Foods supplied

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

Hi guys,

Just bought my copy of Storey's Guide tonight and I'm reading, reading reading...

Anyway, my question is this, How many (and what) types of food do you keep available for your chickens? I'm a little confused.. seems like 4 or more? Or am I reading this wrong?

TIA! Wow, have I got a lot to learn!

 

[justusnak]

Queen....this is a subject, where you might get several different answers....but for mine...they get the chick starter...for about 10 weeks...then they get grower/finisher. At about 5 months I introduce cracked corn, and layer pellets. When I see they are laying, they also get Oyster shell...free choice. After a few hours of free roaming on the property...I call them home with a bowl of scratch...they happily go back in the yard. Dureing the summer, when we eat mellon more often, we throw the rinds out to them. They just love it. Winter they get veggies from the fridge..lettuce...celery tops..shaved carrots..apple cores...pretty much like slopping a little pig. They love these treats!

 

[allen wranch]

Start out with the commercial chick starter and/or grower, then layer feed based on the timelines justusnak gave.

The feed companies have put a lot of research into what poultry need, and they formulate thier feeds accordingly. You can supplement with fresh fruit & vegetables, but it shouldn't be their main source of food. And PLEASE do not feed your chickens scratch as their main feed. It should only be given occasionally as a treat.

 

[FrozenChicken]

Start as allanwranch says then you phase them from growwer to wheet . You can also give them about 15 % barley or oats. If you are in the wheet belt you should be able to find a farmer who can sell you a few bushels at a very reasonable price. I grow my own organically (no sprays) but not everybody has the luctory of that I guess. Eggs from wheet fed hens along with grazing free range will have nice orange yolks and superior flavour to any store bought laying mesh fed hens.