chicken scratch

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Give me a HEAD COUNT of how many you are feeding scratch to . Read several places that you feed scratch in winter time only to warm their insides from the cold temps .

BUT , 24/7 laying pellets are a MUST

 

[weloveourchicks]

If you should feed them exclusively scratch and they won't eat pullets what other choices are available? The only options at our local feed store is scratch and pullets

Any advice on what else I should be giving them?

 

[miss_jayne]

Quote:
pullets=female chicken

pellets=shaped, formulated chow

maybe your chickens would prefer a mash. (loose, unshaped feed)

if they are balking at pellets, keep trying. add some shredded cheese (just a sprinkling) and see if they will start pecking away.

edited to add...feeding only scratch isn't a healthy, complete diet. avoid that like the plague.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
They will eat the pellets if you are not feeding so much scratch . How old are your hens or pullets ?

a little bit of scratch like in early morning hours will not hurt them , if its given in moderation and a treat , not the main feed . infact if its cold scratch or cracked corn will warm their insides ... BUT , they have to have laying pellets 24/7 .

 

[weloveourchicks]

Our chickens are 9 months old. I have been mixing the two and they litterally pick out the scratch and leave the pellets. I also give them scraps, oatmeal, yogurt, veggies, etc so they aren't eating only scratch. I am calling the feed store that's a little farther from us to see if they have something else to try.

 

[al6517]

I do not feed scratch per say, I do feed cracked corn but only as a treat, well I feed it to them just so I can get in the coop/run door without getting run over & birds getting out. Then I can go about feeding and watering with out them being about my feet like little Piranahas hehehe. I have about 65 chickens so you can see what I mean, it is a defensive measure.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Mine get a scoop of scratch in the morning, sprinkled in the hay all over the barn. They have layer crumble all day in the feeder and they get another 1/2 scoop (horse feed scoop..3lb ish) before bed. They are all healthy and surviving the cold. And laying!

They eat their layer crumble About a scoop and a half a day along with kitchen scraps.

 

[miss_jayne]

Quote:
that is about how i do it, for them to hunt and peck about. it works well.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Maybe thats your problem .... You feeding to much of the other stuff and they picking out everything but the most important feed ( Laying pellets )
DO NOT MIX the scratch with the pellets .... Try giving the scratch only as a treat in smaller amounts . Then when you give the pellets , they have no other choice but to eat that .

Pellets are the most important feed they have to have .

 

[wjallen05]

oatmeal?

Give me a HEAD COUNT of how many you are feeding scratch to

I have: 8 hens (2 are hens, 6 are almost hens), 1 pullet/cockerel that I've been refering to. I also have 2 hens 1 roo they are in a seperate pen and then two silkies and a OEG banty.​