do you feed your chickens scratch in the summer months?

[bucky52]

My hens love their scratch.I have read and heard that it will make them hotter.i was listening to the chicken whisper talk show about helping your flock Thur the hot summer months and he suggested if you give your flock scratch to try and give them some with just a little crack corn as you can.I find it hard to find scratch with out corn.unless I mix my own.

 

[BigTone]

We don't give them scratch during the warm months, only during the winter when they need it for the extra warmth. During the summer they get to graze on grass, bugs, and any veggies we don't get to eat. ~Anthony

 

[speckledhen]

My hens love their scratch.I have read and heard that it will make them hotter.i was listening to the chicken whisper talk show about helping your flock Thur the hot summer months and he suggested if you give your flock scratch to try and give them some with just a little crack corn as you can.I find it hard to find scratch with out corn.unless I mix my own.

That is not true. Corn does not raise the body heat. He is absolutely incorrect. It is an old wives (farmers?) tale. I give mine an 11 grain game bird feed for my scratch, about 10% corn, so mine is 12% protein, not the usual 8% of mostly corn scratch, but I don't actually put it in any feeder, only throw it out in the mornings, a few handfuls for each group, or when I use it to call them back from free ranging. I do not change my feed no matter what season it is. Now, extra carbs may put extra weight/fat on them, padding them for the winter, but it does not act like some little furnace inside of them to keep them warm at night as some folks seem to think. You never want them to eat heavy on the scratch/corn no matter what season it is because corn is not a complete feed for laying hens.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

The problem with feeding them scratch in the summer is that their consumption is likely way down in the summer heat. It can be hard to get them to eat enough to get the appropriate amount of protein and minerals into them to sustain egg production. Adding scratch only dilutes their ration exacerbating the problem.

Feeding them scratch in the winter doesn't keep them "warmer" per se, but in cold weather they need more energy (calories) to maintain. They will just eat more layer feed to take in those calories, but with higher than normal consumption they will likely be taking in too much protein, which is the most expensive part of the feed. Feeding some scratch in the winter helps to dilute the ration a little, so they get the energy they need without overconsuming protein and minerals.

 

[rancher hicks]

I'm not sure I understand the science in some of these suggestions that scratch makes them hot. I have read that, but I don't understand the science of it.

Anyhow, I give my birds scratch. Corn/oats/BOSS. Plus other treats. Lettuce, a little bread and some other stuff.

My Dels are laying just fine being in a run all the time. My B.Marans are broody as heck and some of the EE's.

They've got layer pellets except for the Dels who are all on unmedicated Starter/Grower cuz there are chicks that 6 year old Frenchy hatched out. When there are chicks, everyone gets Grower/starter and they lay fine and seem okay. I love Dels. Even the rooster doesn't bother the chicks and backs down from little Frenchy. Lord have mercy I've seen bigger Cantaloupes.

So my point is my chickens seem fine, with scratch. Oh and don't forget lots and lots of water.

 

[Inmybackyard]

HI. I read one of your posts about bumblfoot. It was from a while back. I am wondering how do you treat bumblefoot now? I have read so many posts. I am using the iodine and epsom salt poultice. Now I am going to use the tricide neo vet recommended soak. What worked for you? I am trying to avoid having to do the surgery. Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[Going Quackers]

I still toss my handfuls down every day yes, it's mainly for entertainment as most of the bantam chickens are penned, i free range my standards and a trio of my silkies roosters.. It's a very small portion of their overall diets, and they do have access to feed that is complete.

My scratch is also almost 11% protein. I don't really increase my amounts for winter, its more for again no forage available, as said it's a falsehood it;s a hot food.

 

[centrarchid]

I use even when free-range forage quality is exceptional like now. Mine is made of intact grains rather cracked as even my month old chicks can choke down whole corn kernels. I keep the amount low so crop fill not realized on it but the still see opportunity of easy eats that keeps them in predictable locations when I go to survey their well-being.

 

[speckledhen]

HI. I read one of your posts about bumblfoot. It was from a while back. I am wondering how do you treat bumblefoot now? I have read so many posts. I am using the iodine and epsom salt poultice. Now I am going to use the tricide neo vet recommended soak. What worked for you? I am trying to avoid having to do the surgery. Thanks in advance for any info.

Were you talking to me? I usually don't treat until and unless the foot swells and they are limping, like they are walking on a stone. Then, I do remove the scab, taking as much of the underside gunk as possible with it. Much of the time, the infection has localized on the surface and removing the scab takes most all the infection with it. Then, we pack with silver sulfadiazene cream or antibiotic ointment and wrap for a few days. That's all. No soaks, no injected or oral antibiotics. What we do seems to work as well as anything else does.


Hi, Mac! Thanks for weighing in!

 

[BigTone]

The scratch provides extra calories which in turn creates energy stores that the body uses to generate heat through body system functions. That is where the "heat" comes from, the body functions are continuously working, the metabolism is consistently being activated regulating the bodies core temp and increased caloric intake is needed to keep the body system working properly. ~Anthony