help - so confused over what to feed them

I would go with a grower food, what did you buy a flock raiser or purina start and grow? Any kind of grower/developer is what you want, I THINK it should have around 18% protein, but I do not read the labels anymore so do not remember. Yep, all they really need is the feed and the grit, they do not NEED Scratch, its not food, its like candy for birds, and all the other stuff your giving them for treats are just fine.

 

If you are feeding the chick food they do not need the grit. If they are free ranging, even for a short time, daily then they will pick up any grit they need, otherwise they don't need grit when they are on the chick feed.

 

scratch is cracked corn.... oh they love it but they really should just be given some sprinkled on the ground or on the litter in the coop... they will turn up the shavings for you!

 

scratch is cracked corn....

Not necessarily. I feed my girls a 3 grain organic scratch mix that does not contain corn. The store I get it from also offers a 5 grain scratch mix that has some corn in it.​

 

Quote:Not necessarily. I feed my girls a 3 grain organic scratch mix that does not contain corn. The store I get it from also offers a 5 grain scratch mix that has some corn in it.

I stand corrected

 

BOSS (Black oil sunflower seeds) is far better for them as treats than "scratch" or cracked corn. More protein. And it really helps with their feather condition.

I feed chick starter, medicated, for 8 weeks. Then I transistion them to any general purpose chicken feed, like Purina FlockRaiser, or a grower/finisher feed. (I'm partial to Nutrena brand feed, by NatureWise.) That's what I feed everybody (except chicks under 8 wks old) and I provide crushed oyster shell, free choice. (Keep it in an empty tuna can nailed to an inside wall of the coop, all the time.) The layers take it as they need it.

I have a flock of many different breeds and ages, plus two ducks. I don't provide store-bought grit, because they get it in the run and when they free range. When they were chicks in the brooder, I would give them some construction sand (bought at Lowe's, cheap, 50# sack for under 7 bucks) when I gave them any treats. Now I use that construction sand for their dust bath areas. (Also have two low-sided cat litter pans with sand in them, tucked under the cover of the coops so there is something to play in even when it rains.)

(I appear to be fixated on parentheses today, sorry.)

 

I never feed scratch. All the ones here are primarily corn, milo and a bit of wheat. I do give them a no-corn pigeon feed occasionally, and just bought a 20 lb bag of black oil sunflower seed.

 

OK, on the Scratch.
If you are using the cheaper 3 or 4 grain Scratch you will want to keep the amount of Scratch they eat to a lower amount.
Now if you are using a better grain mix for a Scratch then you can use a little more.

I use a all Grain Pigeon Feed as a Scratch Grain and it has a 14% Protein and I can get away with feeding more..
I feel that is in not the Scratch that is bad it is the type of Scratch that is bad.
If you feed a good quality Scratch there isn't much difference between it and a all grain chicken feed...

For example here are three type of all grain pigeon feeds. The 14% feed is what I use with a little extra ingredients added.

• Racing Pigeon - 21.5% Protein - NO CORN
Contains: Canada Peas, Maple Peas, Safflower, Austrian Peas, Whole Wheat, White Kafir, Red Milo, Vetch.
Crude Protein (min) 21.5% Crude Fat (min) 4.0% Crude Fiber (max) 8.0%

• Breeder/Conditioner - 16% Protein - NO CORN
Contains: Canada Peas, Red Milo, White Kafir, Maple Peas, Oat Groats, Austrian Peas, Whole Wheat, Safflower Seed, White Millet, Red Millet, Canary Seed, Vetch, Buckwheat, Rice.
Crude Protein (min) 16.0% Crude Fat (min) 3.5% Crude Fiber (max) 8.0%

• Maintenance - 14% Protein - W/Corn
Contains: Canada Peas, Milo, Whole Wheat, Small Yellow Corn, Safflower Seed, Maple Peas, Flax, Brown Rice, Vetch, Buckwheat,
Oat Groats.
Crude Protein (min) 14.0% Crude Fat (min) 2.0% Crude Fiber (max) 9.0%

Chris