While most of us don't keep backyard chickens for the money, it's always helpful to save a few bucks as we feed our feathered friends.
Here are . . .
3 Ways to Save on Feed for Your Backyard Flock
#1. Free-range or modified free-range
While your chickens probably can't get all the food they need from foraging, giving them the freedom to roam your yard lets them supplement their feed with
- bugs
- plants, and
- microbes that keep them healthy and full.
Free-ranged chickens also tend to get plenty of grit from their foraging, meaning that they'll need less of it with their feed.
Not everyone can truly free-range their chickens, but housing them in a moveable chicken tractor that gives them access to the ground for grass and bugs provides many of the same benefits.
#2. Daily Rationing
Laying hens only need about 1/4 lb of feed per day. (Varies slightly by breed.) But if feed is constantly available, they tend to eat much more than they need.
Instead of filling a large feeder once a week, try using a trough feeder, or simply scattering the feed on the ground (make sure it's in a clean area). Once the chickens have cleaned up their portion for the day, they are forced to forage if they want extra "snacks".
#3. Ferment Your Feed
The practice of fermenting (soaking) your feed for 1-3 days before feeding is an easy and highly effective way of cutting down feed costs.
Since the feed is pre-soaked, it will be easier to digest and your chickens will fill up faster.
Soaking feed also makes the nutrients more accessible so you'll end up with healthier hens and higher quality eggs.
For a thorough list of benefits and step-by-step guide to fermenting chicken feed, check out this article by homesteadandchill.com
*BONUS: Feed Kitchen Scraps
Food scraps from your own kitchen that will be thrown out anyway make a wonderful supplment to the chickens' normal feed ration.
Chickens are omnivores and can eat a wider variety of foods than humans.
However, a word of CAUTION, be careful with heavily processed foods or foods that are very moldly. These can be harmful if chickens get too much of them.
Any scraps of bread, meats, dairy, fruits or vegetables are a safe bet and can reduce your feed costs significantly.
Conclusion: Whether you're raising eggs to sell for profit, or simply keeping chickens as a hobbiest, these simple practices can lower your costs and make your flock more efficient.
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