One of the down sides of having chickens

The little girls like to eat!  I let them out often so they can eat as many bugs as they can find.  I like that they get good (free) protein AND it reduces the bug population in the yard.  Oh, and they leave nice little bits of fertilizer here and there as well. ;-)

However, commercial feed is the mainstay of their diet.  I buy a 50 pound bag about once every two months.  Luckily the feed store is very close to my house, so it is not a big deal.

In addition, a woman I know likes to buy my chickens' eggs and I often have enough egg money to pay for their food.  I think that's what farm wives have been doing for centuries, isn't it?