How much animal feed do you keep on hand??
- Thread starter Nuggetsowner:)
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Nuggetsowner:)
Lovin' The Homestead
Well, I now have at least a three week supply (probably a little more) of all feed in the garage workshop. Dh is not so happy about it cause I put the feed into large metal trash cans and between the chicken feed, scratch, and dog food there are 6 containers. He said next summer we will add some sort of "feed room" on one of the coops so he can have his space back. He is too busy now or I think he would have it done sooner!!
Homesteadmom
Frugal Homesteader
I had a 50lb bag ahead on chicken feed, but missed last mos cut off for ordering so I will need to get ahead again. But I must say on the other animals we are lacking(except cats 1 mo ahead there too). We are trying to get ahead on hay. The ram we could put in the yard & let him graze & he would be okay. The chickens could go in the garden & be okay too. It's the cattle I would be concerned about the most & for that matter if a major disaster hit we would probobly just butcher the older one & eliminate her feed needs. And that would increase our food supply then. We have a generator for back up power.
the simple life
Yard Farmer
I usually buy a month at a time during the spring/summer, but in the winter I have my stock ready to go.
I never get below 100 lbs of chicken feed and 50 lbs for the dogs.
The dog food is much easier to get so I don't worry about that as much.
I like to get a 6 month supply built up by the end of october, so I pick a couple of hundred pounds of chicken feed at a time every time I go to the feed store.
I do the same for the dogs. It only takes a couple of trips to get everything I need stored for the winter.
I would say about 600 lbs for the chickens for the winter will do it.
I do the same with the bedding for the coop.
I never get below 100 lbs of chicken feed and 50 lbs for the dogs.
The dog food is much easier to get so I don't worry about that as much.
I like to get a 6 month supply built up by the end of october, so I pick a couple of hundred pounds of chicken feed at a time every time I go to the feed store.
I do the same for the dogs. It only takes a couple of trips to get everything I need stored for the winter.
I would say about 600 lbs for the chickens for the winter will do it.
I do the same with the bedding for the coop.
I'd like to bring this topic back to the top of the board by twisting the original question slightly...
OK, on my little hobby farm, I raise chickens, geese, rabbits, miniature horses and llamas...(not counting cats and dog.) I supplement the pasture with a fair amount of pellets, grasses and hay.
Has anyone put any thought into the type of foods grown on small acreage to offset cost of feeding? I do not have enough land to really be able to plant enough corn or hay to supply my critters, so I have been planning a very intensive garden- tons of fast growing greens (nearly year round) carrots, turnips and mangels for winter storage...sunflowers, flax, squash, pumpkins, fruit trees already established. I intend to dehydrate as many greens, fruits and squashes as possible to feed during leaner times. I have room to add wildlife friendly windbreak plants- serviceberries, autumn olive, Russian Olive, etc to provide additional browse for my own birds and wildlife.
I even may rake and dry falling leaves (careful not to rake toxic varieties) to give the chickens and llamas later in the season. Llamas are much like goats- they LOVE to browse on just about anything. And I'm sure neighbors would let us do the same on their properties. I also plan to ask neighbors if we can cut their pastures, as most folks are older now and have given up their livestock. Windfall apples abound in our area- great for making dried apple leathers, slices and bits for a livestock treat.
I have a patch of ground around my greenhouse that I intended to grow wildflowers in- and I still will, along with millet, some oats and other species that chickies will love to harvest themselves.
I've also been reading about building large compost piles for chickens to scratch in- think of all the lovely bugs and worms that the birds can find for themselves...along with adding their own fertilizer and tilling to the compost!
And another thought that should have its own thread- how to beef up the fertility and nutrients in your pasture mix to keep the growth healthy for your animals. Rotation grazing is a must for us too- our pastures are beoming exhausted...my llamas will have a summer vacation on a neighbor's property while our grass is re-seeded with a better mix (and
natural browse such as herbs and flowers) so the critters can get more of the nutrients they need in a natural form.
So this is my new game and goal this year- to see what feeds I can think of to raise for my pets, how much food I can actually provide and if I can reduce the amount of 'feedstore bought" feed and supplements.
Help me out here- post some of your ideas too!
OK, on my little hobby farm, I raise chickens, geese, rabbits, miniature horses and llamas...(not counting cats and dog.) I supplement the pasture with a fair amount of pellets, grasses and hay.
