Scratch is good and many are using the wild bird feed with good success...it has a good protein percentage. The whole grain mix I got recently could be considered scratch grains and it's the usual stuff I add for winter feeding...barley, wheat, oats, cracked corn, BOSS.
They eat even less when this is added to the FF and seem more content, always did and this is one of the reasons I add a variety of whole grains in the winter. The other reasons are variety and cost effectiveness. Birds that are not laying do not need 100% layer mash/ration, so the mixed grains keeps them going in the winter. Now that I am fermenting, it should boost the protein absorption even more, thus getting more bang for the little bit of buck.
They eat even less when this is added to the FF and seem more content, always did and this is one of the reasons I add a variety of whole grains in the winter. The other reasons are variety and cost effectiveness. Birds that are not laying do not need 100% layer mash/ration, so the mixed grains keeps them going in the winter. Now that I am fermenting, it should boost the protein absorption even more, thus getting more bang for the little bit of buck.
I have wild bird feed + scratch + chick starter fermenting. In the wild bird feed there is Millet, Sunflower seeds, BOSS, Safflowers and peanuts. In the scratch there is Barley, Oats and Cracked Corn. They pick out millet first.
Isn't it easy when you use the buckets like that to get the consistency and fermentation right? And it takes up no space and makes no mess...I've got mine in my bedroom! 
