The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

Is there any reason in particular you feed scratch grains? I don't, I think scratch grains are empty calories with no nutritional value whatsoever. They don't really have any benefit for me or my birds. What they do is just encourage natural pecking behavior, supposedly. My girls do that anyway, without scratch grains.

I feed it as a treat. It's simply something to break up the monotony of living in an enclosed pen, and it's something they very much look forward to every day. As far as empty calories with no nutritional value, I'd have to somewhat disagree. While it comes nowhere close to fulfilling a chicken's nutritional requirements, keep in mind that many species of birds depend solely on seeds and grains for their survival. Could my birds survive without it? Definitely. Would they be healthier without it? Possibly. Would they be as happy to see me walking towards their pen? Since I don't have vegetable matter to give them every day, not likely.

I never feed enough scratch grains for them to get filled up. It's more of an appetizer because, normally, once they've finished scratching and pecking they'll hit the feeder... voraciously.

 

[waddles99]

You have me confused with someone else. Matt and I use FRM Show Gold.

Right. Sorry. Got me confused with what Joey said.

 

[cmom]

I give scratch grains with rolled oats and BOSS as treats. They see me with my little white bucket and they come running for some treats.

 

[waddles99]

Oh. I just give the ones in the big cylinders. Whole oats i guess.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I don't feed marigold.

 

[Matt1616]

I don't feed marigold.

You are very fortunate to raise your birds out in the soil type that supports the color for the legs. I wish I didn't have to worry with it as well but I'm not so lucky! Matt

 

[Fred's Hens]

Agreed @Matt1616 . There something in this far north, sandy crap for soil, some trace mineral that gets into the grasses. It makes their legs pop in a matter of days, even if I fed them nothing but wheat. I've turned birds with white/pinkish legs yellow in a week. It's pretty amazing.

I find alfalfa about as good a substitute as anything else. But I'm sure not all alfalfa is created equal either.
I've seen that S 'Bama soil and it surprises me a bit, since it sure does support a wide variety of farm crops well.

 

[Fred's Hens]

That Rock photo is posted just demonstrate that this isn't breed specific either. That was my grandson's little pullet he showed that year.

 

[waddles99]

NJ soil is just rocky clay. Nothing here supports any sort of color in the legs.

 

[Ur-ur-ur-urrr]

That Rock photo is posted just demonstrate that this isn't breed specific either. That was my grandson's little pullet he showed that year.

My Rocks (Cackle Hatchery stock) had fairly yellow legs as pullets, but now that they're laying, the yellow has disappeared. I give feed them free choice DuMOR 20% chick starter and Purina Layena, along with free choice oyster shells. It's strange... they lay strong shelled eggs with dark yolks, but their legs are washed out. I suppose they're putting everything into egg production.