Scratch and Peck Feed

[HenKat]

I wish I had read this thread earlier. I recently switched over to scratch and peck feed. I made the change gradually from an organic pellet formula. Noticed that when I made the complete change my chickens weren't eating as much. Wasn't too concerned until last week when one developed an impacted crop. I didn't realize that this feed was designed to be fermented to maximize nutrient ingestion. They weren't eating enough, and I think I was starving my poor little girls. Since the complete switch I have had mostly misshapen eggs, and decreased production, but it also the darkest part of winter, and that has an impact too. I am going to try to figure out how to ferment, to improve their nutrition, and see if they improve.

Has anyone else seen impacted crop more frequently with feeding whole grain feed? Less easily digested? Seems like this is much more natural for them and should be healthier. Maybe the impaction timing was all coincidence. But I only have two chickens, so one of them doing poorly after a change to a high quality feed makes me scared and frustrated.

Thanks in advance for your input. This forum is such an amazing resource!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wish I had read this thread earlier. I recently switched over to scratch and peck feed. I made the change gradually from an organic pellet formula. Noticed that when I made the complete change my chickens weren't eating as much. Wasn't too concerned until last week when one developed an impacted crop. I didn't realize that this feed was designed to be fermented to maximize nutrient ingestion. They weren't eating enough, and I think I was starving my poor little girls. Since the complete switch I have had mostly misshapen eggs, and decreased production, but it also the darkest part of winter, and that has an impact too. I am going to try to figure out how to ferment, to improve their nutrition, and see if they improve.

Has anyone else seen impacted crop more frequently with feeding whole grain feed? Less easily digested? Seems like this is much more natural for them and should be healthier. Maybe the impaction timing was all coincidence. But I only have two chickens, so one of them doing poorly after a change to a high quality feed makes me scared and frustrated.

Thanks in advance for your input. This forum is such an amazing resource!

I've stopped fermenting for the season since my girls don't want cold FF, so they're eating their S&P grower dry. Haven't had any crop problems and the 2 layers have been consistently laying every 36 hrs, even with the cold and the reduced sunlight.

I assume you give them open access to appropriately sized grit? I've been giving mine S&P's granite grit since it's a lot coarser than the grit I was finding at the feed store. Bigger grit means a lot more grinding down of food stuffs and better digestion.

Although it's winter you can try fermenting some feed and seeing how it goes. It's not hard to do and it'll also help get the chickens to eat the fine powder that has a lot of nutrients. Some chickens really love it and it might boost their food intake.

 

[Leigti]

Even if you don't fermented just add some water to it so that the powder sticks to the grain. They will eat it before it freezes.

 

[OC Chick]

I'm on my second 40 lb bag of Scratch and Peck grower feed for my 4 14 week old pullets. I too like that the grains are in a less processed state, but I've been struggling with what to do with the powder because they don't eat it and that is where the protein they need is. I've tried fermenting, mixing it with yogurt, and mixing it with oatmeal but my picky chickies wouldn't eat it. This morning I decided to make "protein bars" with the leftover powder to see if my girls would eat it. I took the powder in the bottom of their trough feeder and put int into a mixing bowl. I added 1 egg & it's shell, 1/4 cup of dried meal worms, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil & enough water to make it all stick together & baked it at 400* for 30 minutes. I was a little worried as this was my last ditch effort before having to switch feed brands and I really like S&P, but thankfully the girls were literally gobbling it out of my hands. They pecked the large chunks I set out for them, but next time I may crumble it up for them. It literally took 3 minutes to make. I"m thinking I feed them dry Scratch & Peck for three days & then take the leftovers & make these protein bars to serve for the next couple of days and see how they do. No eggs yet so I don't have anything to judge by with how well this works, but I'm grateful that they are finally eating the protein.

 

[Leigti]

It's great that they ate it but you're making yourself a lot of work. Just add enough water to it to make the powder stick to the grains and that's all you have to do. It doesn't have to be fermented but it is meant to be fed wet.

 

[AmandaMBG]

I don't ferment and I have no problem with my girls eating all of it or getting enough nutrition. I just add a little water and mix each morning when I give them their feed. You need to feed more at first until you figure out how much they need to eat. Once there is a little left each morning you know you need to feed just a little less than that amount. Make sure you have grit available to them. They should not be getting an impacted crop unless they don't have grit available.

 

[Angels Eggs]

Ok. I am a Newby, where do I find scratch n peck? How do I ferment the feed I am using. I am using Nutra layer pellets, they love it wet. It's like after it rains they attach the feeder. They do not have a covered area. Only their coop.

 

[GC-Raptor]

That powder in S&P contains not only the missing amino acids but also vitamins, minerals and calcium. Chickens need to consume the powder to get the proper nutrition.
Any whole grains,seeds and fibrous greens fed to chickens need to have access to jagged pebbles such as granite grit. My 5 girls have literally consumed every pebble in their 500 square foot run. GC

 

[GC-Raptor]

Ok. I am a Newby, where do I find scratch n peck? How do I ferment the feed I am using. I am using Nutra layer pellets, they love it wet. It's like after it rains they attach the feeder. They do not have a covered area. Only their coop.

type in fementing feed in the search box. It should bring up what your looking for. GC

 

[OC Chick]

Ok. I am a Newby, where do I find scratch n peck? How do I ferment the feed I am using. I am using Nutra layer pellets, they love it wet. It's like after it rains they attach the feeder. They do not have a covered area. Only their coop.

I'm in Southern California and most of the feed stores around here carry it. I would google search feed stores in your surrounding areas and call and see if they carry it. You can also try the Scratch and Peck website scratchandpeck.com to see if you can order directly from them. Not sure how much shipping is. . .