HELP! Chicken Scratch - Best Chicken Diet?

[wbrr2009]

Please help...I have been reading on this site from a lot of people that you are not to feed your chickens scratch everyday. I had 1 chicken die yesterday and another today and I am wondering if it is because I feed them chicken scratch everyday? I have since they were born. Chicken starter at first and now that they are about 5 months old, they are on scratch feed. I also occasionally give them cantelope and peaches. They live in a large coop.

WHAT IS THE BEST DIET FOR CHICKENS IN A COOP (WATER AND FOOD WISE)?

Scratch? Layer? Pellets??

Electrolytes in water? ACV in water? Oil of Oregeno? HELP!

THANKS!!

 

[Fred's Hens]

A bit of scratch each day is fine. However, it might require a better protein level in your feed. Many companies sell a 18% or 20% protein feed in both Raiser and Layer. Without more details or a necropsy, it would be difficult to tell what, if any, effect diet played in the loss of your bird.

 

[Krazzy]

you feed your chickens scratch only? there is nothing wrong with giving them a little scratch everyday but it is not intended to be the sole diet for chickens. i would suggest you start feeding them layer pellets. they have everything a chicken needs. if you want to give them a scoop on scratch everyday as a treat go ahead. of course i would slowly wing them off of the scratch but mixing it in with the layer pellets for a week or so.

i would be surprised if giving them scratch would have killed them. however your chickens may not have as strong of an immune system as they would if they were fed a proper diet designed for them.

my neighbor feeds his chickens a corn only diet, his chickens seem to do fine, but mine seem to grow faster, and look more healthy. so im sticking to layer pellets for my adult flock.

 

[wbrr2009]

I look at bag - it is poultry layer 16%.

 

[wbrr2009]

Krazzy,

Do you prefer the pellets or crumbles?

 

[Krazzy]

i like pellets