Feed for chickens?

[Occamstazer]

They'll tear into you over on BYC for this, but I agree that it can be done safely!
I give my chickens all the scraps from the fridge, plus they free range a lot. I do use commercial feed and scratch, but not very much, and I'm getting ~6 eggs a day from 10 hens even in winter

ETA: Storey's guide to raising chickens has a chapter on the proper nutrient requirements for peeps who want to make/mix their own feed.

 

[kcsunshine]

Just wanted to add, that we are getting up to 8 eggs a day right now from a total of 14 chickens. That includes 2 hens that haven't layed in a year, one rooster, one that hasn't started laying yet and one broody hen.
I think that proves that they are well fed

Let me know when that rooster starts laying.

 

[FarmerDenise]

The way I figure it is: I am trying to eat mostly natural and homegrown food, why would I feed my animals anything different?
It is fairly easy to feed the chickens naturally, by just letting them forage on their own. The grain and seed I feed them, is more as a treat or supplement. I do also give them some purchased crumble, but they really spend most of their winter days foraging.

The rabbit gets nearly all homegrown food. I provide him with 1/4 cup of pellets, just to make sure I have all the nutrients covered, since he does not get to go out and forage in the field.

The dog and cats get kibble, mostly because it is easier for me most of the time. I feed them homemade food, whenever I have access to cheap or free raw meat for them.

I don't spend much time on BYC anymore. But it would be fun to stir up some trouble.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

snicker snicker snicker.... yep on the BYC folks. bless their hearts.

actually the 'small scale grain raising' book i'm reading says you can raise enough for your flocks! i'm so excited to try it.

i tell all our critters to "get out there and free range cuz its FREE' and it sends the farm-animals-as-pets folks into fits. but we have good pasture and we do a ton of supplemental feed... especially in the summer with the milk.

my goal is to grow most of our feed next year. whoot!

 

[big brown horse]

FD, you so funny!! Is it that time again? *devil horns are a-sproutin'*

Honey in small town TX you will find "yard bird" in everyone's front yard, heck even in the road!! I am almost positive they are all "on their own" too. My mother rarely bought chicken feed. They foraged the yard (about 1 acre), her gardens and ate scraps given out after dinner. (They helped themselves to the cat food as well.)No oyster shells, no grit. We had many chickens that lived a loooonnnng time too, they even produced eggs past their prime.

Its chickens, not rocket science! But don't tell BYC I said that.

 

[framing fowl]

Its chickens, not rocket science!

I've been amazed at the difference between my two hatches this year. The first hatched in August and I had them in a 4' x 8' tractor that I moved around the lawn. At 8-10 weeks there were 9 chicks and the broody eating 3 scoops of food. My current hatch has 7 chicks with the broody and at 8 weeks they're going through 5 scoops plus 1/2 scoop of scratch. They're also only half the size. I'm sure some of it has to do with the cold but I'm sure some of it is the bugs and grass the earlier ones got.

 

[Grandma Goldie]

I could really upset the applecart in BYC if I were to tell them what treats my birdies get. DH delivers gas to local convenience stores at night. He will on occasion "dumpster dive" for my birds. They have all developed a sweet "tooth" er "beak" for donuts. They also love pepperoni pizza, hamburgers, and breakfast sandwiches. It has been in the single digets to below zero here for about a week. I have 12 hens and today I got 9 eggs. Must be the pepperoni

 

[FarmerDenise]

I could really upset the applecart in BYC if I were to tell them what treats my birdies get. DH delivers gas to local convenience stores at night. He will on occasion "dumpster dive" for my birds. They have all developed a sweet "tooth" er "beak" for donuts. They also love pepperoni pizza, hamburgers, and breakfast sandwiches. It has been in the single digets to below zero here for about a week. I have 12 hens and today I got 9 eggs. Must be the pepperoni

must be

 

[big brown horse]

 

[miss_thenorth]

Ok, hope I'm not hijacking by asking this.... But do any of you who feed table scraps have any issues with runny poos or bare bottoms?

I feed my chickens layer ration and table scraps. I keep a bucket beside my sink and fill it up throughout the day. My oldest girls are only 1 1/2 yrs old, and either it's their feed, or they are still going through a very hard molt. they free range(usually-we are getting snow, so they don't come ut much)/ I had them on supplemental light, but nixed that idea, since I wasn't getting many eggs. With or without light, from 12 of age laying hens, I was and am getting 0-5 eggs a day. And their butts are bald. It's been about 6 months since I wormed them.

In a perfect world, I would grow some wheat, oats, corn, and barley to feed my critters, but that might not ever happen.

I also had OEGBs who, before I got them, ate only the hay that was in the goat barn that they lived in. The lady never bought chicken food for them, and they were fine and healthy.