If the SHTF how will you feed your chickens?

[Rachel'sFlock]

Seems to me, the SHTF can be as non-global as losing your job, or having your income cut in half. Maybe the end of the whole world isn't the only reason to start stocking up on some extra feed, when times are all right.
Thanks for the idea!

Bright Blessings

 

[Wifezilla]

According to this pastured chickens have a higher omega 3 content in their eggs even without adding flax seeds...
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/Health-Benefits-Free-Range-Eggs.aspx

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

If the SHTF...

"Chickens??? What chickens??"

 

[freemotion]

Flax seed is an advertising gimmick of the commercial egg industry, so if your birds free range at all, their eggs are off the charts already compared to any confined, flax-fed birds!

 

[Mackay]

Yes, but, we can only free range part of the year. 4 or 5 months at best.... so I'm wondering what I can do to feed them to keep that quality up in the long long long winter we have.

 

[sufficientforme]

Greens, Costco is my best friend for produce for my animals, most of it is organic and very cheap. I always pick up a bunch of pumpkins after Halloween that are dirt cheap or free to feed the birds for months, crack them open and they are in heaven. I even occasionally throw in a flake of alfalfa to my birds and they love it. There are things you can do but as long as they are on a good layer feed they will produce all the same except for molting and mine are affected when weather changes significantly hot cold etc.

 

[Ldychef2k]

If I had chickens, when TSHTF, they would feed me. I am not likely to ever get chickens, however, since our city doesn't allow them. But more importantly, I do not like animals except in the occasional photograph. You may all now beat me about the head and shoulders!

 

[Mackay]

 

[big brown horse]

Also, check your local grocery stores, mine has a "chicken food" bin in the back of the produce section, year round. They fill it with over ripe fruit and veggies. You have to get there early though, free chicken/pig food is a hot commodity around here.

Kale is an easy green to grow and my chickens and ducks go gaga over it.

Great idea about sprouting Bee, thanks to free, I already feed my horses soaked (in whey and water) whole oats. I now am feeding less than 1/2 of what they used to eat.

I soak and rinse them in a big batch on the weekend and then store them in the "beer fridge" during the week in a covered 5 gallon bucket. So far, so good. (Fat, glossy horses, even my 26+ year old.)

 

[SKR8PN]

I also feed my hens hot oatmeal, cooked with milk, and and one of their own eggs diced into it. The LOVE me in the winter time!!