Scratch & Peck feed - Do your chickens eat the healthy stuff or just yummy grains?

[gabbyscritters]

We have recently moved and need to switch feed brand for our flock of Dutch bantams.

In the past they were on mazuri gamebird breeder or maintenance feed. All the vitamins were baked into the small kibbles. The birds ate well on it and kept them in great condition.

We moved to Washington, which is where Scratch & Peck is made. I brought home a sample, which the birds loved. My question is, do your chickens eat the vitamins and such or just the grains. My Dutch chowed down on the grains and left a pile of powder behind. The guy at the feed store thought I was nuts wanting a processed feed but it doesnt do the chickens much good if they leave the important stuff behind, not to mention wasting money.

Your thoughts

 

[Judy]

They will certainly eat the corn out of a mix, and corn certainly isn't a complete diet. Feed store employees are typically not very knowledgeable about chicken care. I wouldn't be happy with any feed that they left part of behind.

 

[gabbyscritters]

Scratch & Peck makes whole grain feeds without corn that are supplemented with vitamins & such.

the website mentions how to incorporate the "leftovers" into a moist mash. Ive seen several posts raving Scratch & Peck feeds. Im just wondering if others chickens actually consume the additives without additional work on my part.

 

[TXchickmum]

-not familiar with Scratch & Peck, but we fed our flock a similar sounding feed - once. (H&H Old Fashioned Layer) It was comprised of grains and such with tons of dust. After the chickens picked through it for about a week, I switched to NatureSmart Organic crumble layer. I offer scratch grains once per day during the winter months, but only as a supplement. -also supplement their diet with fresh greens. I didn't care for the waste from the grainy feed.

 

[flickerloo]

I think the fines in S&P are too powdery for the hens to eat. I give my hens wet mash every morning, just dampened a bit with warm water or cooked oatmeal. Though lately, due to worming, I've been mixing in a bit of plain yogurt. They also have the dry mash in their feeder. I don't keep much in there, and the leftover powder on the bottom goes into morning wet mash.

It's a little bit of a hassle. Would be a lot for someone with a large flock, but I only have five hens, and I don't mind feeding them. I'm busy feeding the kids too and packing school lunches, so it's only a couple extra minutes to mix up breakfast for the hens.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: I think you're absolutely correct.
That is likely all the vitamins and supplements