Feeding chickens only sprouts

[PFZ in KC]

As many have told you in the above, point blank, no. Feed them the diet that was made to feed them. You can not replicate this. You are going to simply kill your birds by not feeding them properly. If you are so concerned about their diet, then invest the money in the organic feeds that are available to you. If you can not bear the thought of feeding them the pellets that they need to be healthy and survive, then give them away to someone that will.

Do not continue to fill them up on sprouts and other things they should not be eating. You are making them sick by preventing them from eating the proper food by filling them up on these things. If you are determined to feed them sprouts, then do so at the end of the day after they have had a chance to fill up on the pellets which is their proper diet.

ouch!!

 

[Maiahr]

I give them very little layers feed (very very little), only in the morning. For the rest of the day I give them sprouting wheat mixed with row egg, plenty of egg shells, plus all kitchen scraps, plus they are free range.

 

[Lida7]

As many have told you in the above, point blank, no. Feed them the diet that was made to feed them. You can not replicate this. You are going to simply kill your birds by not feeding them properly. If you are so concerned about their diet, then invest the money in the organic feeds that are available to you. If you can not bear the thought of feeding them the pellets that they need to be healthy and survive, then give them away to someone that will.

Do not continue to fill them up on sprouts and other things they should not be eating. You are making them sick by preventing them from eating the proper food by filling them up on these things. If you are determined to feed them sprouts, then do so at the end of the day after they have had a chance to fill up on the pellets which is their proper diet.

Chickens have been living on grain, grubs and worms, and leftovers for millennia. Pellets are very recent thing. To say that people who do not feed pellets are mistreating their birds is ridiculous. Of course, keeping them confined and feeding only one kind of feed, be it sprouts or pellets, is not the best.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Chickens have been living on grain, grubs and worms, and leftovers for millennia. Pellets are very recent thing. To say that people who do not feed pellets are mistreating their birds is ridiculous. Of course, keeping them confined and feeding only one kind of feed, be it sprouts or pellets, is not the best.

The chickens of today are different than the chickens millennia ago. Vastly different. They are built in a way that they likely wouldn't survive back then. At least the pellets are designed to give them everything they need, even if it's one food. My pellet fed birds are far better feeling than the ones that have to scrounge for most of their feed

 

[Lida7]

The chickens of today are different than the chickens millennia ago. Vastly different. They are built in a way that they likely wouldn't survive back then. At least the pellets are designed to give them everything they need, even if it's one food. My pellet fed birds are far better feeling than the ones that have to scrounge for most of their feed

When you say "better feeling", do you mean they are fatter or that they told you they feel better? You may as well say that kids fed on processed food are much healthier than those getting varied diet of fresh food.

Pellets have been around for maybe 100 years, and even now large proportion of the world chickens would not be fed commercial feed.

My girls get grain mix and free range around the garden.

 

[aart]

You can feed them what ever you want.
They will likely survive but may not thrive and/or be productive.

 

[Brooks_]

They will likely survive

The longevity is in question tho.

 

[aart]

The longevity is in question tho.

That would fall under "thrive", eh?

but may not thrive

 

[JacinLarkwell]

When you say "better feeling", do you mean they are fatter or that they told you they feel better? You may as well say that kids fed on processed food are much healthier than those getting varied diet of fresh food.

Pellets have been around for maybe 100 years, and even now large proportion of the world chickens would not be fed commercial feed.

My girls get grain mix and free range around the garden.

Yes, they told me

They feel far better when being handled, and they tend to have a bit more meat on them when processed.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You can feed them what ever you want.
They will likely survive but may not thrive and/or be productive.

Though, that isba good point about the survive vs thrive. I did word that first post a bit wrong, I suppose