Do I have the right feeder?

[SunnyAlberta]

I have a feed tray that looks like this.


I'm feeding a mixture of commercial grower crumble and homemade organic crumble that the chicken farm sent me home with. Although I've seen the birds eat from the tray, I've also seen them eat more enthusiastically when food spills into the straw and they can peck for it. There is also a bowl in the coop that I place kitchen scraps into, some they like and some they don't, but they do eat from the open bowl. Now I am confused about which foods or treats should go into feeders or bowls and which foods or treats should just be tossed in to the coop or run.We've had a second blast of winter here, so although I plan to feed in the run when it warms up, they are spending a great deal of time in the coop.

 

[whitlockj85]

That is perfect. Don't over think it too much. Chickens peck instinctively.

 

[nurse_turtle]

I feed mine a mix of Flock Raiser, scratch feed and black oiled sunflower seeds. I toss a large cup full in the coops twice a day. They enjoy it more when they scratch around for it. It's what their instincts tell them to do, plus it gives them something to do all day and encourages foraging behavior. I even place it in 2 or more places in the run.

 

[SunnyAlberta]

That is perfect. Don't over think it too much.

What is perfect? The feeder or that they are foraging? Don't tell me not to think. Its what I do. LOL

 

[nurse_turtle]

There are really few wrong answers in chicken raising. They do what they do. The feeder is fine as is foraging.

 

[SunnyAlberta]

I feed mine a mix of Flock Raiser, scratch feed and black oiled sunflower seeds. I toss a large cup full in the coops twice a day.

I'm wondering why I bothered buying the feeder. Good thing it was inexpensive. This is a dumb question... What is "scratch"? I see people talking about it but I don't really understand what it is and how it differs from "feed". Where do I buy it?

 

[jrsckn]

Its a mix of different grains in one bag

http://poultry.purinamills.com/OURPRODUCTS/Products/ScratchGrains/default.aspx

I prefer to use a feeder, there's less waste. Once they get older, I use a hanging feeder and the reduction of wasted food increases dramatically.

 

[SunnyAlberta]

So if grit is just mixed grains, a treat and not a meal, isn't that something I could make myself? May I use wild bird seed?

 

[Den in Penn]

Did you mean to say scratch and not grit? Yes you can mix your own scratch. I mix my own, because I grow my wheat as a cover crop and use some of the garden for corn. That covers the two of the main ingredients in scratch. You can add what ever grains you want. They will eat wild bird seed, but I think I'd look at the cost.

 

[peck peck peck]

I started feeding my chicks with a similar feeder. They quickly out grew it and now they eat from a feeding bowl that i hang on the bottom of my fence. They really pig out now that they are about 8 weeks old. If i leave it on the ground the little ones will stand in it, or the bigger ones will kick it over. Boy them chickens love to eat. I feed them Purina start & grow. Happy chickening.