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Barnyard Buddies:  What do you feed your chickens?  |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 12 2011 : 09:53:32 AM
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Hey Ya'll! I want to know what everyone feeds their chickens apart from chicken feed. I also want to know what not to feed chickens. I have heard not to feed them potato peels. Also, is how you feed meat chickens different than layers?
Thanks, I know I will get the best information available from you!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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amomfly
True Blue Farmgirl
658 Posts
Angie
LaGrange
IN
USA
658 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2011 : 09:59:12 AM
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I do offer a layer mash blend to all laying hens. I also feed all my chickens all kinds of scrapes, including meat. I also have given them suet blocks in really cold weather. They alos get used bedding from the goats and horses and grass clippings in the summer.
Now my meat birds are kept in closer quarters then I usually like. If they get to much exercise they do not get big enough for 4-H. I feed them a special meat bird or turkey feed. They also get scrapes, cut grass, and bedding.
If you use grass clipping it must not have any treatments on it! I hope this all helps.
Come visit my blog
http://angieruralliving.blogspot.com/
God Bless
Angie-amomfly
#1038 |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2011 : 10:23:25 AM
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Thanks! Thats a good start. I'm assuming you mean cooked meat scraps?
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2011 : 12:35:20 PM
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I also feed mine meat and fat. I get meat bones and meat scraps from a butcher for my dogs. So the chickens get the really big bones to pick at and the fat. Theu eat mice and frogs too. Mine a free ranging. Now that pigs are gone they will get the kitchen scraps. I have thrown them the potato peels. They just don't eat them. So I put them in the compost. Which they get into anyway. They get layer crumbles in the morning and a little scratch in the evening. I will cut that way back to nothing now that it's getting warmer. They need it in winter but not now.
Oh, and the just LOVE goat poo! They will follow the goats and pounce on it as soon as it hits the ground. Also cow poo. And now they will be able to go into the pig pen and chow down on that poo.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2011 : 12:45:34 PM
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Lovely? LOL Thats about as organic as it gets! I never thought to give mine meat/bones. They sure loved the japanese beetles. I have seen them eat lizards. So I knew they were omnivores. Just not thinkin I guess.
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2011 : 2:44:16 PM
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Here at The Old Batz Farm I spoil my chickens big time but then I have no children living here...he's 33 he can live on his own! :) I am in a wonderful grain co-op so I can get 50lb bags of raw oats, stone ground oats, cornmeal, 7 grain mix & 25 lbs of flaxseed, wheat germ & sunflower seeds, They get this in the cold months mixed the chicken feed & with either milk, homemade yogurt or powdered milk as their breakfast. I also buy dried mealy worms that they get as a daytime treat for the extra protein in the winter.
I also buy human calcium tablets that I grind up to mix a few tablespoons of it in their feed in the winter.
Nice weather they get treats of cheerios, chex cereal, lettuces, apple peels I froze the fall before. frozen pumpkin when its super hot, every fall I cook up pumpkins for the household & the chickens....they get this warmed up in the winter. I don't feed them scraps as there is so few of them in this house but they do occasionally get stale bread & when I cook pasta I always save some of it for them as the same with shrimp...though they only get bits of the shrimp!
they also get tuna thats in water ever so often...I buy it as a treat for the cats & the chickens wanted it too.
This year since my hubby is out of country I am doing our larger garden just for the chickens...lettuces, lambs quarters, kales & greens.
Yeah I know I really need another hobby don't I???!! Michele'
Chickens rule!
The Old Batz Farm
Hen #2622 |
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Barnyard Buddies: What do you feed your chickens? |
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What do you feed your chickens?
