Dont mean to sound dumb but I have a ??

[arlee453]

Scratch is scratch feed. That's what it says on the bag.

Its a mix of cracked corn and other grains. Chickens love it - we call it 'chicken crack'

It's fine as a treat, should be really limited when the weather is super hot because the corn jacks up their metabolism.

Good for helping them stay warm in the winter as a bed-time snack.

 

[Cheryl]

Thank you! At what age do you give chickens scratch...as a treat?! MY chickens are 7 weeks old, and my neighbor gives them crickets once a week, they are on grower food (feed store is now out of chick food)

 

[chickengirlnm]

ok I guess I am a dunce, mine get scratch I thought it was what they eat !!

Ok so now for another dumb question - What should they eat ?since I only have one that is laying do they all get layer feed anyway?

ok so I have the straight - cracked corn at evening feeding ( during winter ), scratch for a treat during the warmer weather and layer feed out all the time?

i have to admit seeing this bulge scared the crap out of me LOL
I really want to be a good chicken mom - so as soon as I figure this food thing out I will feel better

Julie

 

[Wildsky]

I'm not sure what other people do who have a mixture in age - I have batums who are around 21 weeks, and then my youngsters are around 16 weeks.... Got our first egg yesterday, perfect too! But they all eat the same thing, its a general poultry feed, not a grower or a mix for layers... best I could figure out to do.

I don't think you want to give scratch in summer if it gets too hot - it will heat up their bodies, but for winter, scratch and corn is ok when its cold.

And then my girls get the odd scrap from the kitchen, veggies, rice, noodles etc... they go CRAZY for that.

I think some folks are very specific about their chickens feed, i'm a little more laid back, I figure if I don't give them EXACTLY what the bag says they need, they're not going to die... there are too many different feeds as far as I'm concerned, just more money to spend.

Just have fun and a basic poultry feed should be fine.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Pullets over 20 weeks or grown hens should be on a layer feed...a pellet, mash or crumble...any thing younger needs to be on a starter/grower in my opinion...the way I fgure it they need all the help they can to lay well...

a scratch feed or cracked corn is just to help in winter with keeping heat in their bodies on cold nights...just throw out a handful or I use a 1 lb can for 24 hens when its cold.....

I read an article in Practical Poultry this week that scraps and breads are to be treats and sometimes can stop egg production.....

I'm a laid back poultry person too

 

[chickengirlnm]

ok now that I have that figured out with everyone's help I will buy another tote and get them a bag of layer pellets and mark the tote with the corn/scratch in it as treats !!

what about ducks what should I be feeding them? normally they eat whatever my chickens eat but since I have two males would it be alright if they eat layer feed?


thanks for all the help

Julie

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

just a note; when you feed grains other than regular bag feed you dilute the protien in their diets. Not necessarily a bad thing if they free range and get other forms of protien. Just FYI

 

[johnnyjack]

i feed mine cracked corn in the am so its not laying around on the ground at night to start the mice. which will come. i keep a hanging feeder with laying mash for them to eat on all day. plenty of water. and i cut down on the cracked corn to everyother day. to cut down on the bulging crop. mine had it so bad the feathers would wear off the crop area. i was using a scratch feed which they wasted half of it had alot of stuff they picked over and left.now they get the crack corn everyother day and laying mash all day everyday. cured the crop problem for me.

 

[chickengirlnm]

ok just got home with a new bag of feed for them I got a bad of layer crumble which I will start giving them in the am I will lay off the cracked corn for a day to get them used to the new food than offer it again.
hopefully this will help them with the bulge.
funny thing I did not notice my two banty's having this problem ( they only had a tiny little bulge )

oh well learn something new everyday.


Julie

 

[Wildsky]

Great Julie, Don't sweat it, jsut relax and enjoy the girls!

Good for you for asking about something, there is only one dumb question - thats the one never asked!