[Netherrealmer]

With rising inflation and the allure of homegrown eggs, many people are turning to backyard chicken keeping. While it's a rewarding hobby, the cost of feed can quickly add up. Here are some clever ways to cut costs and keep your feathered friends healthy and happy.

1. Harness the Power of Homegrown Fruits:

Orchard Bounty: If you have fruit-bearing trees, let nature do its work. Fallen fruits that might otherwise go to waste can be a nutritious treat for your chickens.
Variety is Key: Offer a mix of fruits, including apples, pears, berries, and even stone fruits like peaches and plums. Just be sure to remove any pits or seeds before feeding.Make sure though the fruit is safe for chickens.
2. Recycle Food Waste:

Restaurant Partnerships: Befriend local restaurants and ask if they have any leftover food scraps. Many establishments are happy to donate food that would otherwise be discarded.
Grocery Store Finds: Keep an eye out for items nearing their expiration date at grocery stores as they are cheaper. These can be a great way to save money and provide your chickens with a varied diet.

3. Embrace the Natural Diet:

June Bug Feast: Many regions have an abundance of June bugs. You can create simple traps to catch them and feed them to your chickens. This is a free and sustainable way to supplement their diet.
 
4. Cultivate Your Own Feed:

Trichanthera Gigantea: This fast-growing plant, also known as madre de agua, is a popular feed option for livestock. It's easy to propagate and can provide a continuous supply of nutritious leaves.  
Aquatic Plants: Consider growing aquatic plants like azolla or duckweed in ponds or containers. These plants grow rapidly and can provide a constant source of food for your chickens. Just be mindful of predators like frogs that might enjoy a tasty snack.


5. Create a Hen-Friendly Environment:

Free-Range Foraging: Allow your chickens to roam freely in a secure area. They can find many natural treats like insects, worms, and grasses.
Scratch Pad: Plant a small garden or "scratch pad" with vegetables, herbs, and grains that are safe for chickens to consume. This can supplement their diet and provide enrichment.
6. Consider Alternative Feeds:

Sprouted Grains: Sprouting grains like oats, barley, or wheat can increase their nutritional value and make them more digestible for chickens.  
Fermented Feed: Fermenting grains or vegetable scraps can improve their nutritional quality and help preserve them.  
7. Buy in Bulk and Store Wisely:

Bulk Purchases: If you have the storage space, buying feed in bulk can often save you money.  
Proper Storage: Store feed in a cool, dry place to prevent spoilage and maintain its nutritional value.  
By implementing these strategies, you can significantly reduce the cost of feeding your backyard chickens while ensuring their health and well-being. Remember, a well-rounded diet is essential for happy and productive hens.

[Jem Smith]

Nice. I don't have poultry on the same scale as you, but I do some of these things for my chickens. They get a lot of leftover fruit. A couple of things to watch- citrus isn't good for them, and avocado is toxic to all birds. Not that I'd be feeding them avocado, it's relatively expensive here.

I grow some grain for them. They also like sweet potato leaves, which is cool because they get the leaves and I get the sweet potatoes. I used to grow fresh herbs to put in the nesting boxes- wormwood and Rue to repel insects, edible lavender and mint for the smell. I should start doing that again.

We don't have june bugs here, but I do feed them bugs I find in the front yard (the garden they can't get to, they take care of the bugs in the backyard themselves- the free range foraging part). I also give them meal worms. Some people breed the meal worms themselves, which would be cheaper, but I just buy a bag of dried ones.

I keep their eggshells, wash and dry them and grind them up and add it to their feed for the calcium.

I like the idea of growing plants in containers of water. I'm just not sure when I'll be bothered to set it up.

Totally agree about bulk food. We don't grow enough grain so we buy a big sack of it every month or so from the feed store.

