How/ When to feed..

[Ashleigh2904]

When an how am I meant to feed barley, wheat and maize? Because, I have no idea

 

[countrygoddess]

Hi Ashleigh! How old are your chickens? What type of chicken ration are you feeding them? Barley, wheat, and maize are usually fed as "scratch". In other words, a treat or snack. However, some people mix their own feed and these three grains may make up part of the feed. I, myself, make my own feed and wheat and maize are two components of it. I don't feed barley because I've read that it causes sticky poops. Fed as scratch, it may not do that, though. If you're feeding a good chicken ration that has the proper percentage of protein for your chickens' stage in life, then you don't have to feed scratch at all, if you don't want to.

 

[CarolynF]

Hi! Welcome to BYC! that's a good question and country goddess is asking you all the right stuff. My girls are laying so they get layer feed 24/7 and scratch each evening as a treat. During cold weather it gives their body heat a bit of a boost.

 

[Ashleigh2904]

My youngest chickens are 16-18 weeks. My oldest are around a year an a half. Everyone is on layers as of yesterday. Because thats when I ran out of growers for the youger birds. They also get mealworms and corn sometimes.

I just wanted to know if they were needed and how or if they benifited the chicken at all.

 

[countrygoddess]

Sounds like you are doing the exact right thing for your little lovelies. You don't need to do anything different. Corn and maize are the same thing, by the way. =)

 

[ChickensRDinos]

If you happen to have a lot of barley and wheat you can also start sprouting it or growing fodder. There is a great thread about it on the forum if you are interested. Otherwise just use as scratch.

 

[countrygoddess]

If you happen to have a lot of barley and wheat you can also start sprouting it or growing fodder. There is a great thread about it on the forum if you are interested. Otherwise just use as scratch.

Yes! Great thought about the fodder, ChickensRDinos.

 

[CarolynF]

If you happen to have a lot of barley and wheat you can also start sprouting it or growing fodder. There is a great thread about it on the forum if you are interested. Otherwise just use as scratch.

Yes! Great thought about the fodder, ChickensRDinos.

I was reading that thread and I'd really like to try it. I think my girls are much happier when they get fresh greens, and they certainly like the pecking that goes with it! I still have kale growing in my garden so I pick several leaves and put in a suet feeder that hangs in their pen.