chicklover 1998
Songster
it doesn't have to be measured just like for every 40 lb give them 4 lb of scraps I would say what you are giving is probably about 80%, it won't hurt them but when they are laying then they won't be as productive as birds that stick to the layer ration with no treats, but birds that get treats also lay darker yolks and are happier, so some are good but too much can't really hurt them but may make them less productive (and overweight which isn't god for them either), if you add soybean meal to their food(to boost protein) you can get away with feeding more scraps. The mineral grit is meant more of adults(if you post a picture of it we may be able to figure out what it is), you should be able to buy chick grit somewhere. My girls won't eat banana peels but they will eat the part we eat, and my girls will also eat all of the strawberry. As for the eggshells it is good to feed them back to the chickens after they have dried out, but you have to give them oyster shell to help them with calcium. as for the green peels you can give them all of the scraps but if they don't like it (or it isn't good for them) then they won't eat it.Thanks so much. I really appreciate the responses.
So I'll figure out something to keep their feed dry. They are eating some of it, as I've seen it go down a couple inches in the feeder since I filled it. Still haven't opened the new bag but will do that when this gets low, probably re-locate it too.
As to only 10% scraps, my wife insists when she was a kid they never fed their chickens any feed at all, just rice & scraps, and let them scrounge the neighborhood, and they were supposedly fine. Of course when I ask what happened to them she can't remember ever eating them or them dieing, so who knows. Anyways we'll see how they do, one of the reasons we got them was for something useful to do with the good food my kids waste. I'd say the three chickens are getting about about a full 1 quart container per day of scraps, dunno what percentage of their diet that equates to tho, but probably more than 10%.
I still wonder if "mineral grit" is the right grit for adults. Right now I mixed that with the petbird gravel&grit (which is fine sand, whereas the mineral grit is tiny pebbles and a few flakes). I can take photos of this stuff if that helps, but I wanna make sure I have the right stuff available to them if they need it. There's another feed store in my general area I haven't yet checked out, maybe they have something specifically for chickens if this isn't the best stuff...
I now understand I'm not going to feed them any more citrus, or avacado peels, but how about banana peels or strawberry leaves? That Treat Chart I was linked to said banana without peels, so I assume no. But if yes, do I need to cut up the banana peel, or just throw the whole peel in there? [So far all the scraps we've given the chickens are already cut up since it's whatever my my 23mo old kids throw on the floor, but if there's more they'll eat, happy to give it to them too.] I like what that chart said for cooked chicken "They may like it and it won’t kill them, but it just seems so….. ummm………… wrong." I had the same thought as I was bringing out some waste chicken pasta alfredo last night.
I didn't see it on the chart, but I think I read somewhere else it's actually good to feed them eggshells, especially once they start laying, is that right? [I plan to offer free choice eggshells or switch to layer feed when they start laying.]
Plus still wondering about the vegetable peel thing, as I mentioned they vegetables they get all have peels on them... that chart said cooked only, avoid green parts of peels. I dont know if that means one or the other - does it mean if they're cooked, no problems, but if they're raw avoid the green parts, or always avoid the green parts? Anyways don't recall any green peels on sweet potoatoes anyway.