Scratch Grain- Why it's useful in flock management and nutrition

[elmo]

Scratch is not only of benefit for nutrition, but also for enrichment. Chickens who can't (or don't) free range all day need something to do in their run. It takes our flock a good hour to find all the little bits of the handful of scratch I throw down for them every morning. For my bantams, I use a combination of a good quality parakeet seed mix to which I've added sunflower chips and steel cut oats.

Looking for food is a chicken's primary interest and hobby. I once read that feeding layer mash instead of pellets was preferable because it takes the chicken longer to pick through the feed and consume what they need, thus providing them more entertainment in their day.

 

[easttxchick]

As always, Resolution, fascinating information.
Thanks and I will also be following this thread.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
I started my chicken keeping in B.C. (before computers) and my chickens get only scratch grains as purchased supplement. I use the "Chicken Bucket" method: I toss the chicken bucket out to them in the morning when I let them out and then add a scoop of scratch to the emptied chicken bucket and return it to the kitchen. All day long it gets the food preparation scraps and leftovers added to the bucket including cooking liquids and grease which gets soaked up by the grains. I toss the bucket contents out the next morning and repeat.
During the spring summer in the large run there are two Illinois everbearing mulberry trees which drop mulberries for 10-12 weeks and other semi-free range forage. I also dump lawnmower clippings to them. In the fall I open the pop door into the vegetable garden and they glean/clean that up all winter.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I started my chicken keeping in B.C. (before computers) and my chickens get only scratch grains as purchased supplement. I use the "Chicken Bucket" method: I toss the chicken bucket out to them in the morning when I let them out and then add a scoop of scratch to the emptied chicken bucket and return it to the kitchen. All day long it gets the food preparation scraps and leftovers added to the bucket including cooking liquids and grease which gets soaked up by the grains. I toss the bucket contents out the next morning and repeat.
During the spring summer in the large run there are two Illinois everbearing mulberry trees which drop mulberries for 10-12 weeks and other semi-free range forage. I also dump lawnmower clippings to them. In the fall I open the pop door into the vegetable garden and they glean/clean that up all winter.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/36435_fallmulch.jpg

very interesting, so you don't feed anything other than scratch grains for your chickens? other than what they get from the kitchen?

 

[Mahonri]

I always mix scratch into my feed. I mix Gamebird finisher, Purina Layena, Egg Maker and Triple T.

 

[chickened]

During the growing season setting a sprinkler on a clover alfalfa patch will provide fresh greens.. You would be surprised how little of an area will produce fresh greens all summer.

I feed scratch and during the winter a little corn for heat and fat reserves.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
And what they forage. See my BYC page for pics of my setup-------been working successfully for many years now.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:

he told me to feed my hens laying pellets & some greens

This seems to be the topical answer that comes from a vet or a aviary vet. Most know about "cage birds" health/ nutrition but vary few have a idea on poultry health/ nutrition which is quite different from other animals including "cage birds".

You are best off feeding "scratch" in the mid day and feeding there complete feed in the morning and at night before they go to roost.

Chris​

 

[mamato3]

Starting this summer i let my chickens freerange all day and they get table scraps from the kitchen and in the morning i throw out some scratch. This is the first summer i did this and they did great. Know that were going into the winter i plan on starting to feed a layer mash and some corn when it gets real cold. Really cuts back on the cost of raising them.

 

[elmo]

Quote:

he told me to feed my hens laying pellets & some greens

This seems to be the topical answer that comes from a vet or a aviary vet. Most know about "cage birds" health/ nutrition but vary few have a idea on poultry health/ nutrition which is quite different from other animals including "cage birds".

You are best off feeding "scratch" in the mid day and feeding there complete feed in the morning and at night before they go to roost.

Chris​

Actually, I think it's hard to argue with the wisdom of this particular advice if you're giving a good quality, balanced, layer feed. Scratch will only reduce the protein content of the diet and can interfere with laying and feather production if you feed too much of it.

I believe it is also generally recommended to have chicken feed available to the flock all day so they can feed free choice.