Feed for chickens?

[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.

 

[FarmerDenise]

We don't usually have much in the way of table scraps

But when we do it goes to the cats, the dog and then to the chickens, so they rarely get any. I do toss them vegy bits and they often get bread, since I get it for free sometimes.
My hens don't have bare bottoms. Susie looses all her feathers, but she is a frazzle and I had heard that they have problems with their feathers. I have found that feeding her more protein seems to help with the feather issue. So I often add milk or yogurt to their bread.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

Its chickens, not rocket science!

you mean you dont make them little nappies and let them be in the house?!?!??! no hi-tech fancy food? or call the vet everything they loose a feather (i think i just stole that...)

shocking.

and yep my momma-raised-get-out-there-in-the-yard always do much better than any other way.

MTN: i'm pretty sure that wouldnt be from food... maybe mites?? i dunno.. hum.. now that we've had so much snow i need to figure out a way to get mine a place for dust baths in the hen house. hum...

FD - we never have table scraps either! hee hee but they get the veggie scraps when i get them.