Can Chickens live on table scraps only?

[RJRENE]

I was wondering how much scraps I need to give my chickens in order for them to survive? I normally feed them pellets, but I was wondering if I could save on food if I fed them only scraps.

 

[WallyBirdie]

They need certain nutrients to keep healthy. I'd look into the specifics before doing anything.

 

[Cyprus]

I wouldn't. They'd be alive, yes. But healthy, likely not. And definitely not laying.

 

[Folly's place]

Chicken feed is cheap! Feed them a balanced diet, and then some table scraps are fine, and free ranging if you can.
Mary

 

[chrissynemetz]

They need nutrition that's just really hard to duplicate with 'people food'. I would stick with the chicken feed.

 

[centrarchid]

Until recently, most households around the world supplemented free-range forage with household waste. Productivity expectations where lower for such birds and they were not the inbreed color varieties that dominate backyards in the US.

 

[SueT]

I sold a hen that was laying 5-6 eggs weekly to an Amish woman who later complained she was laying hardly any eggs. Turns out she is feeding only scraps and corn. Optimum nutrition is needed for optimum egg production as well as for optimum health.

 

[sourland]

It would be the difference between surviving and thriving. Free ranging would help if you do not have a 'winter' season.

 

[Compost King]

My cousin only feeds table scraps, scratch grains (occasionally) and lets them free range a cow pasture. They lay just fine but he has more than 1 acre per bird with plenty of cow Patties to attract bugs even in winter They also eat all the seeds that fall out of cows hay and access to gardens come fall/Winter. Giant compost piles etc. If you have the perfect conditions you can get away with it. If you have a typical backyard then production will drop drastically. Certain breeds do flourish in those conditions and others will not.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I think it could be done, but you'd have to be mindful of the mix of nutrients. Might be a bit tricky to do unless you have a very consistent source of food scraps.

I mean it's not like there are some secret nutrients out there that only feed companies know about, right?

If anyone has any insight into certain breeds that may be better adapted to this, I'd be interested in hearing more...