Got chickens? Well, you know how expensive feed can be. With COVID prices have gone up and I don’t think they will be going down anytime soon. And for me, free-ranging is not an option as I am a backyard farmer and don’t have space.
But there are still a few ways I can save on feed, while still giving them all the nutrients they need.
Ok…, so you want to know how? I grow extra crops that I cut and feed to my girls.
Growing food for your chicken is not new, I haven’t invented the wheel. But I did have to figure out what to grow in my small space, that would not take away from what I grow for my family to eat.
These are the crops I grow that both the bird and the family can enjoy.
Alfalfa– I grow it near the back of my yard. The birds like it and I used it in the garden as mulch and fertilizer tea.
Kale– Grown in containers to save space, I can have enough for the birds and the family due to the large leaves and fast growth rate.
Mustard Greens– As with Kale, Mustards are fast-growing and here in zone 9, I can grow them all year.
Sunflowers– I grow 3 rows of Mammoth Sunflowers each year along both sides of my yard. The family and the birds love the seeds as a snack and the wall of sunflowers adds shade to the yard in the hottest summer months allowing me a cool place to plant lettuce and tender greens. Not to mention they are beautiful.
Grapes and Berries– From time to time I give them fruits as snacks. They really love the grapes.
Buckwheat – 2021 will be the first time I’ve grown buckwheat, but the plan is to feed the birds and let the flowers attract hoverflies and other beneficial insects, suppresses weeds, and adds bulk to the compost pile. Again my garden is small, so composting material is in short supply.
These are a few ways I’ve found to save money and keep my chicks well feed. I still purchase 2 bags of feed (instead of 5) and 1 bag of scratch each month. But for now, this feeds 8 hens and 53 quail.
My hope is to grow and mix my own feed soon, but for now, this works.