Comments on: You Can’t Go Cheap On The Chicken Feed

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 13 May 2010 21:36:07 +0000

Hooray! I bet they are much happier. -and I know the produce is healthier.

BTW… I don’t see a way to get notified when you respond to a comment, so if I dont’ answer something, it’s not deliberate. Feel free to e-me if you want.

By: Kendra at New Life On A Homestead

Kendra at New Life On A Homestead — Tue, 11 May 2010 23:13:33 +0000

Michelle-

Actually, since writing this post a while back, we have been free ranging them. They are laying nicely now

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:06:21 +0000

Question… Why don’t you let the hens free range like the roosters? Getting lots of grass, seed heads, and bugs will be extremely good for them and you. Of course, I have no idea what your setting is, if this would be an option for you.

Have you heard of Joel Salatin? Weston A. Price?

By: Dzanna

Dzanna — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:01:55 +0000

Heat definately will affect laying production and rather than stress the hens and shorten their lives we cut back on all corn/laying mash through the hot (we live in the desert) months. They are free range in a back yard with lots of grass, water and not to many (I hope) bugs. I throw any grain that isnt corn at them until it cools off. We go from 7-8 eggs a day down to 1-2 but the hens live longer and are not struggling against an unnatural desire to produce caused by food they wouldnt be getting in this season. Also be sure to wash hands (and baby) throughly after being out with the chickens as they do carry natural bacterias that could be bad for a tiny baby. Love reading your experience and congrats on the new lovely girl.

By: Deanna

Deanna — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:37:12 +0000

We buy our feed from a mennonite community close to us. We have found that we can go down to a 16% protien, save money and still get eggs. I think 20% is recommended. We have also found to shop around for our feed.

Goal….grow my own chicken feed. It sounds interesting…look into it!

By: Kendra at New Life On A Homestead

Kendra at New Life On A Homestead — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:38:36 +0000

Julie,

Thank you! I’m so glad that you are learning along with me. I write my mistakes hoping to help others avoid them!! Keep working hard towards your goal. You’ll be so glad once you’re there!! I appreciate your kind words… my readers keep me going!

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:41:58 +0000

Again, Kendra, I just wanted to tell you how much I LOVE your site! I love the fact that you are around my age w/ VERY similar interests (I would LOVE if we were neighbors LOL), new to the whole homesteading thing and that you are sharing both your successes and “learning experiences”. Not to mention that you are a great writer and your post are always humerous and make me smile…. God bless you and your family. They’re beautiful!

About the chickens… I’m in the process of building a chicken coop and a chicken tractor. I probably won’t start with chickens until the spring but you never know. I work full time (for now; hoping to change that after 2-3 years of paying off debt and saving for a place of our own) & have 2 very small kiddos so I don’t want to pile on another task until I’m ready and have the time needed. But in the meantime I’m reading tons of books and info about raising chickens. My favorite site is backyardchickens.com (It’s wonderful!). Thank you for sharing your journey with us! I am enjoying learning with you.

Have a blessed day,
Julie

By: anna

anna — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:19:58 +0000

We have Rhode Island Reds, but the eggs seem so SMALL to us, because we also have ducks, and next to a duck egg, the RIR eggs are just puny. LoL!! I guess it’s all in perspective. Sometime if you can, try an aracuna – they lay green, blue, teal, or pink eggs (ours are teal). Gives a new meaning to green eggs and ham. Of course it’s just the shell, but it’s such a conversation starter…!

We mix cracked corn in with the layer feed, to stretch it a little, and it never affected their laying at all. The goats didn’t take kindly to that trick, but the ducks and chickens never even noticed.

BTW, I found your site about a week ago, and loved going back through your entire archive. I do have a site, but sharing will keep for another day…

By: Nancy M.

Nancy M. — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:25:10 +0000

They say you’re not supposed to feed scratch feed when it’s hot, because it raises the chickens body temperature. I wish I could let mine free range again because I saved a lot of money then.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:29:04 +0000

Thanks for the heads up…I’m about out of scratch and will now get layer feed as my girls should start laying any time now.

And I have to say…Xia is a BEAUTIFUL baby!