New food?!

[LukesCityHens]

I'm needing to make a trip to the supply store for countless things but I was wondering what I should buy feed wise....I've been feeding my flock layer pellets and scrap food as snacks. Nothing really exciting but I feel like alot of the pellets are getting wasted.
What do you suggest?
do I mix a bunch of stuff? if so what? HELP!!!
Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

It is not what you are feeding but how you are feeding it. Chickens tend to scratch with their claws and bill out feed when they eat. How do you stop that? Elevate the feeder so it is about at the height of their back. This helps stop them from scratching trash into the feeder. You certainly don't want them to be able to scratch in the feeder.

Then put barriers so they can only peck, not scoop their beeks side to side. Lots of different ways to do this. Cover the feeder with wire they can get their heads through but not scoop. Make covering with wood with holes drilled out. Here is what I did. I cut holes in a plastic bucket and hung the bucket.

They will still spill some feed. That's just the way they are. I like the pellets because they can find them easier. If you have your feeder over shavings or something like that, you can put something under the feeder to catch the pellets so they don't get lost in the bedding, but mine will scratch in the bedding looking for those pellets.

 

[LukesCityHens]

I don't have a feeder.....was trying to avoid buying one. I know the bucket deal but haven't had time. They've been eating out of pot bases and off the ground. They are semi-free range so they do alot of earth moving for worms and dig around the wood pile for bugs. So do I really need a feeder?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
So true.

In the end, you'll have to devise your own feeding system For me, I portion feed. Some devices or styles are much better feeders than others. Some are notoriously wasteful and merely invite the bird to beak feed onto the ground, where it can spoil, get eaten by rodents, or even eaten by the birds themselves, if, if they get hungry enough to bother with it.

I'd highly suggest any number of feeders, properly mounted, would be superior to just throwing feed onto the ground. Do you really need a feeder? No, I guess not. But something tells me you asked about feed waste for a reason, eh?

 

[LukesCityHens]

Thanks everyone! any suggestions on mixing my own food/scratch?