tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post30702311726282004..comments2024-03-26T06:30:07.649-05:00Comments on Green Roof Growers: What's in Chicken Feed?Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04901484046810490059noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-3332170533501225832012-02-02T10:20:35.538-06:002012-02-02T10:20:35.538-06:00dont forget fresh fruits and vegetables. try going...dont forget fresh fruits and vegetables. try going to neighborhood grocers and asking for their 'scrap out.' it will probably not be organic but grocers throw out tons of perfectly good lettuce, kale, cabbage, other greens, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, all of which your chickens will love.cpoolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00797217800606714846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-15510133748253215702012-01-24T07:24:19.816-06:002012-01-24T07:24:19.816-06:00Good point elfrïïde.
The non-soy feed I'm usi...Good point elfrïïde.<br /><br />The non-soy feed I'm using now does have flaxmeal, but it also has the problematic fish and crab meal.<br /><br />I'm not sure of the percentages of the latter two, but going from the ingredient list, there is more flax than fish/crab in the feed.<br /><br />Here's what the feed label says, with higher on the list corresponding to a higher percentage of the whole mix:<br /><br />corn<br />flaxmeal<br />wheat<br />fishmeal<br />peas<br />crabmeal<br />alfalfa<br /><br />For now this is the best I can do, but hopefully I can get away from the "unnatural" products.Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04901484046810490059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-71187269979606558442012-01-24T03:02:15.191-06:002012-01-24T03:02:15.191-06:00soy is definitely not good or considered as a food...soy is definitely not good or considered as a food at all. in addition to that, soy is one of the main GMO crops and it means treated with roundup and other chemicals. this means that traces of these toxins are in the soy. <br /><br />but also a fish is not a proper food for hens - naturally they don't eat it. but as opposite, flaxseeds are very good and also a natural food for hens. if you feed them with a natural pure food (for expample cabbage leaves (raw or steamed), weeds and oatmeal (boiled)) and they are free range chikens, they just naturally produce omega 3 fatty acids to their eggs. factories are feeding their hens with fishmeal and other crap, because in these sick conditions chickens are not available to produce omega3's naturally.elfriide trammhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08617857775324779683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-88968650421207816022012-01-15T21:13:24.635-06:002012-01-15T21:13:24.635-06:00H2,
I suppose it's possible. Not sure how t...H2, <br /><br />I suppose it's possible. Not sure how to go about doing it though.<br /><br />I hope they keep laying for a good long while so I don't have to find out how I can get a hold of a rooster.Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04901484046810490059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-27794617695670673852012-01-15T21:11:27.137-06:002012-01-15T21:11:27.137-06:00Just wondering: could you bring in a rooster to fe...Just wondering: could you bring in a rooster to fertilize the eggs at the end of the hens' laying life to produce your next batch of chicks?H2https://www.blogger.com/profile/05697081429612903875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-66016697826472621092012-01-15T19:48:31.953-06:002012-01-15T19:48:31.953-06:00Hi Jim,
I sell them for $3.50/dozen, all to frien...Hi Jim,<br /><br />I sell them for $3.50/dozen, all to friends and neighbors, who understand they're getting a deal. With feed costs about $0.21/egg*, I'm left with about $1/dozen in "profit". That doesn't take into account all the other expenses or my time, so you're right, it's not much of a business.<br /><br />On the other hand, I'm lucky enough not to have to do it for the money. Also I'm learning, among other things, that I will never get paid what I think the eggs are worth.<br /><br />*Rough numbers I used to calculate feed costs/egg:<br /><br />.25 lb of feed per chicken per day<br />Cost of organic feed = $0.50/lb<br />Each chicken estimated to lay 220 eggs per year.<br /><br />They'll probably lay that many for another year or so. Then I'll have to decide if they'll become stewing chickens and start over with a new batch of chicks.Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04901484046810490059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3161424655689380473.post-78981137664168517332012-01-15T19:34:04.674-06:002012-01-15T19:34:04.674-06:00I was wondering how much you sell your eggs for? $...I was wondering how much you sell your eggs for? $24 for feeds sounds like it would be tough to make money. I am paying about $20 per hundred pounds and at that I dont really think I am making money? I have 15 hens. Thanks JimJimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15234262191524479930noreply@blogger.com