- Jun 2, 2009
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I'm having a terribly weird problem with my flock. I have 33 chickens; all different breeds and ages. I have tried pellets, crumbles and mash in a variety of different brands. My chickens scratch it all over the place; I would conservatively say that more than 50 percent of their feed ends up all over the place; either in the coop or on the ground if I move it outside during the day. They were also laying poorly; I believe because they really weren't eating it (I told you it was weird; none of my friends have this problem....)
I noticed them fighting under the bird feeder for spilled seed, so we began adding wild bird seed (bought in bulk in big bags) to their diets. They gobble up cracked corn like they're staving and have never seen food before. So we added that too, along with sunflower seeds. We now have far less spillage and they will actually eat what they've scratched out, unlike the layer feed that rots when it gets wet and smells horrible!
My question is; are we doing something BAD? Is there pesticide in wild bird seed? (I guess there are unknown ingredients in layer feed too...?) I know they need protein; they do free range, but it's winter now. Can they get the protein from seeds themselves? I do sometimes add a food grade DE blend wormer, but it's supposed to add calciumm too, and they get oyster shell which they do not eat. But since we've changed their food, suddenly our egg production has almost doubled as well, which is the most surprising thing!
Just wondering if anyone else has this feed problem and WHY my birds are so darned picky!
I noticed them fighting under the bird feeder for spilled seed, so we began adding wild bird seed (bought in bulk in big bags) to their diets. They gobble up cracked corn like they're staving and have never seen food before. So we added that too, along with sunflower seeds. We now have far less spillage and they will actually eat what they've scratched out, unlike the layer feed that rots when it gets wet and smells horrible!
My question is; are we doing something BAD? Is there pesticide in wild bird seed? (I guess there are unknown ingredients in layer feed too...?) I know they need protein; they do free range, but it's winter now. Can they get the protein from seeds themselves? I do sometimes add a food grade DE blend wormer, but it's supposed to add calciumm too, and they get oyster shell which they do not eat. But since we've changed their food, suddenly our egg production has almost doubled as well, which is the most surprising thing!
Just wondering if anyone else has this feed problem and WHY my birds are so darned picky!
