woo hoo!! great find today for free chicken treats!!

[GoMommaGo]

Our local brewery is more than happy to part with used-up hops. One of the local farmers will often pick them up by the truck-load for composting/spreading on the fields/feeding to pigs, but they don't mind if I take home a bag now and then....

 

[2DogsFarm]

At the local Farmers Market I always ask the vendors if they have any bruised fruit for my horses.
Sometimes no, sometimes I get a bit.

Also one of the local groceries has a markdown section that is uber cheap. Free is best, but I don't mind paying $.50 for 6 nice apples

Horses never cared they were blems...
I bet the hens won't either

GoMomma: Great idea!
We have a local microbrewery in town - think I'll hit them up for some hops.

 

[bethandjoeync]

I am sure my find will end up being a one time thing...I have heard about the whole thing of not giving even that kind of trash away because of "sue happy" people.

that's what is so dumb about things sometimes...government complains about the landfills getting so full and we need to recycle and all that mess, but yet you can sue a store for letting you take trash off of their hands...for something that wasn't good in it

I mean, I am doing them and the world (lol had to throw that one in there) a favor by taking it and using it to feed animals and add to the compost. but I will still ask everytime I see them emptying it out...because you never know if they are going to say yes

 

[crtrlovr]

The chain stores are FAR less likely to do it. The best bet is if you have small "Mom & Pop" stores or diners, or like AzNessa's FABULOUS suggestion about sandwich places (gotta try that one here!), or any supermarkets that are locally/independently owned. I always look for the discounted "manager's special" that is almost at the "use by" date. It's still good, and my finches & chickens can't read the "use by" date anyway...

 

[ArizonaNessa]

I have to say that when I was getting those scraps from that sandwich shop I was able to give my birds stuff that I could have never afforded to give them before or things that they love but I don't therefore it would have never been bought. I might add my chickens were literally eating high on the hog because that sandwich shop only used Boarshead products.

Gosh I miss my little sandwich shop

 

[eggsited chickens]

can you throw the husks as they are in the chicken run? or do they need to be cut up?

 

[kristen2678]

Whole Foods Markets are great for this type of thing.