Has anyone put any thought into the type of foods grown on small acreage to offset cost of feeding? I do not have enough land to really be able to plant enough corn or hay to supply my critters, so I have been planning a very intensive garden- tons of fast growing greens (nearly year round) carrots, turnips and mangels for winter storage...sunflowers, flax, squash, pumpkins, fruit trees already established. I intend to dehydrate as many greens, fruits and squashes as possible to feed during leaner times. I have room to add wildlife friendly windbreak plants- serviceberries, autumn olive, Russian Olive, etc to provide additional browse for my own birds and wildlife.
I even may rake and dry falling leaves (careful not to rake toxic varieties) to give the chickens and llamas later in the season. Llamas are much like goats- they LOVE to browse on just about anything. And I'm sure neighbors would let us do the same on their properties. I also plan to ask neighbors if we can cut their pastures, as most folks are older now and have given up their livestock. Windfall apples abound in our area- great for making dried apple leathers, slices and bits for a livestock treat.
I have a patch of ground around my greenhouse that I intended to grow wildflowers in- and I still will, along with millet, some oats and other species that chickies will love to harvest themselves.
I've also been reading about building large compost piles for chickens to scratch in- think of all the lovely bugs and worms that the birds can find for themselves...along with adding their own fertilizer and tilling to the compost!
And another thought that should have its own thread- how to beef up the fertility and nutrients in your pasture mix to keep the growth healthy for your animals. Rotation grazing is a must for us too- our pastures are beoming exhausted...my llamas will have a summer vacation on a neighbor's property while our grass is re-seeded with a better mix (and
natural browse such as herbs and flowers) so the critters can get more of the nutrients they need in a natural form.
So this is my new game and goal this year- to see what feeds I can think of to raise for my pets, how much food I can actually provide and if I can reduce the amount of 'feedstore bought" feed and supplements.
Help me out here- post some of your ideas too!
Patch of Heaven Farm
Lovin' The Homestead
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I think it is a great idea! We are planting field corn to help with feed cost but I also want to try mangels. We have a lot of green leafy veggies for the rabbits and of course the pigs are not real picky so any thinnings/veggie scraps will go to them or the chickens. I hope next year we can grow about 50-60 % of all our animals feed. Just need to figure out what I can grow and make sure they have all the nutrition that they need. I too would love to know others ideas in growing and storing animal feed.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
Cybercat, welcome to SS!
If you check out my journal you will find similar discussions on rotational grazing, growing mangels, squash and sprouting grains for livestock. I am starting this type of feeding structure this spring with sheep and a Large Black hog.
I chose this type of grazing to develop my native perennial grasses so that my chickens have a more nutritious choice of greens, so I can mow my orchard and yard without using fuel, and so my neighbor can get a clue!
The folks on here who want to learn about this type of farming have read up on Joel Salatin's farming practices and seem to find them most economical and productive...even for us smallholders. He has written a few books describing his methodology and you might find them of interest.
I like his idea of utilizing his own manure production and how he gets this accomplished. I am going to try it next winter if I can gather enough carbonaceous materials this spring and summer to use in this venture.
If you check out my journal you will find similar discussions on rotational grazing, growing mangels, squash and sprouting grains for livestock. I am starting this type of feeding structure this spring with sheep and a Large Black hog.
I chose this type of grazing to develop my native perennial grasses so that my chickens have a more nutritious choice of greens, so I can mow my orchard and yard without using fuel, and so my neighbor can get a clue!
The folks on here who want to learn about this type of farming have read up on Joel Salatin's farming practices and seem to find them most economical and productive...even for us smallholders. He has written a few books describing his methodology and you might find them of interest.
I like his idea of utilizing his own manure production and how he gets this accomplished. I am going to try it next winter if I can gather enough carbonaceous materials this spring and summer to use in this venture.
SKR8PN
Late For Supper
WE just started doing the same thing with our dog food. I have a 5 gallon bucket/gamma sealed, full of dog food that we rotate in with the fresh stuff and refill as needed. That is about a 2 weeks supply.dzook said:
Thanks for the welcome, Beekissed!Beekissed said:
I haven't delved into the personal journals section yet, but am really looking forward to reading them. Yikes! Yours is 83 pages long! I'll have to make popcorn first...
Does anyone grow comfrey for their animals? I read conflicting opinions on this plant, but understand that geese think its quite a treat. And quite a pesky plant if it gets out of control.
Hi Jessica,Patch of Heaven Farm said:
Have you tried drying any of your greens for the rabbits? I wonder if they'd like them. I know the chickens will peck at them. I live in Oregon where its zone 8, so I know I can keep greens going all winter, but having dried and stored stock is somehow important to me.
Leanne
