Am I doing the right thing

[imogene08]

So I have a flock of 13 chickens they are unable to free range because of hawks and dogs so they stay inside their run and coop but everyday I give them and the youngsters as well grass they each get a large amount of grass to eat or other greens
If they don't get grasses they get fruit or bread from inside am
I doing the right thing or should I just keep them on stratch? I love to spoil my chickens

the flock without the youngsters eating their greens

 

[Judy]

They should be on a regular feed such as grower, flock raiser or layer. Scratch is a treat and should be given in small amounts only; it is not a complete feed. I like the rule of thumb that any extras should be no more than 10% of their diet.

 

[imogene08]

Of coarse there on a regular feed! My flock of hens and rooster are eating a layer crumble the youngsters on a starter grower and I do give them stratch sense they can't free range

 

[Percheron chick]

Cut your grass into 1" pieces so you don't end up with an impacted crop.

 

[donrae]

Provide some grit so they can grind up those greens and everything should be good. I don't cut my stuff that small, that's what their beaks are for. I feed my girls some type of greens almost every day--Swiss chard, weeks I've pulled, grass trimmings, things like that. Keeps the birds happy, gives them something to do, and makes the egg yolks nice and orange!

 

[sepaditty1]

I keep a basket beside my sink of all the edible table scraps. My chickies love it when they see me coming with my basket! It's different every day, of course, but they know it'll be good.

I never thought about giving them grass clippings. Do they eat it? Or just like to dig & pick bugs out? Does it matter that goes through a lawn mower, or do you only give them what's cut by hand?

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

I keep a basket beside my sink of all the edible table scraps. My chickies love it when they see me coming with my basket! It's different every day, of course, but they know it'll be good.

I never thought about giving them grass clippings. Do they eat it? Or just like to dig & pick bugs out? Does it matter that goes through a lawn mower, or do you only give them what's cut by hand?

Mine get so excited too, sure makes ya feel loved doesnt it

My chicken run is gravel with spots of grass growing around the run in the rocks, very easy to pull so I just do that usually. But I've given my girls grass after mowing too. They love it and don't seem to care They will dig, eat bugs, and the grass itself.

 

[donrae]

I dump the mower bag in the run. We also have an area that has to be weedeated, I rake up those clippings and use them. They scratch through them, but they also eat some. I use it to help compost the floor of the run.

 

[imogene08]

Thanks guys^^ my chickens get scrapes to today they got bread and watermelon

 

[SeanBlack]

Just curious how big is your Coop and Run