Is it enough?

[Cheri]

I get the girls out about 8 am. I make sure they have fresh water and some scratch. I let them free range all day long. They have made a path through the grass.

. But when I call them in (around 6pm) they act like they are starving! I feed them a mixture of grower started and scratch. They get plenty access to dirt and sand. I guess my question is.........why are they such pigs?

 

[devora]

Do you mean they have no access to regular feed when they are free ranging?

We have feed on the porch so they can eat even tho they free range. They come and snack s few times during the day.

 

[Cheri]

yes. I put scratch out.

 

[jessupfamily]

Chickens are like children

! They are always "starving to death"!

Ours act like that. They free range, get scratch grain and get all of our scraps (which is a lot, we are a family of 7 and growing!!), not to mention digging for left overs in the horse yard! But if you throw something different out to them they act like they haven't ate in weeks

!
Amy J.

 

[Cheri]

Okie dokie then. I forgot to mention that the yard is filled with green things. They love watermelon and due to my dad only being able to eat a quarter of it, he buys it all the time. One day they almost got the entire watermelon because it wasn't a good one! I forgot that they can eat some scraps. I will go see what is in my fridge. They can't have hot dogs I know, besides that is what my catfish eat.

 

[justusnak]

Cheri......I have free rangers as well....but they have access to layer pellets 24/7. True, they dont eat that much when they free range, but...its there when they want it. Maybe put some feed out there for them free choice....for when they want a nibble.

edited to say....scratch is like candy...not very nutritious(sp) and the corn in it is not good when the temps have been soo hot! Corn brings up thier body temps. Mine only get scratch, in the evenings...when it cools down a bit.

 

[FamilyOfChickens]

Ours free-range, too. We just leave the coop door open all the time, so that they can go in and out and eat as they please. They usually don't, though.

 

[Cheri]

Ok justusnak, I will get some other stuff also. I still give them the grower stuff in the evening. I make sure they have plenty of water and stuff. I just need more feeders.