• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • r ransom
  • Jay Angler
  • Timothy Norton
stewards:
  • paul wheaton
  • Tereza Okava
  • Nicole Alderman
master gardeners:
  • M Ljin
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • thomas rubino
  • Megan Palmer

Growing your own chicken food.

 
pollinator
Posts: 1499
Location: Zone 10a, Australia
28
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
We live in frost-free coastal NSW USDA zone 10.
We try to get away from commercial chicken food. So far, we get fish heads at our local coop and cook them, the chicken love it!
I have yet to try to cook QLD arrowroot (canna edulis), they don't like it raw.
I know that chickens hate cooked potatoes.
I will try azolla, and BSF and grow more pumpkin.
I planted some sunflowers (I'll see if the birds get them all) and some barley over winter (same with the birds).
I tried to free range but they are a nuissance in the garden and dig too much.
How much of the sunflower and grain can I substitute with alternative feed? How much grain would I still need? How much m2 per chicken would that be?
 
steward
Posts: 18817
Location: USDA Zone 8a
4761
dog hunting food preservation cooking bee greening the desert
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
If I wanted to grow my own chicken food I would do sprouts.

Here are some links that will give you ideas for what others have grown:

https://permies.com/t/366544/grow-chickens-feed

https://permies.com/t/178499/alternative-feeds-chickens

https://permies.com/t/162433/reduce-chicken-feed-consumption
 
pollinator
Posts: 518
Location: Oz; Centre South
165
trees books cooking fiber arts writing
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Most things green that we tend to think of as weeds get chickens excited.  See what they peck at most.  We used to grow trays of sprouted wheat or barley when all the green feed dried up over summer.  Tray, couple of layers of paper towel, seed, water and wait.  Serve when about 5 cm tall. Repeat as necessary for a continuous supply.
 
Because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind - Seuss. Tiny ad:
Learn Permaculture through a little hard work
https://wheaton-labs.com/bootcamp
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic