How can I improve how I'm feeding my chickens?

[Sussex19]

In the moment they get grower pellets in the morning, as much as they can eat in one sitting.
Then at midday they get another meal of pellets, sometimes replaced with kitchen scraps or boiled excess eggs.
In the evening they get a hand full each of scratch mix, although from reading on here that seem to be to much, so I've been mixing it with some more pellets.
I don't want to leave food out all the time as the wild birds eat it.
Is there anything that I should by doing differently?
When I've been butchering cockerels lately they seem to be a bit to fat, so I'm a bit worried that the hens are to.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

If the Roos are fat, safe bet the hens are fatter. I butcher my own, and hens always have more fat than roos raised in identical conditions - they need it for when they get broody.

Continue cutting out the scratch, boiled eggs should be one per five birds. We did the math.

Beyond that, I'd really have to see the operation or know what, specifically, they are being fed (and what they might find in any space they are allowed to range) to offer more specific advice.

 

[Aunt Angus]

If the Roos are fat, safe bet the hens are fatter. I butcher my own, and hens always have more fat than roos raised in identical conditions - they need it for when they get broody.

Continue cutting out the scratch, boiled eggs should be one per five birds. We did the math.

Beyond that, I'd really have to see the operation or know what, specifically, they are being fed (and what they might find in any space they are allowed to range) to offer more specific advice.

I agree about cutting out anything high in fat.

And thanks for that link, @U_Stormcrow. Good stuff!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I agree about cutting out anything high in fat.

And thanks for that link, @U_Stormcrow. Good stuff!

You'd be surprised how much I've learned when someone asks a question none of us know the answer to - so we sat down and worked it out. You don't know what you don't know, until...

 

[Aunt Angus]

You'd be surprised how much I've learned when someone asks a question none of us know the answer to - so we sat down and worked it out. You don't know what you don't know, until...

I dig that. A lot. Learning = good stuff.

 

[SourRoses]

What about just changing the type of feeder you're using to exclude the wild birds? Those PVC Feeding Ports installed in a bucket would make it very hard for anything else to eat the feed.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

I cut out all the treats except for frozen blueberries at the heat of the day. My egg production doubled. Our nightly scratch has come to an end.

 

[Sussex19]

If the Roos are fat, safe bet the hens are fatter. I butcher my own, and hens always have more fat than roos raised in identical conditions - they need it for when they get broody.

This was what I was thinking

Continue cutting out the scratch,

shall I completely stop feeding it? I quite like feeding a bit of unprocessed food, but not if it will cause problems.

boiled eggs should be one per five birds. We did the math.

In the moment, they get around 10 eggs between 20 chickens once a a week, does this sound problematic? Interesting link, when I've got more time I'll read it more thoroughly.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

This was what I was thinking

shall I completely stop feeding it? I quite like feeding a bit of unprocessed food, but not if it will cause problems.

In the moment, they get around 10 eggs between 20 chickens once a a week, does this sound problematic? Interesting link, when I've got more time I'll read it more thoroughly.

No, if its weekly, you are fine.
and yes, I don't recommend feeding scratch. When I need to encourage "scratching" behavior, I simply scatter pellets or crumble (which is what I currently feed). Honestly, with my birds, anything I throw is "treat" in their little dinosaur minds.

 

[Shadrach]

@Sussex19

I don't know what you can get in your part of New South Wales.
These links might be of interest while you're thinking a bout how to feed your hens.

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...ects-to-lay-carbon-neutral-eggs-for-morrisons

https://betterorigin.co.uk/our-product/

https://betterorigin.co.uk/2021/06/why-insect-feed-is-great-for-poultry/