Alternative to Scratch feed???

[fitzie11]

Make sure it's not GMO corn, and esp not GMO corn produced to be exported to third world countries as part of food aid programs. They are designed to be alternatives to forced vaccination in order to limit population growth in areas where there are exploding human populations. Bees avoid GMO crops like the plague, and there has been mass bee die-offs in recent years because of GMO crops that have been designed to produced their own pesticides. GMO science is a double-edged sword.

 

[PharmGirl]

I have to admit I don't know what GMO is, how would I know? I usually get the cracked corn in the bird seed isle at Tractor Supply.

 

[jlhowland]

I like to tear off a bunch of collard greens in the morning. The birds love them and the plants keep replacing themselves. I also planted some cover crop in the fall and it turned out to be peas and what I think is wheat so now I have more green food to throw out or them.

 

[shadygardener]

My chickens actually like the scratch. It's the egg layer pellets they don't like. And our game chickens love veggie scraps most of all. But the regular chickens (Rhode Island Reds and Cochin) don't like the greens too much. The game chickens eat the feed as a last resort, hanging around the door when they see us, hoping for some lettuce or something. My husband is spoiling them with buying lettuce and spinach just for them.

 

[Judy]

Make sure it's not GMO corn, and esp not GMO corn produced to be exported to third world countries as part of food aid programs. They are designed to be alternatives to forced vaccination in order to limit population growth in areas where there are exploding human populations. Bees avoid GMO crops like the plague, and there has been mass bee die-offs in recent years because of GMO crops that have been designed to produced their own pesticides. GMO science is a double-edged sword.

It would be interesting indeed to see documentation of these statements.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

My girls don't like the cracked corn, either, so I quit giving them scratch. However, they love canned corn or corn on the cob. Silly girls.

I got them a "flock block" for those times when they wanted a little snack and to keep them from getting bored and going at each other. Now, they LOVE that! I keep it in their coop and they'll go in a few times a day to nibble. The thing is so hard that they can't get too much at any one time, which is good.

I'll usually throw them some BOSS during the day to give them something to scratch for and - of course - they have their layer pellets. They also get appropriate dinner leftovers [when we have some which isn't always] and trimmings from the garden. They seem to be happy and healthy so it must be working ok for them.

 

[dave8797]

I'm cutting out all of the treats (chops, scratch and etc.) because they waste all their feed trying to get the treats out of the crumbes. Their treat now with spring here is fresh cut grass mainly clover every night. I've seen their egg production going down since adding the chops or scratch, maybe nothing to do with it but their diet has changed for the better for my pocket book.

 

[MS Rooster Cogb]

My Ladies get crumbles, I feed them a hand full of scratch every evening when they return to their coop for a good nights rest. I free range during the day (when I'm home) if I have to get them back to the coop early because I have to leave I can call them & shake the scratch in the scoop & they come a running. I have also given them a hand full of cracked corn that I purchase for my horses & they eat it. the chickens have also learned to go around the horse feeding tubs & look for pieces of feed the horses dropped on the ground. My clean up crew is on the job. Horse feed my not hurt chickens but please keep the chicken feed away from the horses & cows, The baby bull got into the chicken feed had a stomach that was swollen & a bad case of the diarrhea.

 

[Mychicagoladies]

Can I feed my chickens the wild bird seeds found at Home Depot, it has corn, boss. dried fruit, peanuts, and other seeds? This would just be a treat, but I just wanted to know if it was ok to give since it doesn't say for chickens.

 

[OldGuy43]

Can I feed my chickens the wild bird seeds found at Home Depot, it has corn, boss. dried fruit, peanuts, and other seeds? This would just be a treat, but I just wanted to know if it was ok to give since it doesn't say for chickens.

Don't see why not. I feed the wild birds hen scratch. It's a lot cheaper than the so-called "wild bird seed" that you can buy.