NEEPS

felixcanis · Neepster Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 143 Location: Moray

Hi

I was wondering about layers pellet prices - is there a cheap place to buy them?

We buy in big sacks of Harbro from our local agri supplier for £7.50. We have 11 birds & they eat about a sack every 2 weeks.

How much do you pay & where do you get your supplies?

Kind regards

FelixC

Maidenstone · Neepster Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 303

All the time I had my chickens I only fed them whole wheat as they were truly free range and probably got as much protein from the worms etc that they slurped up during their wanderings. I don't know what else layers pellets contain but it never looked good on the labels. My hens preferred the wheat and ignored any pellets I did ever try them with. However, I don't know of a cheaper supply, but if you look at the price of free range eggs in Tesco, I think you are getting a pretty good deal from your birds, considering how many eggs you must be getting. You could try 'watering down' the pellets with whole wheat, they probably don't need quite as many goodies as they get in the pellets.
It's easy to be an expert when I am sitting here chickenless - but that is a temporary state while I consider how to stop feeding foxes with my birds!
_________________
Local food - better by far!

Martin · Neepster Joined: 16 Sep 2007 Posts: 663

You're finding out that chicken feed ain't (chicken feed) to buy - this is why commercial egg farmers usually cull after one long extended season- all the time they're laying the sums make sense, but if you let them go off lay over the winter (as you should, to let them "have a rest"), they're expensive as there's no eggs to defray the costs of feed.
Amongst other horrors to watch out for in cheap feed is DPM - literally dried poultry manure - it contains bags of protein, so they'll send it round again!

One of the few ways to cut good feed prices is to buy it in bulk, unbagged - you're probably paying a lot for the sack and it's filling - may be worthwhile asking a local free-range farmer with a silo if he'd sell you some "loose"
_________________
http://solarwind.org.uk

pete_inthehills · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:19 am Post subject:

the other thing you have to look out for is that some layers pellets contain stuff that is toxic to horses. I think they are universally called cyclo-hexanes, but I'm not entirely sure of the name.

pete
inthehills
_________________
Pete
www.beggshillbothy.co.uk

felixcanis · Neepster Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 143 Location: Moray

Thanks to all for the replies thus far.

Our chickens free range in a part of our vegetable garden, they supplement their diet with toms & courgettes from the polytunnel, various grubs and I've even seen them arguing over a dead field vole.

We get good value for money from the hens at the moment, but if we could save a bit, then it all helps.

We don't have horses.

Does anyone here buy 20kg sacks of layers pellets & if so, how much do you pay - is it much less than £7.50? If it is much less, who is your supplier?

Thanks

FelixC

wildgarlic · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:38 pm Post subject:

I don't buy at the mo, but do know that I used to make sure the chicken feed was GM free - Harbro couldn't say that it was GM free so I didn't buy from there.

Norvite (Insch but have a feeling they have other outlets) sell (I think) Spillers, which is GM free. Can't remember the price off hand and it fluctuates quite a bit too. It might even be a 25kg bag.
_________________
Neeps Flickr Group - check out some of the fab photos from other Neepsters and share some of your own.

Julie · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 12:48 pm Post subject:

Felixcanis,
i notice your location is Moray, so this might be of some use to you.
There is a place on the road between Keith and Buckie (The main road that you have to go out of Keith towards Fochabers to take for Buckie) A friend of ours gets their hen food there. This same friend is a forum member called Sandra, so you could try sending a pm for more information.
I know they pay less from there than I do at Harbro, so it might be near to you, depending on whereabouts you are of course.
_________________
It is better to light a candle than to rail against the darkness
VOTE WITH YOUR FEET!

Sassinak · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 5:28 pm Post subject:

There is aldy in Strichen who advertises cheap layers pellets and mixed corn in the Scot Ads (As well as loads of breeds of chickens) I keep meaning to go and get some and see what the quality is like
_________________
Sassinak
Checkout my grandson's band
www.engravedMetal.co.uk

www.whinhill.me.uk
Our Dogs - www.nyumbanibordercollies.co.uk

andybebbington · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 6:13 pm Post subject:

i used to get from sue its a good bit cheaper than from the shops, she has a heap of breeds there aswell we got a fair few hatching eggs i ended up getting it by the ton my self and got it even cheaper hers is the east coast viners one
_________________
why do feet smell and noses run?

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad!

Sassinak · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 6:37 pm Post subject:

Really nice lady as long as you aren't sensitive to 'blue' language LOL
_________________
Sassinak
Checkout my grandson's band
www.engravedMetal.co.uk

www.whinhill.me.uk
Our Dogs - www.nyumbanibordercollies.co.uk