scratch.. am I feeding them too much?

[BeardedLadyFarm]

I give scratch in cold weather, morning and evening in cold weather.

I haven't really measured by I suppose I'm putting out 1/8 cup or more each, twice a day. The colder it is, the more they get. If it's above freezing, they get very little. I'm still getting 7-9 eggs a day from 9 layers, so I don't think it's bad to be generous with it in the cold weather.

 

[gsim]

I do a cup or two a day in winter. I like to give my chooks extra carbs just for body heat in wintertime. I do not give scratch at all in summer because I have so many live greens that i can give them including grass clippings and lots of garden waste and spotted veggies, etc. That is far better for them than scratch grain. The greater the carb to protein ratio, the fewer the eggs. Some people try to buy hamburger meat from restaurants that they cannot use at the end of their day pretty cheap, and bake it for their chooks. Cheap way to really boost protein in wintertime.

 

[azygous]

Do you guys who feed BOSS feed them to the chickens whole? Mine love them, but I've been grinding them in a blender before mixing them with the layer pellets. Thought it might be easier for their gizzards to handle.

I've been trying to give them extra protein since I have a few feather eaters and one stuck in molt.

They aren't wild about cat food.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

SO what is so bad about poultry grain in the winter months ?

I throw a scoop full of scratch every morning, I do a head count with it, role call if you will.

I also fill a feeder full every other day. Layer, oyster and game are also available. LOTS of fresh, clean water and Lots of roosts for the chickens.

They are all healthy and clean.

 

[catdaddyfro]

I fill my layers feeder full of pellets every morning with about 5# this how much the 23 of them will eat in a day, after a couple of hours I'll throw them about 2-1/2 cups full of a scratch and whole corn ratio for a snack then when its close up time in the evening they get another 2 1/2 cups to lure them back in from roaming that evening. My hens are laying at 50% right now as about half are in full molt and the other half are this years started layers. So that's about all that can be expected from the girls at this time of the year. So feeding grain is not bad for them as long as its not their sole ration of feed they really need a good bit of protien during the winter months for body heat and new feather growth. During the warmer months of the year I cut out the whole corn an substitute whole oats in its place as I think there is less fat therefore not so hot a food for them.

catdaddy

 

[kcsunshine]

Quote:
I do the same with my 13 hens and I'm getting 5 - 9 eggs every day. I like sending them to bed with full crops.

 

[loverOFchickens]

Basically the idea (I have heard) of not feeding scratch is this:

If you feed them something it ought to be good for them. Corn is actually not extremely beneficial to birds. It contains gluten and other things that you do not want in large quantities. The rolled oats found in most scratch feeds do contain protein and can be bought without the other stuff. It is best to have feed that is beneficial to your birds.

The reason corn is included in most chicken feeds is that it is cheaper and easier for the factory to get and most people do not realize this.

That being said I do feed scratch (but not to my show birds). And this is my understanding, I do not claim to know everything on the subject. Oats and black sunflower seeds are high in protein and other beneficial nutrients as well as being large enough to keep your birds warm.

Just my 2 cents,
loverOFchickens

 

[dragonlair]

I feed scratch once a day to my girls. I mix my own, since its a byproduct of my goat and horse diets! They get oats, BOSS (black oil sunflower) corn and flax seeds. It hasn't seemed to hurt their egg production at all.

 

[rancher hicks]

I've been giving mine lots of scratcha and bread in the mornings. Used to just give scratch in morning and bread in afternoon. The have free access to layer and they are eating alot. It gets cold here and some extra fat can't hurt I figure. Though I wouldn't say any of them are fat.