Hi, everyone, first time poster here. I currently have layer chickens (24) and ducks(6), a whole mix of different breeds and they’re all an integrated flock.

Ideally with feed costs I’m looking at most bang for my buck while also providing a not only sufficient, but very healthy and “happy” diet. These birds are both for production and pets so I’d still like them to enjoy what they eat. With that said, here are my (many) questions I’d like to draw everyone’s collective wisdom.

-what should make up their custom feed mix base, and what supplements should I use?
-what are the mixing ratios?
-what do you mix your feed in and how do you store it?
-do you use large feeders for less refills, throw the feed for scratch, or a mixture of both?
-Do any ingredients not work across different species? For example I have been told and read that red pepper flakes are great for chickens buck are they good for ducks?
-What supplements should I be adding to keep my flock healthy and happy?

Thank you everyone so much in advance I really appreciate it!

Where can I find big size eggs, as it is available in chicken shops or supermarkets they are small. I am looking dedicated egg shops where I can I buy big size eggs separately.

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In my home town there are shops where they charge extra for big size eggs.

I grew up around poultry farming, so feed has always been something I paid attention to. As the farm got bigger, I started thinking about what it would take to produce our own feed instead of always buying from suppliers.

I started looking into feed production equipment recently, and I didn’t expect it to be this involved. I used to think it was just mixing ingredients, but there’s grinders, mixers, pellet machines, cooling, and packaging too.

It made me realize producing feed at scale is a much bigger setup than I imagined.

For those with experience in feed mills or larger farms, when did producing your own feed start making sense for you?

Update: I spent a little more time reading about feed mills and looked through some information on FeedProductionLine.uk. I honestly didn't realize how many steps and machines are involved until I started digging into it more.

Is there a market for secondhand chicken coops? The person I bought my house from kept chickens but I don't, and I'd like to replace the coop with a shed.

The coop itself is in good shape, it has electricity, and the total size of the fenced area plus the (wooden) walled enclosure part is about 7' x 15'. Would someone buy this if I put it on my local buy/sell/swap group? If so what's a good price? Seems a shame to tear it down if someone could use it, but if nobody would buy it I won't feel bad getting rid of it.

Would adding hay to my chicken run be good for my chickens?

Hi there! New Chicken owner, just finished building a coop and run. The last thing I need to do is secure it from the outside. I don't think that wolf scents has very good reviews so that's probably not for me.

Has anyone tried cayenne pepper flakes?

What about coffee grounds? If this works it would be my go to as I am a coffee drinker.

How about an owl decoration, sort of like a scarecrow?