How much scratch to give?

[Mommysongbird]

Quote:
Where do you get your greens at during the winter and are they from a local company or just at whatever grocery store you happen to be at? I don't want our to have anything that may have a bunch of pesticides on them and I know during the winter so much stuff is shipped in so God knows where it actually comes from.

We have one family owned store, but they still get a lot of stuff that is shipped in from all over and very seldomely do I ever find anything in the produce isles that are on 'SPECIAL' at most stores. I just can't afford to be buying them fresh stuff that we could eat instead (paying the high prices) but if I find specials, then that is different.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Fred's Hens :

For me? I don't even buy it anymore. Period. Here, it is just 3 common grains swept together. 8% protein with no vitamin or mineral pak at all. Funny thing? It cost the same price as 20% layer pellets at our local mill. Same!!!! You'll get a lot of different answers here, but....

So, feed junky 8% protein scratch or balanced, mineral rich, 20% protein layer pellets for the same price? My decision was dead easy. YMMV.

I stopped using three grain scratch years ago in favor of simply feeding whole grains. The girls never seemed to care much for the cracked corn in the scratch mix anyway.

I've now all but stopped feeding even whole corn since it's gone to more than eleven dollars a bag.​

 

[Wynette]

If you're concerned about pesticides, buy organic greens for them. Another thing you can do with greens is to stuff them into a suet feeder (I have a "triple" sized one) and hang it from the rafters or in the run - just at head height. They will peck & peck at the greens to get them out. YOu may need to drop some on the floor/ground at first so they realize what's smashed into the feeder first. My gals, when they see me holding the suet feeder, all gather 'round the run door tripping over themselves to be the first one to get to the greens!

 

[CCourson05]

Let's see. I honestly don't know how much I feed. It's probably about.... Half a gallon or so....10 cups per 100 birds. So... Yeah. My earlier estimate was probably way too high. I do this 2-3 times a week.

 

[coalroadcabin]

Okay, so I'm new to chickens and I may have gotten the wrong idea about scratch

I thought scratch was grain that you scattered so they could scratch at the litter to keep it stirred up? Should it only be used for a once-in-a-while rare treat-time?

My seven chickens are still young (12 weeks) but I started with a TBS of course cornmeal mixed with a TBS chopped up rolled oats and a pinch of chick grit when they were 2 days old (I read in the Story's book that it would keep them from getting pasty butt)

Now that they're bigger I don't chop up the rolled oats and have started using cracked corn instead of course cornmeal. I sprinkle about 1/2 cup on the ground in their run every morning so they scratch it up and 1/4 cup when I add litter to their coop once a week.

I've been feeding start and grow and they seem to be eating plenty and look very healthy but I don't want to feed them too many treats so that they don't eat enough of their regular food.

Mine also get grass, clover and dandelion clippings from the yard when we mow once a week + a few cherry tomatoes from the garden - we don't use any pesticides and they love to pick in the clippings.......will feeding them yard scraps mess up their feed consumption too?



(My apologies for hijacking the thread with my own question, Mommysongbird

)

 

[TN_BIRD]

Quote:
the commercial poultry feed states: the sole ration to free-range and confined laying chickens

In other words, you don't have to feed them anything else other than their laying feed. Like a lot of the other animals that most folks keep (dogs, cats, children, etc.) we enjoy treating them occasionally, but it's probably best to limit the treats rather than make it a huge part of their diet. Since the scratch grain stuff has about half the protein content of the poultry feed, I wouldn't give them too much

Me, I have pigeons, so my chickens love to hang out near my pigeon loft picking up bird seed (the compost pile is another favorite spot).

 

[Ole rooster]

I use scratch as an inticement to put them where I want um. I let the chicken roam till I need to go somewhere. Then I get a handful and go in the run. They all chase me in there to get whatever I have. I put it down and shut the door. I do through some out in the morning to get them started but not much. I use it like a cowboy uses a lasso. Otherwise it the layer feed and what they find under the leaves.

 

[Cosmopolis Chick]

Quote:

ha ha ha!

I wish there was a smilie showing you lassoing those chickens. Gave me quite a laugh this morning!
That's what I do too, use a little scratch as a lure to get them in or out of an area.
Food = the great motivator.

 

[Mommysongbird]

Quote:
Oh no, you are fine. I am new to this too and want to learn as much as possible. So for others to ask questions is fine, even if it is on/within one of my posts.

I am mainly worried that our pullets aren't getting enough of their layer feed because of these stupid roosters! They hog everything that comes in the pen. I don't keep a feeder in the coop (I probably should) or a waterer, it's just been too much trouble with the roos. Once they are gone, I plan to get a new feeder and waterer for the coop but want to make sure of what to feed them that is vital vs what to feed them that would be considered a treat.

We didn't have a garden, just some buckets for tomatoes that didn't do anything until here in the last few weeks of summer and now it is too late really so what ever is on the tomato vines (some small cherry tomatoes) I will give to the girls after the boys are GONE.

 

[Chris09]

Scratch Grain for the most part is any grain or mixture of grains that is pitched on the ground to encourage scratching of the ground.

It is mostly used as a treat and should for the most part be feed separate from there sole feed (example - there Layer feed). Scratch should not exceed 40% of there diet when feeding a high protein feed (Sole feed 20% protein or better). Scratch will also very in quality, nutrition, ingredients, it may be as simple as whole corn or as complex as a 14 grain mixture and can range from 8% protein to 20% protein.


Chris