Sourcing Feed

We’ve talked in detail about the quality of food mattering - let’s break it down a little further to where we can access this food when we want to buy it and how to most effectively budget with feed! 

There are a couple of options here. 

If you’re local to the Jacksonville area, I encourage you to go check out Charley’s Chicks. They recently began selling Non GMO - corn free/soy free feed. They offer pick up or delivery options! 

Charley helped out with out collective day and taught all about chickens - if you missed it, tune in here:

My absolute favorite place to source feed from, that isn’t local to me, is New Country Organics. Their corn free/soy free selection is amazing. 

Also, if you’re new to chickens (or even if you’re not) let me tell you a little tidbit that we implement here at the farm: all of our chickens (regardless of age or purpose) are fed starter chick feed. 

Now that may sound crazy to you - but hear me out!! 

If you buy starter chick feed - adult chickens, meat birds of all ages and baby egg layer chicks can all eat the same feed - which means, you can bulk buy your feed for your farm or homestead and save big bucks. (You just need to have a tote to store the food in!)

We love using old pickle barrels to hold our feed. It keeps it protected from other animals and the elements outside - you may be able to find them at your local feed store in town - otherwise look up the closest ones to you online. 

Now it is worth noting that once egg layers start producing, they need increased calcium in their diets. For our egg laying birds, we save the egg shells and throw them back to them. 

I have seen many people cook the shells - we don’t cook them at all. We just save them in our compost bin as we use them and toss them back. I’ll even toss them whole eggs every now and again - chicks love eating their eggs - just be mindful not to encourage them to crack their shells. Our chickens only eat already cracked eggs and leave whole eggs alone! 

If ordering in bulk isn’t your jam, you can find corn free/soy free organic feeds online in 40 lb increments and buy as needed.