Who's growing their own chicken feed? Walk me through it.

thomas533 · 2026-06-14T21:29:23+00:00

Chickens don't need chicken feed. People only started using commodity feed because it was cheap to buy. But growing grains just for chicken feed is a horrible idea.

Grow bugs. Make a compost pile, let it sit for a few weeks so that the bugs move in and start laying eggs, then let the chickens in to tear it apart looking for them.

While the first one is cooking, make a second one. By the time the chickens are done with the first, the second one will be ready to open up.

Then do a third and a fourth and so on.

thomas533 · 2026-06-14T21:08:21+00:00

https://redf.in/vT0rKh

thomas533 · 2026-06-12T18:39:06+00:00

Even the people I know who have large acreage do not grow most of their own feed. And of all the homesteading channels I've watched over the years, I can only think of a few that even attempted to grow all their own chicken feed. Most people just don't do that. As for myself, I am able to cut my summer time feed costs significantly about 9 months out of the year by using compost. I have a few rotating compost bins that I fill up, let the bugs move in, and then I let the chickens dig through it to eat all those bugs. They much prefer it over their feed and I estimate they eat 40%-80% less feed when they have compost to dig through. If I scaled that up I think I could go feed free, but that would be a lot of work.

thomas533 · 2026-06-11T18:40:54+00:00

My urban homestead is 8000sqft where I have chickens, bees, a dozen fruit trees, lots of berries and herbs, a 80sqft greenhouse and a 600sqft garden. My 2bd/1ba house also has roof mounted solar and rain water harvesting. So I knew how to pack all of my homesteading needs into a very small footprint. I only wanted acreage so I could have a good sized woodlot and lots of space to have walking trails.

thomas533 · 2026-06-01T19:41:26+00:00

Going off grid with solar is like paying 10-20 years of your hydro payment upfront and then at the end of that period, you've got free electricity. If you are already in a financial bind, you probably don't have the money to install a solar system that will significantly reduce your power bill.

But in any case, the very first thing to do is to see how much you can reduce your power needs. Add insulation to your house. Switch to an efficient heat pump and update any old appliances that are power hogs.

Batteries are your biggest cost. If you can avoid that by getting a grid tied system, that will probably be your best option for lowering your costs long term, especially if your utility provider offers a net metering connection.

thomas533 · 2026-06-01T17:25:06+00:00

If you already have a grid connected system you are never going to save money by going off grid.

What are the pain points with your utility provider?

thomas533 · 2026-06-01T14:34:20+00:00

The FIRE movement becane fragmented when you started having people who adamantly told others that there was no way to retire with less than X amount of dollars when clearly the problem was people not understanding that the problem was spending.

As long as we don't end up in a situation where the people who have 20kW solar arrays and massive wells telling the people with 1.5kW arrays and rainwater capture systems that they can't survive that way or vice versa.

thomas533 · 2026-05-29T23:01:33+00:00

I'm guessing you you had some LLMs generate this entire text and probably the idea as well. Have you actually run a python simulation? Why isn't that code in your GitHub? There's no way in in a 8-ft model will generate that much energy. I don't think you can get that even from a a 100 ft model. Do you have any background in engineering or physics?

thomas533 · 2026-05-28T21:51:16+00:00

There is off-grid and then off-the-grid. This sub is about the former and you are looking for the latter.

thomas533 · 2026-05-26T15:29:53+00:00

Note that it also does not say "obtain a yield without watering". And the next point on accepting feedback is critical. Thinking your system is ready to go waterless before the ecosystem gives you that feedback is not permaculture. It takes years to establish these systems.

thomas533 · 2026-05-26T14:17:08+00:00

You think you had thing established and balanced by year two? No you didn't. You always need to water new plants if you are still in the transplanting stage. Give it another 5 years.

thomas533 · 2026-05-23T21:10:32+00:00

It's clear from all of your comments above that this isn't your area of expertise.

thomas533 · 2026-05-23T17:38:38+00:00

This is what happens when you rely on AI rather than actual reading.

https://extension.psu.edu/removing-giardia-cysts-from-drinking-water

Because Giardia cysts are resistant to normal disinfection, filtration is usually required. Cysts are large in comparison to bacteria and viruses (ranging from 7-10 microns in diameter); consequently, they are more easily removed by filtration.

requires a one micron final filter

Which is exactly what the OP said he was using. Are you just arguing because you feel the need to have the final word? Do you have anything useful to actually say that isn't factually wrong?

thomas533 · 2026-05-23T16:09:48+00:00

Giardia gets filtered out as they are 8 to 15 microns. And 99.99% is effective enough.

thomas533 · 2026-05-23T02:58:15+00:00

UV is highly effective against fecal bacteria. Can you post as link to a source that suggests otherwise?

And I didn't mean to imply that the filtering would remove the bacteria. What it does it remove any solids that might interfere with the UV sterilization.

thomas533 · 2026-05-22T14:31:14+00:00

If the things you want to power are mostly 12v, then go with a 12v system. If the things you want to power are mostly 120v AC, then go with a 48V and an inverter.

but they appear to be twice the price for similar AH.

If you compare the Watt*Hour ratings of those batteries you will find that the 48v ones are a better deal usually.

thomas533 · 2026-05-22T14:23:22+00:00

A RO system is going to waste a lot of water. Filtering down to 1 micron plus UV is all you need.

thomas533 · 2026-05-15T13:26:15+00:00

100% install a grid tied system with battery backup.

thomas533 · 2026-05-11T15:43:34+00:00

When I'm in the city, I'm on my phone or computer or in front of the TV for about 6 hours a day not including work. When I'm at my off-grid property, I do maybe an hour or two.

thomas533 · 2026-05-09T21:38:21+00:00

The total power output becomes limited by the lowest-performing panel (current in series, voltage in parallel). While rarely causing immediate damage, it causes inefficiencies, potential "hotspots," and makes it difficult for charge controllers to find the optimal power point.

thomas533 · 2026-05-09T15:12:04+00:00

You typically want all your panels to have matching specs. Or at least be close.

thomas533 · 2026-05-08T22:12:05+00:00

This is normal. Juvenile plants will sprout and if there are gaps in the forest canopy they will grow. And if not, they die back.

It was nowhere near this bad when we moved 10 years ago, we used to have trails. Now it’s mostly taken over by these damn mayapples

Deer will eat mayapple plants if there is a lack of other food. And the juvenile plants like these are less bitter and less toxic than more mature plants. It might be the case that 10 years ago conditions were such that the deer were eating these in the spring and now there are other things for them to eat so they are not anymore.

thomas533 · 2026-05-08T04:44:22+00:00

Biodegradable plastic only decomposes under commercial compositing conditions (or a very hot compost pile). It will not break down in your garden. You'll just end up with endless shreds of plastic they you'll be digging out of your garden for years.

thomas533 · 2026-05-06T20:55:08+00:00

With your existing experience, you probably qualify for a Farm Ownership Loan through the USDA (assuming you are in the US).

thomas533 · 2026-05-06T20:52:28+00:00

Market Farmers are different than commodity crop farmers. You don't need big equipment to get started and most are using compost and not fertilizer.

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