Is Mash the same as Scratch?

[California Girls]

That's my question?
Is Mash the same as Scratch?

Thanks.

 

[feathersnuggles]

No. Mash is crumbled (non-pelleted) nutritionally balanced feed, with a guaranteed percentage of protein. Scratch is a combination of whole or cracked grains that have little protein and are fine for an occasional treat, but are not nutritionally balanced.

 

[California Girls]

ok, I'm new so I don't know all this yet.
I just bought Layer Crumbles today from the feed barn.

Thank you

 

[feathersnuggles]

How old are your birds?

Layer is good for birds that are laying or nearly mature enough to lay. Layer has a lot of calcium, so if a bird is too young, it can be very hard on their kidneys to eat that amount of calcium.

 

[Akane]

Mash describes the size of the feed particles. There is mash, crumbles, and pellets in size order. You can have layer crumbles, layer pellets, chick starter mash, chick starter crumbles, etc... Mash is usually near dust and so generally used to make mash.

Meaning mixed with warm water until it's like oatmeal that's soaked too long. You could feed it as is but a lot gets wasted. Pellets tend to have the least waste but some chickens don't like them and my small bantams can't eat the pellets I can get here. Scratch is a treat frequently of leftover cheap grains and especially corn. It's not nutritionally balanced to be fed in too large of amounts or as the main diet to chickens.

 

[bills]

My birds love some scratch in the colder months..well actually they love it all year, but I tend to give them it in the winter more often, as I understand that it will help the bird generate body heat. This is still fed to them as a treat mind you, not as a regular feed.