[Fergal]

I keep their eggshells, wash and dry them and grind them up and add it to their feed for the calcium

My grandmother had hens many years ago, if an egg broke, she was very careful that they didn't get to eat the shells. She said it would give them a taste for eggs and they would then break and eat the eggs in the chicken coop. I suppose it is much different if you grind them.

[Jem Smith]

I keep their eggshells, wash and dry them and grind them up and add it to their feed for the calcium

My grandmother had hens many years ago, if an egg broke, she was very careful that they didn't get to eat the shells. She said it would give them a taste for eggs and they would then break and eat the eggs in the chicken coop. I suppose it is much different if you grind them.

Yep, that's why we grind the shells up and add them to their food. They don't associate it with the eggs.

[augusta]

That's right I do some of things you state on them especially Keeping my eye out for items nearing their expiration date at grocery stores I do buy them cheaper for my chicken and I don't throw away leftover food but used to feed them

[arunima]

It's interesting article.. It's intriguing to know from Fergal's post above that if they get the taste of the eggs, they might break and eat it. I assumed that they would have that natural parental instinct to safeguard the eggs, no matter what.
Thank you for sharing your personal experience and I am sure that these are some helpful tips.

[Tiern]

The prices of poultry feeds have gone so high that any cheaper alternatives one can explore like restaurants leftovers for chickens is quite valuable.

[Netherrealmer]

I also feed fish guts to my chicken instead of throwing them away

[mrki444]

Can chickens ate apples or tomato? Many people have apple tree but sometimes apples are bad or full or worms. Tomato can be bad to or to grow so it start rot.

[Netherrealmer]

Well Wrestler Brie Bella feed tomatoes to her chickens. They will eat everything

[Jem Smith]

Can chickens ate apples or tomato? Many people have apple tree but sometimes apples are bad or full or worms. Tomato can be bad to or to grow so it start rot.

If you give them apples just make sure to take the seeds out first because the seeds contain cyanide and could be dangerous to them.

[kau13]

I think for chickens, vegetable waste and any spoiled food or stale food . for good nutrition to chickens, different seeds crush powder can be given like corn seed crush, wheat crush.

[Netherrealmer]

I just planted a lot of Madre de agua away from my birds because they love the taste of it.

[eldavis]

To be honest when i saw free on the tittle of this post, i was thinking it has to do with just leaving them to wonder around and eat what they want 😅

[Netherrealmer]

To be honest when i saw free on the tittle of this post, i was thinking it has to do with just leaving them to wonder around and eat what they want 😅

There is a chicken breed who can thrive in neglect they are called Icelandic

[germainebull]

How to feed your chickens free
by augusta » 08 Nov 2024, 21:43

That's right I do some of things you state on them especially Keeping my eye out for items nearing their expiration date at grocery stores I do buy them cheaper for my chicken and I don't throw away leftover food but used to feed them

That's a fantastic approach! Using expired items from grocery stores and leftover food from your own kitchen is a huge part of the "free chicken feed" strategy. It's not just about saving money, but also about reducing food waste and making your operation more sustainable.

You've hit on some of the core principles of feeding chickens on a budget.

[millie998]

I’ve found the easiest win is just letting the chickens free range as much as possible. They’ll dig up bugs, scratch around for greens, and it cuts feed costs way down. Kitchen scraps help too—mine go crazy for leftover rice, veggie ends, and fruit bits (just no onions, chocolate, or avocado).

[Netherrealmer]

The chickens love the the snail and tick season because its free food

[germainebull]

June Bug Feast: Many regions have an abundance of June bugs. You can create simple traps to catch them and feed them to your chickens. This is a free and sustainable way to supplement their diet.
 

This is an attractive approach for poultry farmers. June bugs are often seen in large numbers during the summer and can be easily caught using simple light traps or plastic containers placed near lights at night. Chickens love these insects because they are a source of protein, and feeding them as food increases their diet without much expense. It is a sustainable way to use available resources and reduce reliance on store-bought feed. It also helps control the population of these insects on the farm.