Feed versus Scratch

[MKetter]

I have been raising my brother’s chickens until he gets a coop. It’s both of our first time having chickens. I told him they need a new bag of feed. He bought this. This isn’t labeled grower feed. It’s scratch. He knows about grower feed. He bought their first bag. I bought their second bag but sent him a picture of the bag for his approval. This third bag is apparently the only chicken feed the store had in stock. This isn’t going to provide their nutrition, is it? From what I gather scratch is more of a treat. Is that right? Can you tell me the difference between scratch and feed?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Without seeing the nutrition panel it does appear this is strictly scratch, which is a treat and not feed.

If the store isn't well stocked, depending on where you're located, ordering online for feed might be an option in a pinch.

 

[saysfaa]

I have been raising my brother’s chickens until he gets a coop. It’s both of our first time having chickens. I told him they need a new bag of feed. He bought this. This isn’t labeled grower feed. It’s scratch. He knows about grower feed. He bought their first bag. I bought their second bag but sent him a picture of the bag for his approval. This third bag is apparently the only chicken feed the store had in stock. This isn’t going to provide their nutrition, is it? From what I gather scratch is more of a treat. Is that right? Can you tell me the difference between scratch and feed?

It says scratch but the ingredients are: Wheat, Milo, Millet, Barley, Sunflower Seed, Mineral Oil, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin B7 (Biotin), Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, DL Methionine, Dicalcium Phosphate, Flax Oil, Vitamin E (Tocopherols).

That is way more than scratch generally has. It is quite odd. If they didn't want to run the analysis for some reason (expense?), I get that, it could be like growing organic foods but being able to label it organic because of the expense and hoops. But then why put the extra ingredients in this feed?

There is hope it is pretty close to what they need. Even if it isn't, a few days of it until you can get something else won't hurt them. Well, offer grit too. They will need it for this even if they were on pellets or crumble that didn't need it.

It says it is for "hens" so I assume the calcium is too high for chicks. Again, a few days is ok but it isn't very good for them ling term.

You might check the mill date or use-by date if you feed it very long. If they have only one feed left, it seems extra risky to not check.

 

[Folly's place]

It's the nutritional profile that matters, which is not the same as an ingredient list. Reasonable ingredients, but the actual nutritional panel, and of course the mill date, matters.
Mary

 

[MKetter]

It's the nutritional profile that matters, which is not the same as an ingredient list. Reasonable ingredients, but the actual nutritional panel, and of course the mill date, matters.
Mary

This is all there is. I know protein content is important for growing chickens. They’re 15 weeks old now.

 

[saysfaa]

This is all there is. I know protein content is important for growing chickens. They’re 15 weeks old now.

Well, that is why they call it scratch... for starters, it doesn't have enough nutrition to qualify as feed for adult chickens much less as grower feed.

It stiil won't hurt for a few days. If it is much longer (and not old feed), it would help to give them some meat or milk products. People commonly use tuna or scrambled eggs or yogurt for this purpose - all these and others work pretty well.

I would still get grower feed sooner rather than later instead of feeding through this. Unless you have more chicken pasture than most Americans can provide. "Pasture" meaning more variety of nutritious food for chickens options than can be found in most US backyards that they can access most of the day.

 

[Folly's place]

So it's a treat, nothing like a healthy balanced feed!
Mary

 

[saysfaa]

Yes, the bag says it is... says to not feed more than 10% of their diet.

It still seems odd to me that they would put some vitamins and MET and such in it.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

That's scratch. As others have said, a few days on it won't kill them. But the Protein is 1/2 what is considered minimum, Met is 2/3 the minimum recommend, Lys is less than half the recommended minimum. at least the CA isn't excessive.

Figure they will likely eat (assuming they have room) twice as much of that as they normally would in an effort to meet their Crude Protein and Calcium needs. and they will still have an imbalanced protein and way too much energy (both as Calories and Fat) intake.