It's almost time to switch scratch to something different.. Any ideas?

gumpsgirl

Crowing
Premium Feather Member
11 Years
Mar 25, 2008
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Virginia
Now that spring is upon us and the weather is getting warmer, it is getting close to the time where we need to think about switching scratch to another morning treat. I don't know about your feathery friends, but mine have gotten used to getting that morning treat and I'm going to have to find something different to replace it with.

Sooo... Any suggestions or ideas??? I give them black oiled sunflower seeds in the evenings, which I could possibly do in the morning and do something else in the evening.

I'm mainly starting this thread to help everyone (including myself!) start brain storming about how to make that morning scratch transition! I think my chickens would go into meltdown mode if they didn't receive their morning treat!
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So what are you planning on switching to or what would you switch to?
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Millet, rye, oats or a scratch feed that has a high % of other things not just corn. I don't give plain cracked corn in the warm months but I do give mixed grain scratch.
 
How about your leftover breadcrumbs?
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If you ever have any!

Actually, I use veggie peels, greens, whatever comes out of the kitchen that day. Scrambled eggs with the shells, (whirl the whole mess in the blender), garden weeds, they LOVE dandelion greens from the yard.

As long as mine get some kind of snack, they don't much care what it is!
 
Great suggestions!!!

Thank you guys!

I've been been stumped at trying to figure out what to give my spoiled rotten birds once it gets to warm for corn.
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I think that chickens learn to associate our approach with something good, a food treat or release into the yard, so they always rush the fence & raise a clamor when we see them. And it's rewarding for us humans to be able to give these birds we love something they enjoy to eat. But chickens don't always have to have a food treat, and if they don't get it they'll quickly resume their regularly scheduled programming. Sometimes all they need is a few kind words and a handful of grass to be satisfied.

I give my flock things the family can't eat but they can, watermelon rinds, apple cores, stale cereal, etc. They get it when it's available, and not on a regular schedule. I keep a bit of cracked corn (corn crack!) on hand for an occasional treat, but especially to use when I need to catch an escaped bird. The other day a pen gate got left open and the whole flock ran out before their afternoon recess. I wanted to get them to come back into the pen, and had to simply shake that corn crack can to get them all to run back home.
 
I've been cutting cabbage into fine shreds for my hens morning and evening because the plant enzymes benefit them in ways one can't duplicate with dry feed. It's a good choice because it's inexpensive, low in sugars and they love to play with it first.
 
I am with MissPrissy, my girls get their mixed grain scratch all the time. I just do not give them as much corn stuff in the warmer w months but colder months I mix cracked corn and scratch. They get their leftover treats all the time... steamed rice, veggies or whatever I cooked for dinner the night before.
 
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Let's see, it is mid-morning and 24° with light snow. (Everything is covered again; the chickens may be okay with going out on it now that they've grown accustomed.) Tomorrow night, the temperature is supposed to go down well into the single digitS' . . . fahrenheit. Ah yes, uh, Spring
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!?

Greens and sprouted grains? When we can actually get into the garden, it won't be too long for the greens to be coming along. I've sprouted grain for my own use, well, alfalfa. But, maybe wheat or oats would be a good choice (and follow Miss_Jayne's idea).

Steve
 
I give mine scratch when I close them in for the night. I read somewhere that it is good in their crops overnight when it is cold out. As the days lengthen and the snow melts, I'll stop giving it to them. I have also started giving them rabbit pellets. I noticed they would pull anything green out of the nest box straw so I gave them the bunny's alfalfa. They ate every scrid. Last night, I tried bunny pellets and they liked those too. In the morning, they get any left over vegetable peelings.
 
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