Feeding Chickens just People food...Can it be done??

[Wannabefree]

Corn=carbs, which produces the heat. So, anything heavy on carbs. Cooked potatoes, bread, etc.

 

[FarmerJamie]

oatmeal

 

[Wannabefree]

Mine loved warm rice too and that's heavy on the carbs as well.

 

[LilyD]

Corn=carbs, which produces the heat. So, anything heavy on carbs. Cooked potatoes, bread, etc.

Cool they had potatoes tonight and carrots which is a root veggie. They do love oatmeal (not the packaged kind but the good old fashioned quick oats ) so that would be an option too. I am thinking that meat and greens should go in one bin and a second bin for carbs so I can make sure they get enough of that too.

Hopefully they will let me know they are getting enough. Honestly, while I haven't seen them eating too much of the pelleted feed, their crops are always almost overly full at the end of each day. They never seem to go near the coop unless it's to lay an egg.

I still have pelleted feed right now so I am thinking of leaving that free choice to start and gradually giving less pellet and more real food until they are totally switched over so I don't shock their system. Hopefully they will do well on it.

 

[LilyD]

Mine loved warm rice too and that's heavy on the carbs as well.

That's another good one for us. I can get a 20lb bag of rice for $4 up here and that will last for a while since it puffs up when cooked

I was thinking of keeping track of how long they eat so I make sure I am feeding enough. They should be able to finish their feed in about 10 - 15 minutes and that should be enough until the evening feeding right?

I am feeding a total of 26 birds over winter.

 

[Wannabefree]

That sounds like a great plan Lily. My birds do better with choices too.

 

[LilyD]

That sounds like a great plan Lily. My birds do better with choices too.

Cool I am glad I decided to post I was really worried about starting this because I don't want to hurt them but since they live in a fruit orchard and pasture on 2 acres I figured they have enough free range for when there is no snow so my biggest concentration of feed will be in winter and they won't need as much the rest of the year. I will still mix feed for them but I feel better about feeding them foods I know then pellets that I don't know what's in it.

 

[FarmerJamie]

chickens are a LOT more robust than people give them credit for

 

[LilyD]

chickens are a LOT more robust than people give them credit for

I am finding that out. They often turn their nose, or beaks lol up at the shelters I build for them and would choose to perch on top of them or actually on the field fencing itself even today where the top temp was 40 degrees. All last winter they were out even in the winter as long as I shoveled them paths so they wouldn't get stuck in the deep snow lol.

It still amazes me what they will eat. Right now they are spending all day feasting on the fallen apples under the apple trees and any veggies that I toss them from the garden ( the garden is fenced so they can't get in, it's the only way that I get some veggies too).

 

[donrae]

I was raised with the theory that chickens will eat anything that doesn't eat them first lol.

I think you just need to take your cues from your flock. Your egg production may be less than on commercial food, or it may not. But if your birds are alert, active and laying reasonably well for age and time of year, you're good to go. If you start having unthrifty birds or problems with illness, mites or lice, etc, or anything else, look to their diet first to correct it.

And keep us updated!