Scratch and oyster shells?

[Scoot Dee]

I have some questions. When can I start giving my girls, who are 10 weeks old, scratch? I was told that I should keep them on starter/grower feed until they lay their first egg. They are partially free range so there is that but i would also like to start introducing scratch for the days the are not free ranging. Second question I have is when I do introduce scratch does anyone have a good recipe for strong, great tasting eggs? Final question is when should I start to introduce oyster shells into their diet? Thanks in advance for any information you give!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Scratch feed fed as a treat is OK, Scratch feed fed as a main food is not good because the protein is to low. If you feed a factory feed when they start laying you will not need oyster shells, but you can offer them some in a pan.
When the chicks are about your's age they can go to 15/16% without a problem, but 8% scratch is just to low unless they are getting a lot of free ranging time in and free ranging in a good location. Or they will suffer/stunt from not being properly fed.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine have access to scratch when I move them out to the shed at about 6-8 weeks. Since I like to feed scratch I make sure to feed a higher protein ration to offset the lower protein in my scratch. Mine is just cracked corn and boss. I feed either a non medicated grower or an All Flock. Oyster shells should be made available when you see your first eggs, or you can put them out at about 4-5 months of age.

My growing chicks get a daily helping of scrambled eggs to help keep up their protein for growth. They grow like weeds since I started adding it to their daily diet a few years back.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I never buy scratch, because I mainly make their feed by buying and grinding corn and mixing in a supplement to get the protein up to App 16% and it cost a few bucks less than a bag of scratch in my area.

 

[lazy gardener]

I generally save scratch as an enticement to come when called. Occasionally, I give them some to get them to scratch up a certain area that I want them to work on.

 

[Mrs Howey]

I started giving my chickens cracked corn as a treat when they were 9/10 weeks old and kept them on the finisher til 18/19 weeks. 2 of my girls just started laying last week (they are 20/21 weeks old now) so i switched over to layer pellets when i ran out of the finisher. I just started offering scatch and oyster shell ( i just throw it on the ground so they can scratch at it) the scratch is more of a treat and the oyster shell is easy to see on the ground so i just add more as they eat it.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I generally save scratch as an enticement to come when called. Occasionally, I give them some to get them to scratch up a certain area that I want them to work on.

Yes much easier than using a garden rake. GC