Do you ever let your meat birds eat scratch?

[ssledoux]

My barred silvers are running in the barn now (not quite ready to give them full access to the pasture because they are still a little small). The hens sleep in there at night so their feeder stays in there. The meat birds love to get over there and sneak the hens' feed when I let them out to free-range. I'm just wondering if this will hurt my boys.

 

[chicks for better health]

I don't think it will hurt them. Last year I free ranged my meat birds, after 6 weeks I let them have some scratch as well. I didn't have any problems

 

[ging3rhoffman]

We have a hanging feeder 24/7 for our 13 white rock meat chickens and I also throw 3 cups of scratch daily for them. Scratch = bird seed & small pieces of cracked corn. I also throw them some toast every other day or so, along with any left over cornbread. We feel that the more we feed them the more they will grow and a variety is always better. I also fed them slighty warm oatmeal every other evening before bed. They love that.

 

[scooter147]

I switch mine to all scratch two weeks before butcher, they also have access to a run that is grass covered.
I can only fine medicated feed in my area so I want all traces of the medication out of their system before I eat them.
It's probably my imagination but I think the meat is better too.

 

[Riparian]

Quote:
what kind of meatbirds were they? cornish x, reds or a dual purpose? how did they turn out?

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

I give my Cornish-Rocks a little scratch in addition to high protein starter. They eat the scratch first, of course. It's like candy!

 

[jjparke]

LOL my cornishx would only eat feed in the feeder. I could throw whatever in to them and they would just look at it. They wouldn't even eat their own feed off the ground. Stupid chickens.

 

[Homesteading_Bound]

I feed mine meat makers and scratch...If I run out of meat makers they may be on scratch for a day or so until I get to the feed mill

 

[ghulst]

Many years ago when I raised meat birds I fed them chick starter for the first 5 weeks and then mixed whole corn with it and incrested the whole corn to 100% when they were about 13 weeks and butched them at 17 weeks. They had no pin feathers and were much better eating then turkey for thankgiving. They all dressed over 10#.