BOSS for a treat

[Hivoltage]

I sometimes put the treats on top of upside down buckets so they can play the bongos while they eat.

JT

That is a neat idea.

 

[aart]

haha! Sometimes in winter I feed scratch on metal plates int he coop.
I'll be cleaning along and all of a sudden think WTH is that noise!?!
taptaptaptappatappataptaptapptiytaptap.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I just have a small bowl that I put dried meal worms and some scratch in for our evening get together. So looking for other things to put in the treat bowl.

JT

Comment on snacks in general....
I made the mistake of buying a 50 lb bag of scratch early on, then after reading post about chickens having fatty deposits and dying of obesity basically I decided to cut WAY back. I barely give them it anymore, but it is helpful if I want them to scratch up the deep litter. I do give them a box of produce scraps I get from the local market about once a week or so its mostly what they cut off the produce to make it pretty for us humans. I noticed after I gave them a couple of pumpkins one week the egg production slowed for a while.

At the rate I am going it will take a year to go through that 50Lb bag!

I also cut back because I am kinda a control freak and do not want the chickens constantly begging for stuff when they see me. Same thing as far as letting them out in the yard, never at the same time of day and not every day. Don't want them begging to get out, sometimes they will need to stay in for a couple of weeks (vacation time)

When I finally use up that scratch I do plan on getting 20 lbs or so of BOSS, likely a better snack than corn based scratch, higher protein I think.

Gary

 

[aart]

When I finally use up that scratch I do plan on getting 20 lbs or so of BOSS, likely a better snack than corn based scratch, higher protein I think.

Actually boss has high fat.
What is your regular feeds protein percentage?
Daily scratch is why I feed a higher protein feed, and it's only once a day so they don't beg too bad, rough but fairly accurate measuring works it out to 16-19% protein. Other treats are too irregular too account for.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Actually boss has high fat.
What is your regular feeds protein percentage?
Daily scratch is why I feed a higher protein feed, and it's only once a day so they don't beg too bad, rough but fairly accurate measuring works it out to 16-19% protein. Other treats are too irregular too account for.

My regular feed is 17% protein.

Gary

 

[aart]

My regular feed is 17% protein.

Gary

Next bag, get higher protein...do the math, then dole out some scratch.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Next bag, get higher protein...do the math, then dole out some scratch.

The problem is my local feed store (I am in the mountains) does not have the 20% in the non GMO feed. I checked where they get it from online and they do make a 20% but its full of GMO's
If I ever have any eggs to sell the hippie liberal non GMO kale salad eating crowd up here likely would not buy them! Now I need to go get some kale...

Gary
edited to add
Just went to the manufactures website, King Feed. So I could get the 20% starter that is non GMO and hippy friendly. Then I would need to get oyster shell
The one thing is the starter is crumbles vs the layer pellets, I think there is less waste with pellets but I also think that the girls kinda grew out of their tossing the food about and making a mess faze.... I may give it a try, the 20% crumbles

G

 

[Sublight]

Personally, I feed mine what I want. We enjoy watching the chickens eat the scratch, and run up to us. We give them no more then what they can eat in 5 minutes or so.
Just like people, where this is healthy today, and not tomorrow. I don't worry about it too much.
Everything in moderation.
I dotn want to eat kale everyday and live to be 110 years old.
I eat bacon and will enjoy life into my 70-80's like my grandparents did. Im happy with that, and I like to think so are my girls.
And I don't think that Bacon == Seeds