Scratch Grain- Why it's useful in flock management and nutrition

[cottagechick]

Taking a slight, temporary detour.... I was shopping for a toothbrush a month or so ago and was checking the labels. I wasn't delusional enough to believe that I would really find one made in the U.S. (But a girls gotta have dreams, right?) I am willing to pay more for a toothbrush that says made in Germany or Switzerland or Canada...I may be deluding myself, but I am hoping those would at least have standards above China...

I came across a label that stumped me for a few minutes. You all are so smart that you probably would figure it out instantly...but me....I had to think about PRC for a few minutes...Clever %$^&%$. Most people aren't going to worry about it at all. But many people would just not see CHINA and assume it wasn't.

 

[ChickenAl]

Quote:
And that is why it says PRC and not China. Many would just not see china and buy it for that reason alone. They are getting crafty. Or, maybe they just learned a little marketing from us...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
And that is why it says PRC and not China. Many would just not see china and buy it for that reason alone. They are getting crafty. Or, maybe they just learned a little marketing from us...

It's shameful that we have allowed the PRC to take over our country. I work hard at trying to find Made in the USA products, and our Government wonders why there are no jobs. Good grief where did they go to school? I think buying Scratch from small family farms is a great idea. I know the scratch grain I buy comes from Tennessee, I hope we all will be more careful and try to help out our Country when able to.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Resolution, why do you think peas aren't legumes?

 

[trooper]

This is awesome.I'm learning more all the time.I feed mine some scratch,layer pellets(free choice),table scraps,oats and they have a decent run to play in.I don't feed them this all the time.The Layer pellets and whatever table scraps but the other things I change up.They seem to be fine,but I want what's best for them and I do realize that opions will vary.

 

[Resolution]

Quote:
_Ah- fast typing- my mistake- I realise they are legumes- what I meant to write is that I thought theirs was a protected protein - producing phytoestrogens at the levels of soy. I know that that is not the case. Peas are a fine source of nutrients. Pigeons, many species of waterfowl, turkeys, Cracids and "New World Quail" are all capable of utilising protected proteins to a higher degree than more strictly omnivorous species.

 

[Erica]

Absolutely fantastic, brilliant thread. The work you've put into sharing this is amazing and very much appreciated.

Erica

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
A lot depends on what breeds you are feeding,
Most hatchery and soft feather breeds do very poorly on a hard whole grain diet and should be feed a be feed a "soft" or ground food diet.
Hard feather breeds like large fowl Gamefowl, and Oriental fowl do very well with a more "hard"/ whole diet.

My birds (not including the gamefowl) are feed a set amount of mash feed and are not full fed and do very well on that diet, when they were on a "hard"/ whole diet there feathers and over all condition was poor. I have found that a max of 30% "hard"/ whole diet to 70% "soft" or ground diet work about best on most breeds (not including the gamefowl).

Chris

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Quote:
_Ah- fast typing- my mistake- I realise they are legumes- what I meant to write is that I thought theirs was a protected protein - producing phytoestrogens at the levels of soy. I know that that is not the case. Peas are a fine source of nutrients. Pigeons, many species of waterfowl, turkeys, Cracids and "New World Quail" are all capable of utilising protected proteins to a higher degree than more strictly omnivorous species.

Ahh... That makes more sense!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
A lot depends on what breeds you are feeding,
Most hatchery and soft feather breeds do very poorly on a hard whole grain diet and should be feed a be feed a "soft" or ground food diet.
Hard feather breeds like large fowl Gamefowl, and Oriental fowl do very well with a more "hard"/ whole diet.

My birds (not including the gamefowl) are feed a set amount of mash feed and are not full fed and do very well on that diet, when they were on a "hard"/ whole diet there feathers and over all condition was poor. I have found that a max of 30% "hard"/ whole diet to 70% "soft" or ground diet work about best on most breeds (not including the gamefowl).

Chris

Is the 30% = scratch?
70% = crumble- pellets for the lay person here?