Chick Feed NEED HELP

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Sup every one i was wondering how much starter, grower, and layer mash cost i have a smaller size budget being only 15 so any way o could grow some of it would be helpful

Thanks for all your help

Drew NY

-- drew (ata1hunt@aol.com), March 09, 2002

Answers

Prices are different around the country. I pay $6.95 for a 50 pound bag of Chick Starter.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), March 09, 2002.

Like Rogo said, feed prices can vary radically across the country. Here in North Florida a 50lb bag of chick starter runs around $7.25-$7.50 a bag, layer pellets roughly the same.

If you can grow some of your own grains you can cut some of your feed bill that way. The thing you have to remember though is that grains in and of themselves are not nutritionally complete (for poultry or humans). If you're feeding a complete ration (about 16% protein for mature birds) to your chickens already and then want to add home-grown grains to the ration you'll need to adjust the amount of protein they're getting in their other feed. This can be done but it's a bit complicated if you're just starting out.

One thing you can do is provide green feed for your birds. This is stuff like garden greens such as kale, collards, mustard, cabbage and so on, fresh green (unsprayed) grass clippings, many fresh green weeds and so on. Birds that aren't on free range relish fresh green feed, it improves the color of their egg yolks and has beneficial health aspects. So long as they're getting free choice on their complete ration you can feed as much green feed to them as they'll eat and they'll still get the nutrition they need.

You can also feed kitchen scraps in reasonable quantities. Basically anything that isn't moldy or rotten or full of salt you can at least try them with and see if they'll eat it. If it won't make you ill to eat it then it's probably safe to try it on the birds. Just make sure they still have access to their complete ration. Chickens are pretty good about keeping up with their protein intake and the like if you allow them free access to what they need.

........Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), March 09, 2002.


Hi Drew!

You didn't mention if your chickens are going to be free range or kept in confinement. We let one of our batches of chickens free range and have the other set in a chicken tractor. We feed them layer mash and put out a 'scratch' mix, sprinked on the ground once a day. They eat bugs and grass as they roam or as they are moved in the tractor and all are healthy and lay lovely eggs. By being able to move them to fresh greens and bugs as well as kitchen scraps, we have cut way back on feed costs compared to when we kept them in a pen and had to feed them everything. They are more happy now too. If you can let them range, I think you will be able to save quite a bit of money. Make sure you don't underfeed them as you will have serious problems! Good luck! Darlene

-- Darlene in W WA (tomdarsavy@cs.com), March 10, 2002.


I just went to the feed store today to buy chick feed. They wanted $10.95 for 50 lbs. of Start and Grow. Didn't check further cause that's all I need for now. - Sheryl

-- Sheryl in NJ (all295@aol.com), March 10, 2002.

Drew it seems to me that a few days ago some one posted a web site that had recipes for making your own food for chickens. I remember the web address was wrong the first few times, it took you to some tire company. Further down in the post was the correct address.

Good luck! Susan

-- Susan in Mn (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), March 10, 2002.



Hi Sheryl in NJ, I would find another feed store- that price is a bold faced ripoff. Daryll

-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincrk@hotmail.com), March 10, 2002.

Drew, do you have a lot of chicks or just a few? I don't buy chick feed because I never have more than 6 chicks at a time. I usually start them out on mashed hard boiled egg and soft oatmeal, which is messy but it gets them eating because they love it!

After a week or two I give them damp, unmedicated layer feed and part of a hard boiled egg every day. By the time they are 3 weeks old I switch to layer feed and the high-protien table scraps, as there is usually a few bites of meat or beans on SOMEBODY'S plate! That way I don't have to buy 3 different bags of feed for just a couple of chicks. Of course, if you have a couple of DOZEN chicks I would want the bags of feed, as that many birds can really pack it away and eggs would just plain cost too much for that many birds! Good luck, I have always enjoyed my birds!

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), March 10, 2002.


I pay $5.95 for XLA chicken feed, pullet developer is only a bit higher and start 'n grow is about the same as pullet developer. I buy mine from Southern States Farmer's Cooperative.

-- Sharon (chessyemailaddy@notreal.com), March 10, 2002.

By the way, those are 50 lb bags, I forgot to mention that.

-- Sharon (chessyemailaddy@notreal.com), March 10, 2002.

Hi Drew. There are many, many sources of free or cheap feed. They work especially well if your chickens can range and forage a bit to balance out what you give them. You can grow potatoes, corn, and other starchy vegetables. They also love greens, of course, the more tender, the better they like them. Lettuce is very popular. For extra protein, you can make fly or Japanese beetle traps.

Also, if you have a micro-brewery in the area, the spent brewers grains are a terrific source of protein and carbohydrates. If they tell you they already have a pig farmer who picks up the grain, explain that you only want enough for a few chickens. They'll probably let you share. The breweries near my house put out around ten full 30-gallon garbage cans of steaming, fragrant spent grain each week. The couple five-gallon buckets I take doesn't make a dent.

Bakery outlets will sell old bread very cheaply, like $10 for a truckload. Food banks will give it away once it's beyond being attractive to people, or if they have too much newer bread. Same for veggies. Just avoid mold and rot, and your birds will be very happy. Grocery stores have old baked goods and vegetables that they throw out or give to food banks, so check with them.

The more you supplement and grow yourself, the less expensive feed you will have to buy to keep your girls happy. The toughest thing to make sure they get enough of is protein. Good luck!

-- Laura Jensen (lrjensen@nwlink.com), March 10, 2002.



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