of them, but perhaps I am wasting a valuable resource doing this)

We let the cats eat what they catch. It gives them a high-protein reward for their hard work.

Chickens are much more likely to eat mice if they're moving, but they would probably learn to associate dead mice or voles with food after they've eaten them a couple of times. Buckeyes are a chicken breed that's known for being good mouse hunters.

 

[song of joy]

Trying out mammoth red mangle beets this winter for the chickens, hoping it cuts down on feed.
I didn't take very good care of them, didn't thin out or weed them. Try better next yr. Grew pretty good though for a $2 pk of seeds. And the birds peck the heck out of them, love them.
My little harvest this last yr "

Very nice harvest. How do these do in poor soil (heavy clay)?

I've heard the greens are good in salads when they're young and tender, as well as being good for the chickens at any stage.

 

[Beer can]

Very nice harvest. How do these do in poor soil (heavy clay)?

I've heard the greens are good in salads when they're young and tender, as well as being good for the chickens at any stage.

People can eat both the greens and beet also.
As far as in the garden farmers use fodder beets, and fodder radishes to bust up the soil and then disc them in as fertilizer.
We have rocks and some dirt. They grew quite well. Half the beet grows out of the ground anyway.
RH Shumway seeds has them the cheapest in bulk. I got mine from Jung's seeds beings I was ordering other stuff. Baker Creek rare seeds also has them, a pic from their website, they can get quite big

 

[Kusanar]

30% Corn
30% Wheat
20% Peas
10% Oats
10% Fish Meal
2% Poultry Nutri–Balancer

Ahh, this is 102%??

 

[pennyJo1960]

I am going to get creative as I am loosing my supplier of great grain out of Idaho, Woods Hay and Grain Mega layer.. the guy I buy it from sold his farm they are moving who knows where ??

 

[wyoDreamer]

I have had to change my mindset about gardening (which is taking research). I live in a harsh environment, and a lot of things I want to grow (like tomatoes and cucumbers) just can't be grown here. Now I am looking into what I can grow and making my picks from that list. Also, my short life as a backyard chicken keeper has been more successful than my life as a gardener. I am also looking at my upcoming garden as a way to feed the chickens who in turn feed me, instead of the garden as a way to feed me. The chickens are far less picky when it comes to vegetation they will eat than I am. I'm still doing my homework, but there may be more things I can easily grow for the chickens than grow for me to eat directly. We'll see. I'm hoping this thread continues to spark ideas. It's been great so far. People are quite resourceful.

I grew a small garden in Wyoming while we were there. Tomatoes did really good, as did my bush zucchini, peas, beans and spinach. The trick was to have a grow house - something to keep the wind off the plants and keep the humidity in.
What you need is one of those Geodesic Dome greenhouses!

 

[pennyJo1960]

I grew a small garden in Wyoming while we were there. Tomatoes did really good, as did my bush zucchini, peas, beans and spinach. The trick was to have a grow house - something to keep the wind off the plants and keep the humidity in.
What you need is one of those Geodesic Dome greenhouses!

Yup have three.. put one in front also thought outside kitchen never used it gonna haul it around back new big chicken coop