I got 5 laying hens last month. I have been feeding them free-choice layer pellets. I give some kitchen scraps as a treat and scratch as a treat. I also crush the egg shells and feed those back for the calcium. They get some free-range time in the yard a few times each week in addition to their grassy run all day. Is that all they need? Do I need to buy grit or are they fine without it? They seem happy and know that I am the treat lady-they follow me around! We get 2-4 eggs a day from the 5 hens, so that seems like the right number.
Sounds like chicken heaven to me. They are probably picking up grit from the ground, so no you do not need to provide it, as long as your ground has stones/pebbles in it. You might start seeing more eggs as the days get longer, depending on the breed and age of your hens. Imp- Welcome to BYC
Sounds good to me! Chickens love kitchen scraps. Just make sure that isn't most of what they're eating! Crushing egg shells is a good idea, that's what we do too. As for grit, we've never used it, but our birds free range too. They get it themselves like Imp said.
Sounds good! Just check the "OK to feed your chickens" post if you have questions about what scraps NOT to feed your chickens. No potatoes, no citrus, etc... Here is the post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-treat-chart-the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens
Sounds great! I would just make sure that you clean the eggshells first, like putting them in the oven for a couple minutes just to make sure there is no harmful bacteria. As for the grit, they probably don't need it, because they will pick it up when they are out.
