ok, my girls get a layer feed supplied to them all day long. when i get home, ill throw em' a hand full of cracked corn or some bread. my only question is; are they getting enough nutrients? the feed, im assuming, is balanced with what they need and anything else is extra for them. they are in an enclosure all day. i have only had them 2 and 1/2 weeks, and i dont trust them or my dog yet to be able to let them out to peck around. im scared they will all scamper off into the woods and i wont be able to get them back. i was wondering if i should call the pet shop to ask if they have mealworms. and of the girls massacred a grasshopper last night that fell into the run! what do you suggest?
They need to eat fruits and vegetables. Green grass even can cat food for extra protein during there molt!
Your layer feed should be "complete" but I feel that a more varied diet produces better eggs and chickens. I feed veges, fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, and I raise mealworms. Mealies are super easy to raise and the chickens love them. Be careful with the cat food. If you feed to much the cat food can flavor the eggs. Grasshoppers are considered free food around here. Keep your birds penned up til they are old enough to take care of themselves. If they are grown keep them locked up for at least one week til they know where home is.
Mowed grass... leftover fruits and veggies (from prepping for dinner - but NO garlic or onions or that'll affect the taste of the eggs!!)... "recycled" crushed egg shells (for calcium)... occasionally boiled eggs (if you get too many to use and don't necessarily want to give them away)... Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (aka BOSS)...
