Chicken Scratch and Wild Bird seed--just an FYI what I found

[WhiteWyan]

My moms bird feeders all have sprouting seeds at the bottom where it falls on the ground actually...

 

[Chickassan]

The stuff i get has vita kote on it just extra vitamins. That's all it says is added,the amounts are tiny so i think it's mostly a gimmick.

I know I read on a bag/pail I got for the chickens that it had been treated with something. I assumed it was to prevent sprouting, but it may have been for something else. It was either from Tractor Supply or Lowes.

 

[aart]

I know I read on a bag/pail I got for the chickens that it had been treated with something. I assumed it was to prevent sprouting, but it may have been for something else. It was either from Tractor Supply or Lowes.

I've heard of treatment to deter sprouting(of spill on the ground) too....probably doesn't hurt the birds, or chickens tho.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

You can buy no-sprout birdseed but the chickens like the sprouts.

I bought sweet feed as a treat for mine. It's super high in sugar and fat so you have to limit it to tiny tiny amounts only once in a while but they love it.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

FWIW, the wild bird seed I got at Tractor Supply had a lot of sorghum. I have read that a diet rich in sorghum causes hens to produce more pullets. Mine didn't care for it much, but they got used to it.

 

[Eggcessive]

I use scratch grains (Kalmbach 5 different grains) in my wild bird feeders. They used to get black oil sunflower seeds, but after several years of high prices--$26 for 50 lb,) I switched. The birds will eat it eventually, and my 3 yard chickens separated from my big flock, don't stand at the bird feeder gorging on SF seeds anymore. They do scarf up the spilled scratch though.