Chicken scratch?

[Vickie Gamble]

I'm a new chicken mom.....I have 3 five month old Polish chickens. 1 Rooster and 2 hens......I Know nothing about feeding them....Right now I am feeding Chicken Scratch... and oyster shells. Is that OK? From what I've read, I don't start laying feed until i see an egg.

 

[PirateGirl]

Hi! You are right about the laying feed, however, "scratch" is more of a treat than a complete feed and is lacking in substantial protein. By feeding primarily scratch you may even be delaying the start of laying since it isn't a complete diet. I would go to your feed store an look for a feed labeled something like "grower" or "all flock" you are looking for something anywhere from 16% to 20% protein. Different brands call it different things, but most make a feed for after they are tiny chicks, but before they are laying. Hopefully a store employee can help you when you are there.

 

[Vickie Gamble]

Thank you...

 

[Vickie Gamble]

So do I put grit in that feed? They are not free range.

 

[PirateGirl]

Ok so you should have 4 things for your chickens available pretty much all day every day.

1. fresh water
2. complete chicken feed (whatever grower or all flock you can get at your store)
3. grit in a separate bowl on the side (depending on your soil they may just eat small rocks off the ground and be fine, but sometimes the soil doesn't have enough of the right size rocks for them so I'd buy a small bag of grit at the feed store to be safe)
4. oyster shell in s separate bowl on the side (once they get laying or start laying any females will pick at this as needed, some need more calcium than the feed provides in order to make good strong shells)

Here is also a link to the chicken treat chart; there are loads of healthy snacks you can feed them if you have them available.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...—the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens.47738/

 

[Vickie Gamble]

Thanks.

 

[TexasWineGuy]

Ok so you should have 4 things for your chickens available pretty much all day every day.

1. fresh water
2. complete chicken feed (whatever grower or all flock you can get at your store)
3. grit in a separate bowl on the side (depending on your soil they may just eat small rocks off the ground and be fine, but sometimes the soil doesn't have enough of the right size rocks for them so I'd buy a small bag of grit at the feed store to be safe)
4. oyster shell in s separate bowl on the side (once they get laying or start laying any females will pick at this as needed, some need more calcium than the feed provides in order to make good strong shells)

Here is also a link to the chicken treat chart; there are loads of healthy snacks you can feed them if you have them available.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-treat-chart—the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens.47738/

Hey, PG,

Why do you say they need both "grit" and oyster shell? Won't the oyster shells double for both purposes?

TWG

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Scratch isn't a complete nutritionally balanced feed. You can use scratch as a supplemental feed, what I do is mix the regular feed with scratch.

 

[PirateGirl]

oyster shell provides additional calcium and breaks down and is absorbed by the chickens, grit is typically harder granite that does not break down and is used to break down other food

also somehow the chickens/ducks just know when they need which and eat it, my male never touches the oyster shell

 

[Vickie Gamble]

Thank you..