Where to get feed and keeping the cost down

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Where to get feed and keeping the cost down
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TimNeo

Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 636
Location: Ashingdon, UK

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 14 7:46 pm Post subject:
do they eat grain left over from brewing?

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 7:15 am Post subject:
they probably would, but I think it may ferment in their gut and cause problems.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 7:36 am Post subject:
I buy bagged wheat from a local farmer for �4.50p per 25kg. I picked up 15 bags of oats from the same chap yesterday to make up part of my pigs ration. I'll be milling them through the super duper mill that I bought off Tahir a few years back. Cutting your cloth is fine, just as long as the critters don't suffer as a result.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 8:07 am Post subject:

Tavascarow wrote:

Not possible now but a local cereal farmer might be happy to sell a tonne or two of wheat off the field in the late summer.
Keeping it from the rats is the difficult bit.

With only three hens, I'd reckon the rats would probably leave enough from a couple of tons.

TimNeo

Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 636
Location: Ashingdon, UK

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 9:13 am Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

I buy bagged wheat from a local farmer for �4.50p per 25kg. I picked up 15 bags of oats from the same chap yesterday to make up part of my pigs ration.

I'll be milling them through the super duper mill that I bought off Tahir a few years back. Cutting your cloth is fine, just as long as the critters don't suffer as a result.

I was thinking pellets as they're fairly balanced. Thrown in with the veg offcuts, scraps, odd worm, grubs, caterpillars, slugs and snails etc.

Do they eat bind weed? If so I have enough of a crop to feed 10,000.

Not trying to cut cloth particularly, just not wasting money buying stuff from petshops which has already had a couple of mark ups on it down the chain - if I can get the feed cheaper without compromising on quality I'll be happy.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 9:27 am Post subject:
If you could find something that would eat bindweed, you'd be a millionaire. Dave Castlefarm swears by a grain only diet for his birds

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9891
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 12:04 pm Post subject:
find your local feed merchants - ring around find the best price - if I were you I would start with layers pellets, then contemplate switching to something else once you are settled, if you want to.

pollyanna

Joined: 03 Nov 2012
Posts: 221

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 12:10 pm Post subject:
Pet shops are so much not the right place to buy the things you need!

mal55

Joined: 15 Jul 2009
Posts: 168
Location: Erewash or in the dog house

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 12:14 pm Post subject:
I've recently started using Duffields layers pellets. They seem to be good quality and cost me �7.50 for a 20kg sack which is the cheapest I've found for a while now. Look on their website for stockists in your area. You may pay more down there though. You could also try be-friending a small-holder who buys in bulk and adding a couple of sacks to their order.

TimNeo

Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 636
Location: Ashingdon, UK

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 12:43 pm Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

If you could find something that would eat bindweed, you'd be a millionaire.

Dave Castlefarm swears by a grain only diet for his birds

Remember, not an expert, don't they need grit and calcium for eggs and grinding it down? Assumed it had it in pellets.

edit: not grit I assume though

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 1:15 pm Post subject:
You can have some grit available but free ranging birds tend to find sufficient themselves.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 14 3:49 pm Post subject:

One thing to be aware of is the use by date. Not only will some places have slow moving stock but with only a few hens you may not use a 20kg sack in time.

If you do go to a shop have a nose through the bags and pick the one with the longest date.

As for grit you get two types. Soluble, for use in making shells, and insoluble for use in their crops for grinding food. Layers mash and pellets tend to have soluble calcium in them but you can also supplement that with something like oystershell grit or mixed grit.

Wortle

Joined: 15 Apr 2010
Posts: 5

Posted: Sat May 24, 14 9:37 am Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

I buy bagged wheat from a local farmer for �4.50p per 25kg.t.

Good grief,how much are you buying to get that price. Anyone have a good value supplier for wheat / layers pellets in south devon. MVF seem to be the most competitive at the moment at 7.99 for 25kg(LP)

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat May 24, 14 9:48 am Post subject:
I guess he's buying some, but not a massive amount. More importantly, it's from the farmer direct. What he's not paying for is the shiny bag, shop front and truck.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sat May 24, 14 10:15 pm Post subject:
Wheat is very low at the moment, just �150/tonne. Food shortages are a myth.

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