Growing feed

15 years ago

I am looking for suggestions for feed grains for my poultry. As the costs of fuel keeps going up, so will the costs of everything else including the feed for our livestock. I live on the Colorado Plains, so I don't have irrigation water. It will have to be watered by soaker hoses or by good old Mother Nature. I have been compiling a list from other forums and would like anyones opinion on my list or what is on their own list and why.

My current list: Oats, Millet, Wheat, Alaska Peas, and maybe a decorative drying corn that I picked up from a local farm a few years ago. I figure if the corn does not work for the poultry, I can feed it to hogs next year.

All input is greatly appreciated.

Billie

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Comments (5)

rozannadanna
15 years ago
will chickens eat sunflower seeds?
beagler1776
15 years ago
Wow, so glad you posted Billie. Last night my DH had to try out his newly acquired, but run down (hobby) seed planter... He planted a small plot of oats as a cheap test... We too are hoping to learn more about growing and mixing our own chicken feed. Actually rabbit and goat feed growing info would be appreciated also...
We currently grow some mixed alfalfa hay and lots of orchard grass. Anyone experienced in using these have any advice? How many parts and what easy types of "greens" should make up a chicken's diet? Will/should they ever eat dried hay? Part of our farm is leased to a "real" farmer who grows (Round-Up ready???) soybeans n corn. We're trying to stick to organic gardening ourselves, but free grains might be worth considering I guess... Opinions/ideas?
I apologize for my dumb questions and don't mean to hijack this thread!
TIA
:-) Leslie
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billie_ladybug
Original Author
15 years ago
I am guessing I am one of only two crazy people willing to take on this type of project, so I did a little searching for us. Here is a web site that has quite a bit of information. Lets compare notes and see what we come up with.

Billie

Here is a link that might be useful: Poultry Feed & Nutrition info
billie_ladybug
Original Author
15 years ago
If you scroll down some there is a recipe for differnt protein % feeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chicken feed
claraserena
15 years ago
Billie
I'm still trying to get organic feed for my chickens and this year we are finally going to try to grow some grains. I bought barley, oats wheat and flax seeds. About 6-7 acres of our land is alfalfa (and grass)--a farmer cuts the alfalfa and we let him have it. So we would start to cultivate maybe an acre of that. I don't like the idea of just tilling it up--in part because the grass and alfalfa will come right back. I see "alfalfa meal" listed as one thing to put in a feed mix for chickens--what is "alfalfa meal"? I have these seeds and we should be able plant in a week. I would also like to plant safflower seeds as the chickens eat a lot of those--but so far I can't find organic.
And our chickens free-range so I'm afraid they will eat the seeds as I plant them! (our vegetable garden is fenced.)
This first year might just a learning experience!
Let's try to keep this post going.!