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free choice scratch?

post #1 of 15
10/30/11 at 4:27pm
Thread Starter 

On the label it says to offer scratch free choice to layer hens. I would imagine if my hens had free choice to scratch they would pig out on it and forget about their layer pellets. Then again it's getting pretty cold out and i know the scratch is supposed to help raise their body temperature. So what do you think, ok to offer scratch free choice?

10 layers, 8 Meat Birds  2 Geese , 1 Duck, 2 Bulldogs, 2 Guinea Pigs, 2 Beehives, & Tilapia Fish
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10 layers, 8 Meat Birds  2 Geese , 1 Duck, 2 Bulldogs, 2 Guinea Pigs, 2 Beehives, & Tilapia Fish
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post #2 of 15
10/30/11 at 4:36pm

Shocked!!! Shocked, I tell you that a feed company would put directions like that on a bag in hopes of pushing more feed and increased sales. 
What is the world coming to?ep

 

 

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post #3 of 15
10/30/11 at 4:37pm

I think your first instinct is correct.  Mine get a few hand fulls a day which they eat in a few minutes.

3 EE's, 2 GLW, 2 BSL, 1 Production Red and 2 Golden Comets
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3 EE's, 2 GLW, 2 BSL, 1 Production Red and 2 Golden Comets
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post #4 of 15
10/31/11 at 6:01am

no....scratch is not food...they need the layer feed...I throw mine a little every few days...they beg for it, but I don't feed it daily...they do get BOSS more than scratch...shame on the feed company for labeling it that way!

Live in Colorado....1 Calif. white, 2 Australorp, 3 Barred Rock, 1 Gold Comet, 2 Black Sex link, 3 EE pullets, 1 Golden Duckwing roo, 1 EE/Old English Game mix roo,1 silkie/cochin mix, & 1 Production  red
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Live in Colorado....1 Calif. white, 2 Australorp, 3 Barred Rock, 1 Gold Comet, 2 Black Sex link, 3 EE pullets, 1 Golden Duckwing roo, 1 EE/Old English Game mix roo,1 silkie/cochin mix, & 1 Production  red
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post #5 of 15
10/31/11 at 6:07am

That's really kind of silly.  I mean, "Here chickies, have this nice bowl of candy, or this sensible meal!"

Hey, I'm goin' for the candy every time!  wink

Proud owner of some nice show quality Buckeyes and Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks.  I love gardening and being outdoors.  I'm lucky to have a great family, and two cute dogs.  I live out in the country on six wooded acres and it's just paradise!  (Except the mortgage payment and bills, of course)

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Proud owner of some nice show quality Buckeyes and Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks.  I love gardening and being outdoors.  I'm lucky to have a great family, and two cute dogs.  I live out in the country on six wooded acres and it's just paradise!  (Except the mortgage payment and bills, of course)

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post #6 of 15
10/31/11 at 6:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by chicmom 

That's really kind of silly.  I mean, "Here chickies, have this nice bowl of candy, or this sensible meal!"

Hey, I'm goin' for the candy every time!  wink


Scratch is simply the grains used in chicken feed, why oh why do folks think it is so bad for chickens??  What magic ingredients do you all think are in chicken feed??  Scratch is not complete of course.  Some layer feeds are 20-22% and actually say to feed half & half with free choice scratch.   Just saying, most feed is a good percentage of corn, but people seem to think corn will kill your birds.  JMHO

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post #7 of 15
10/31/11 at 7:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cindy in PA 
Quote:
Originally Posted by chicmom 

That's really kind of silly.  I mean, "Here chickies, have this nice bowl of candy, or this sensible meal!"

Hey, I'm goin' for the candy every time!  wink


Scratch is simply the grains used in chicken feed, why oh why do folks think it is so bad for chickens??  What magic ingredients do you all think are in chicken feed??  Scratch is not complete of course.  Some layer feeds are 20-22% and actually say to feed half & half with free choice scratch.   Just saying, most feed is a good percentage of corn, but people seem to think corn will kill your birds.  JMHO


no one says it will kill them, in fact last year, before I knew better...I had 9 "pullets", ended up all being roos...scratch is all I fed when I stopped starter/grower...I didn't know it wasn't food....they did fine...I re-homed them all....I think we all feed it is a treat to be tossed on the ground and not fed as a singular diet...like potato chips....

Live in Colorado....1 Calif. white, 2 Australorp, 3 Barred Rock, 1 Gold Comet, 2 Black Sex link, 3 EE pullets, 1 Golden Duckwing roo, 1 EE/Old English Game mix roo,1 silkie/cochin mix, & 1 Production  red
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Live in Colorado....1 Calif. white, 2 Australorp, 3 Barred Rock, 1 Gold Comet, 2 Black Sex link, 3 EE pullets, 1 Golden Duckwing roo, 1 EE/Old English Game mix roo,1 silkie/cochin mix, & 1 Production  red
Reply
post #8 of 15
10/31/11 at 8:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cindy in PA 
Quote:
Originally Posted by chicmom 

That's really kind of silly.  I mean, "Here chickies, have this nice bowl of candy, or this sensible meal!"

Hey, I'm goin' for the candy every time!  wink


Scratch is simply the grains used in chicken feed, why oh why do folks think it is so bad for chickens??  What magic ingredients do you all think are in chicken feed??  Scratch is not complete of course.  Some layer feeds are 20-22% and actually say to feed half & half with free choice scratch.   Just saying, most feed is a good percentage of corn, but people seem to think corn will kill your birds.  JMHO


I've always been told that scratch grains just aren't a complete balanced diet for chickens.  And they love it so much, thus the candy reference. wink

Proud owner of some nice show quality Buckeyes and Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks.  I love gardening and being outdoors.  I'm lucky to have a great family, and two cute dogs.  I live out in the country on six wooded acres and it's just paradise!  (Except the mortgage payment and bills, of course)

Reply

Proud owner of some nice show quality Buckeyes and Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks.  I love gardening and being outdoors.  I'm lucky to have a great family, and two cute dogs.  I live out in the country on six wooded acres and it's just paradise!  (Except the mortgage payment and bills, of course)

Reply
post #9 of 15
10/31/11 at 8:58am
Thread Starter 

well in that case i'll just stick to throwing a bit down each day smile

10 layers, 8 Meat Birds  2 Geese , 1 Duck, 2 Bulldogs, 2 Guinea Pigs, 2 Beehives, & Tilapia Fish
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10 layers, 8 Meat Birds  2 Geese , 1 Duck, 2 Bulldogs, 2 Guinea Pigs, 2 Beehives, & Tilapia Fish
Reply
post #10 of 15
10/31/11 at 9:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by chicmom 

That's really kind of silly.  I mean, "Here chickies, have this nice bowl of candy, or this sensible meal!"

Hey, I'm goin' for the candy every time!  wink


After a while, you'd probably get tired of the candy and go looking for a salad or something. wink


Here are a couple of articles about free-choice grain feeding:


http://www.plamondon.com/b2evolution/blogs/blog4.php/2009/03/21/feeding-chickens-cafeteria-style

http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd17/4/pous17045.htm

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129278/speckledhens-ten-commandments-of-good-flock-management

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

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http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/129278/speckledhens-ten-commandments-of-good-flock-management

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

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