Scratch and Treats Can Reduce Egg Production

[cincyfarmgirl]

I find it very effective.

No healthy animal will starve itself in the presence of food.

Also, consider the design of your feeder. I find that my traditional, metal hanging feeder with the deep pan and the good rolled rim is almost completely spill-proof if hung at the height of the chickens' backs.

The plastic feeders, not so much.



A plate of cookies usually vanishes faster than a plate of veggie sticks.

Touché

 

[cincyfarmgirl]

I feed my flock a 50/50 split of local milled pullet grower crumble and fermented wholegrain wheat/peas/oats with meat meal and seaweed meal added. Free choice oyster shell and fed back egg shell. Some table scraps. Plus they have a range of pasture species to graze on and whatever bugs they can find. They get garden waste and weeds and I fertilize with liquid fish so there should be some good trace elements there.
They're super healthy and shiny, moult quickly, their eggs taste amazing and the yolk colour is astounding, their eggs hatch strong healthy chicks, and my chicks grow well. Commercial feeds are formulated for laying hens that are supposed to lay like machines for a maximum of 18 months and then be culled. That's not the situation I'm dealing with. My flock are not production hybrids and I expect them to live 5+ years.
If I can be trusted to feed my own child a healthy balanced diet I'm pretty sure I can feed my chickens a healthy balanced diet. My child is also healthy and growing well, although I can't brag about her pre-teen attitude

Well I really like your ideas about the feed. And I’m not culling my chickens - even though some are four or five years old and produce a little less than my younger hens. But I like your ideas about feeding. Thanks.

 

[o2bgreenntx]

I find it very effective.

No healthy animal will starve itself in the presence of food.

Also, consider the design of your feeder. I find that my traditional, metal hanging feeder with the deep pan and the good rolled rim is almost completely spill-proof if hung at the height of the chickens' backs.

The plastic feeders, not so much.



A plate of cookies usually vanishes faster than a plate of veggie sticks.

I was just thinking of that analogy, grandkids here yesterday! My feathered girls will actually eat fresh blueberries over scratch. In light of all this information, I will be cutting back drastically on scratch, thanks everyone!