Trying to reduce chicken feed costs

[B&B FarmsSc]

I can tell ya....pulling the feed around 6 or so.....pretty much eliminates the mice consumption part. Cause ive seen a mouse try to make it across a coop will 14 RIRs in it.....yeeeeeah....... Was like the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" kinda almost for a brief second felt bad for the mouse

 

[B&B FarmsSc]

So I started pullin the feed at around 6 when i get home.....cut my feed down by over 800lbs for the year. And the ladies dont seem to mind. The do get greens, scratch grain, mealworms/crickets every morning so kinda spoiled. But they roost up shortly after I pull the feeders anyway so...no real harm

 

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

I feed fermented feed in the am , most days, and a smaller portion of dry at night. I mostly have bantams too, you have to just figure it out by how fast they eat it. They sure love the fermented stuff and never waste any, whereas the dry they just play and waste alot.

 

[B&B FarmsSc]

Who do you get your ferment feed from? And whats the cost per ton if ya happen to know it?

 

[Aerliss]

Who do you get your ferment feed from? And whats the cost per ton if ya happen to know it?

You make it yourself. Whatever you normally feed + water + 3-4 days. It's like... sauerkraut for chickens. Here's a couple of good links;

https://tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/fermented-feed-faq/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fermented-feeds-anyone-using-them.645057/

 

[Haddy22]

those new-zealand feeders with the step are pretty awesome! Is it hard for them to "learn" how to use it? How long does it take for them to pick it up? Maybe Ill pick up one of those...

Right now I have a feeder hanging on a chain inside the coop but it gets emptied like... daily... I dont know if I have rodents or not... I didnt think I did but now Im curious.

Should I bring it in at night? Maybe I should setup a camera...

 

[aart]

those new-zealand feeders with the step are pretty awesome! Is it hard for them to "learn" how to use it? How long does it take for them to pick it up? Maybe Ill pick up one of those..

It's called treadle feeder, available in the US too... they take some training

 

[chikenscratch]

As far as "night feeding", I don't know what time you feed at night, but chickens don't eat overnight. This may seem like a really stupid statement to some, but I do not know the level of experience here, so figured I'd mention it. But not having food in the coop overnight will definitely help to eliminate mice!

 

[debid]

As far as "night feeding", I don't know what time you feed at night, but chickens don't eat overnight. This may seem like a really stupid statement to some, but I do not know the level of experience here, so figured I'd mention it. But not having food in the coop overnight will definitely help to eliminate mice!

I don't think anyone is putting food out at night expecting the chickens to eat it at night. Lots of people just use a hopper type of feeder that holds far more than one day's worth of food.

 

[aart]

As far as "night feeding", I don't know what time you feed at night, but chickens don't eat overnight.

I'm assuming they are putting out feed in the evening before roost time to ensure birds fill crops before going to roost.