What do you spend on average every month on feed?

[lorihadams]

I am trying to figure out our budget and I am trying to find ways to more efficiently feed our animals but still get good nutrition. We usually get our feed from TSC but we do have a southern states available to us (but they tend to be higher) and we have a local feed store but I don't know their prices yet....I want to go check them out later today. Getting the broilers has really made me think about cost effectiveness of feed.

Here are what we are currently feeding and costs per month:

3 labs---Member's Mark (Sam's club) dry dog food 2-3 bags/month $19 per bag
2 cats---9 lives 1 18lb bag/month $10
3 lizards, 5 frogs--- live crickets 6-7 dozen/month $1.32 per dozen
10 ducks---Dumor grower/finisher 1-2 bags/month $15 per bag
15 chickens---Dumor grower/finisher 1bag/month $15 per bag + Dumor layer pellets $13 per bag
9 quail---Dumor grower/finisher 1bag/month $15 per bag
3 rabbits---Southern pride pellets 1 bag/month $15 per bag
Oops forgot the hamster! Mazuri pellets 1/2 bag food/month $9 per bag
30 broiler chicks---yet to be determined

So total I am spending around $120-$150 per month on feed. All my chickens free range and I feed my rabbits greens every day pulled from the yard/garden. Everyone also gets veggie scraps from the kitchen as available. Free ranging has really cut down on cost I'm sure, especially with the chickens. We are selling 4 of the ducks (at least that's the plan) so cost will lower a bit there.

I hear lots of people talking about mixing their own feed and if this feed store will do it for a better price than just buying from TSC then I may do that for all the birds.

I also give organic raw unfiltered ACV and sometimes BOSS as money allows.

So, here's mine.....now let me see yours!!! We are planning on getting goats too so I want to hear from all you goat people!!!

 

[Katy]

I don't even want to add it up!

 

[ChickBond 007]

Well, let's see here

Royal Canin for the spoiled dog 35 lbs/mo $50
Whatever cat food is on sale $ 5
17 ducks, 39 chickens:
1 starter/grower $13
2 layer, $24
1 cracked corn/scratch $ 9
Total $101

And that's we 100% free ranging. Ducks gobble. Glad I don't have turkeys.

 

[SimplyForties]

I know better then to keep track of that!

 

[cybercat]

Dog gets Diamond which is like $25 for 50lbs. We used to buy it at TSC but now have some place closer. I love the Diamons Natural for the dog no worries about all the alleries produce them.

Cats also get Diamond. Do remember price it was $12 for 20 lbs. Both cat and dog are 1 bag a month. With better food you feed less. This is a well known fact . Reason is they digest more than just pass it thru. All the greocery store brand have alot of filler that just pass threw you dog or cat. Why waiste the money on that when they must eat twice to three times as much to get what they need.

Chickens get Burkmanns feeds love them great feed. I need 2 bags a month now each are $10.00. I have used them since day one with a switch off to TSC Dunmor which I do not like at all. I have 23 chickens and they do free range.

 

[MandyH]

Turkeys: gamebird starter 5 at $15 per bag
Chickens: layer crumbles 10 at $8 per bag
Ducks: Truckload of bread at $9 a week
rabbits: rabbit pellets 2 bags at $11 per bag
cats: meow mix 3 @ $6 per bag
dogs: Iams mini chunks 2 bags at $29 per bag
Equals $289 a month. AND that's about a third of what it was last summer.

 

[miss_jayne]

$280 a month right now while growing out about 300 Dixie rainbows plus 11 coops of chickens, turkeys, ducks, guineas and multiple brooders.

 

[SimplyForties]

Quote:
Hi MandyH, love your avatar. What's that bumper sticker? My kid and all my money go to OleMiss? It's a beautiful campus and a nice little town. He's on his last year there and I'll miss the opportunity to visit.

 

[lamelde]

You guys are scaring me - I'm a new egg (still) and I want to increase my flock (3 ISA Browns - 1 Silver Pheonix) and I bought 5 chicks (mutts) last week.

I wanted to add some broilers - but the cost of raising them vs just buying one?

What's the average COST of raising your own broiler from egg/chick to meat on the table?

 

[racuda]

Quote:
I don't know about that, but after building 5 coops and buying feed, wazine, ivermectin, DE, oyster shell,etc., my eggs cost me about $18 a piece.