I have watched programs where the flock lives on a compost pile eating only what they can fend for. We on the other hand do not have that much compost stuff to sustain a flock, I suppose. Also the flock I saw was not breed specific. No mention was made as to casualties or losses to preds either.
I have a friend whose flock is fed little and lays little. GIGO , garbage in , garbage out, is my opinion. You may get eggs but you can't say how nutritious they'll be either. Hybrid chickens lay better than purebred (according to PP magazine). Then too you won't want to eat a hybrid either. They put all their energy into eggs not meat.
What breed you have or want to keep depends on what you want from your birds. Some folks don't want dual purpose for the meat aspect, just the looks, but get fewer eggs. That's fine if that's what you want. You are however wasting feed if you only want the eggs. Also some folks don't understand the purpose and aspect of "true dual purpose" breeds either. You shouldn't expect them to gain weight like a Cornish Rock or the Freedom Ranger.
That said, yes you can feed your hens on scraps, if production doesn't matter. I can't say how healthy the eggs or chickens will be though. Me I keep a variety of breeds just cuz I like them. This is a hobby. Every time I start to think of it as a business I need a vodka prozac mocha latte.
Wish you the best , nothing lowers the blood pressure like holding a chicken.
Rancher
We feed a scratch/layer mix that the feed store mixes along with wheat seed and milo. They always have access to feed in the automatic feeder.
