Would this be ok to use as a feed?

[al6517]

I would find a better choice, feeding something your not sure of is not the way to get started, being frugal has it's limits.

 

[allpeepedout]

On a tangent, look carefully at the economics if saving money is the priority. Feed is expensive and can jump (like 25%) overnight. If you otherwise would buy budget store eggs (only $1/doz. now here), it's tough to raise your own for less, at 3-5 lbs feed / dozen eggs. In addition to feed, you may spend $ on coop, fencing, bedding, pest control, electric bills, etc. Hens are not always laying, and when they stop due to age, will they stay on as pets or be dispatched?

Of course, the quality of the eggs actually compares to $3-5 doz., you can cut costs, and the experience for kids is hopefully priceless. They make for "cheep" family entertainment! Best wishes and be wary on Craigslist.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Around here eggs are going up again. Plain white grocery store brand went to $2.09 & brown are $2.59. Of course I am sure you can still get them for .99 somewhere.

 

[MammaBear]

No store brand egg is half as good as the eggs from your own chickens. It doesn't matter if they are giving them away!!!!!

 

[tclegg]

Quote:
I agree--even if they were $1 or even free--nothing compares to homegrown--or even the satisfaction of raising, caring, and watching your chickens. I will take my backyard chicken every time...(on top of those things it is my passion and hobby--it keeps me focused)

 

[rittert3]

Critter cubes!!! we fed this to our rats and mice at the pet store i worked at until we learned that cheap dog food was better and cheaper, I would look into that medication then it might be ok as a portion of the diet like half and half with sctach grain. I'm not sure how a chicken would eat this though they are thumb sized pellets. I do know that they are nutritionally about the same as, and more expensive than the cheap store brand dog food like ol' roy (walmart) and country fair (hyvee).

 

[MammaBear]

I wouldn't feed my chickens anything that I wouldn't mind them eating if I were eating them. Anything you feed them, you get 10% of when you eat them.

 

[DTRM30]

I think I would pass - not only is it formulated for rodents - with medication for rodents - who knows how old it is or where it came from.

Chicken feed is easy to come by and not dreadfully expensive (though has gone up in the past few years - like everything else).

The feed does not last forever - and it does get moldy and stale.

My girls free range - not every day, but a lot of days - and for 5 grown laying birds - so far I've bought two bags of feed for them since the spring. The second I just purchased. During the winter they do tend to eat a lot more though. I think the 1/4lb per bird per day is what I had read somewhere as an estimate if you want to figure out feed costs. Some eat more, some eat less, but they do not over eat like a dog will.

@ 1/4 lb per bird per day - for 4 birds you are estimating 1 lb per day. A 25lb bag of feed should last you close to one month (25 days) if they did not eat anything else but their feed. So, you are looking at approx. 13-14 bags of feed per year. The feed I buy runs about $14 per bag - so that is a grand total of $196 for 4 birds. If you are trying to be economical - you can cut that cost by feeding scraps and free ranging whenever possible. In that case - the feed costs go down drastically. You just need to provide some calcium chips/oyster shell which is really cheap.

Looking at it from a cost point of view - at $196 - you can buy 49 dozen eggs @ $4 per dozen.

But, the benefits from rasing the chickens, and having your own eggs - for many - outweigh the costs.