Topic of the Week - Saving Money, Feeding Chickens

[sumi]

Here is a picture of my feeder; note that it has slightly wet food in it and they are bars

Your pic didn't seem to load?

 

[DuckPro]

Your pic didn't seem to load?

It said: an error occurred uploading your image jpeg file"

 

[DuckPro]

I'll try again

 

[DuckPro]

Here it is @sumi

 

[MillersFarm]

Since we finally purchased 30 acres behind us we're able to plant. Our plan is to just give them water then grow Chicken forage seed mix which contains

- Annual Ryegrass
- Perennial Ryegrass
- Buckwheat
- Flax
- Millet
- Forage Peas
- Red Clover
- Alfalfa

I find that growing your own forage for your chickens is a cheap, easy, and a highly nutritious way to feed chickens. Chicken feed can be expensive to provide throughout the year. Growing your own from spring to fall provides high levels of nutrients that will make your eggs taste even better. Foraging chickens can also have a better balanced diet that creates better eggs and meat.

 

[GC-Raptor]

As chicks, my girls waisted half their crumbles.
At 16 weeks I mixed layers pellets and crumbles 50/50 for 2 weeks, then straight layers pellets.
I have a 12# galvanized feeder, , hanging in the coop. I have virtually zero waste. If a pellet falls on the floor they immediately pick it up. My good girls.
Your results will vary. GC
Edited to add that: The extra eggs I sell pay for feed and compacted straw, that I use for bedding.

 

[chicks are life]

I have hanging plastic 10 pound feeder. The chickens hardly waste any when it falls they eat it.

When there is a bunch of feed on the ground I simply take out the feeder for half the day so they eat the excess.

 

[barred2rock]

I screw my feed bowls to a wall or post and feed fermented feed. No waste!

 

[bullets]

Since we finally purchased 30 acres behind us we're able to plant. Our plan is to just give them water then grow Chicken forage seed mix which contains

- Annual Ryegrass
- Perennial Ryegrass
- Buckwheat
- Flax
- Millet
- Forage Peas
- Red Clover
- Alfalfa

I find that growing your own forage for your chickens is a cheap, easy, and a highly nutritious way to feed chickens. Chicken feed can be expensive to provide throughout the year. Growing your own from spring to fall provides high levels of nutrients that will make your eggs taste even better. Foraging chickens can also have a better balanced diet that creates better eggs and meat.

Can you explain your exact method for this? How many chickens do you have? Do you sow the seed each year, or does enough of it reseed itseld? What size area do you use for the forage? Is it a designated area or do you just toss it out in various places? You sow it mixed together? Sorry for all the questions but I'm interested!

 

[9d84runner]

Has anyone tried an automatic feeder? Sort of like a game feeder that dispenses food at certain times? We have 18 chickens and our feed started going much faster and I'm afraid it's from the rodents. I was thinking about getting one of those. We free feed ours all day but it's about 50lbs a week.