- Mar 19, 2009
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Scratch is a fine feed for a treat. Period. It is not a complete ration for any type of poultry. I like to throw in a few handfuls of scratch on the bedding every day for my laying chickens. I use a deep litter system, and the scratch makes them keep the litter turned up nicely. I don't feed it to my meaties at all. And unless they have access to grit, you shouldn't feed it to yours either. That said, scratch simply doesn't have the nutrients needed for those fast growing meaties. True, it is cheaper by the bag, but it will cost you in the long run. Remember the old adage, penny wise and pound foolish? Feeding scratch to meaties as a means to save money on feed costs is a good example of that.