What about Feeding Worms or Other Bugs?

[barred2rock]

Thank you, PD!

Of course, I will give them worms AND chicken food.

I also feed them: Occasonal milk, vegetables, unsweetened cereals and grains, cheese, yogurt, fruit, various seeds, grass clippings (not sprayed), occasional meat, dog food, kitty food, occasional cooked egg, and other goodies. I discovered that one can do this by typing in "How to feed chickens inexpensively". I also give them feed from the farm store.

Just found the following, might spark some ideas.

http://wholefedhomestead.com/10-creative-protein-sources-chickens-help-save-money-chicken-feed/

 

[lazy gardener]

PD, you are missing a yet untapped market. Sell memberships. Folks could PAY YOU to come and get a work out on your farm. They would get fresh air, and plenty of functional exercise. While the monotonous often single plane repetitive exercise provided at the gym will burn a few calories and tone muscles, it can't compare to the total body work out provided by farm work: PNF patterns, weight program, neuromuscular training including balance and motor planning activities, core strengthening, and closed chain strengthening activities all while manufacturing natural vitamin D and breathing fresh air instead of stagnant locker room air!

 

[PD-Riverman]

PD, you are missing a yet untapped market. Sell memberships. Folks could PAY YOU to come and get a work out on your farm. They would get fresh air, and plenty of functional exercise. While the monotonous often single plane repetitive exercise provided at the gym will burn a few calories and tone muscles, it can't compare to the total body work out provided by farm work: PNF patterns, weight program, neuromuscular training including balance and motor planning activities, core strengthening, and closed chain strengthening activities all while manufacturing natural vitamin D and breathing fresh air instead of stagnant locker room air!

Thanks----I will have to Look into That!!! LOL

 

[PD-Riverman]

I found a HUGE earthworm this morning, tossed it in the run.
They all looked at it and then walked away.
I would have thought they would fight over it but maybe it was too big.

I have seen mine eat smaller worms with no issue and fight over it.

LOL, maybe they realized it was not what you thought it was----Maybe a baby snake?? LOL Just Playing

 

[Catfsm]

I love all the great ideas! I do not spend a lot of time with finding chicken food. I have so much other stuff to do besides the farm! (I wish I could just do it full time!) I mainly use store feed, but it is outrageously expensive! I also, I put an ad on "Nextdoor" and neighbors bring goodies for my hens and goats and bunnies and quail. I also go to discount grocery places and grab stuff for really low prices. I found sunflower seeds, for example, for around 40 cents a pound. I am just moving over away from ONLY the store feed so it may take a while to find sources for the food that are stable and will save money!

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have a local feed mill that makes their own chicken feed---right not $14 for a 50lb bag of layer. I friended the guy that has been working there for years and he told me how they make the feed-----well I did not pay it a lot of attention. Then my Mother re-Married to a man that worked for the State and worked at that feed mill part time----he told me how they made the layer feed as well as the grower for the young birds(same as the other man had told me). I now buy what I need and make most all of my own---it saves me about $5 to $6 per 50lb bag---according to what I am making. I buy the corn about a ton at the time---grind and mix. It only saves me about $20 per week right now but a couple years ago it was saving me about $75 to $100 per week and the way I am set-up it does not take A lot of my time---but it takes time. My Layers do good on it and I mix it 16%. When you raise to sell chickens/chicks every dollar saved is a good Thing!