Feed versus Scratch

[Folly's place]

Cost! Why animal proteins aren't included in most (all) chicken feed, and why it's advertised as a virtue (vegetarian!).
Mary

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Cost! Why animal proteins aren't included in most (all) chicken feed, and why it's advertised as a virtue (vegetarian!).
Mary

^^^ so much this.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Cost! Why animal proteins aren't included in most (all) chicken feed, and why it's advertised as a virtue (vegetarian!).
Mary

Egg-zackly!

Very clever of them to label it (honestly) as scratch, and not feed.

 

[Altairsky]

If you can't find adequate feed, you can just add some extra protein to the scratch. Feeding them daily some raw minced beef is not a sin. Eggs, cottage cheese, sardines (canned is good, just check the salt content). It can work as temporary fix, and I mean, you can finish the bag this way.
How much protein is too much protein?
Well, my free range chicks grew up on Japanese beetles only. They ate JB, and pooped JB, nothing else. They're meant to became meat birds. They're huge! So no, I don't think there is a too much protein issue as long as chickens are allowed to self regulate.

 

[Finchbreeder]

This is similar to what I try to explain to new bird breeders/keepers too. Cheap feed is frequently cheap because it has fillers that are cheap to source, but not high in good bird nutrition.
And is always the last thing left in stock when the good stuff has all been sold.
At least these guys were honest, while some bird food suppliers just put small bird feed or large bird feed to cover that it has not been labeled for a specific type of birds needs.