Scratch - how much is too much?

[wild chick]

I have 13 total: 7 hens, 5 pullets & 1 cockerel, free range to their hearts content from daylight til sunset on 7 fenced acres (they have never ventured more than a couple of acres tho). They have 24/7 access to layer pellets and crumble, grit & oyster shell. I've been tossing scratch in the morning when I let them out and in the evening when I feed the horses. The evening scratch is mixed with a boiled egg and/or sunflower chips to increase the protein, and sometimes a plop of yogurt or cottage cheese, and sometimes chopped up fresh spinach in the winter since they miss their greens. Too much? I feel bad that in the winter they don't get as much greens & bugs. I don't know how to measure the store-bought kibble because the juncos & sparrows go at it during the day. I have no idea how much they eat so I don't know the percentage of "treats" to ration. And in the summer they just have a ton of stuff to eat on the free range. Basically 1 1/2 cups scratch in the a.m. and a total of 2 cups "protein added" scratch in the evening for 13 birds. They are healthy happy & laying, but I just saw a post on the necropsy-diagnostic skills forum about too much scratch = too much fat/fatty livers, hearts, general bad health....

 

[Rickba]

I've personally found that free range chickens get all the scratch and forage they need. A little never hurts, however scratch doesn't have the protein and vitamins needed as the layer feed does. I've found that to much scratch' or should I say lack of layer feed, causes reduced egg production, soft/thin shells and pale yellow yolks. Chickens always seem to go for the seeds and ignore the feed. If they forage, cut the scratch to a table spoon each bird a day or less. You may start to have health issues such as leg joint swelling and soreness. Watch for limping and watch their scat.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

In the winter I don't worry about too much scratch. I give them as much as they want. They eat until they're full and actually leave some laying on the ground. I'm more interested that they have enough calories to keep themselves warm.

 

[wild chick]

@Rickba - I've pretty much decided to cut back, with the thought that if they can't find enough to forage they can visit the feed dispenser. @HenOnAJuneBug - yep, feeling sorry for them when it was 9 F, and the olders were in terrible bald molt, that's when I started feeding them more. But mixing with boiled egg & sunflowers for the p.m. feed to up the protein for their feathers. Now they're spoiled and I have to cut back, I'm pretty sure.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I mix layers pellets 50/50 with mixed bird seed. I give 2/3 of a cup scattered over 2 areas twice a day in above freezing temps, 3 times a day in freezing temps, (winter), for five hens.
If raining I scatter under the raised coop.
I don't offer meat or greens. I let them free range up to an hour before sunset daily, weather permitting. .GC

 

[Rickba]

For extra cold nights I give my birds oats. That will keep 'em warm at night.

 

[CCUK]

I give mine a couple of handfuls in the evening if it is cold to keep them a bit warmer overnight. Sometimes I soak some and add it to mash with some rolled oats. There's never much wastage!

 

[Kiki]

Regular complete feed will keep them warm at night.
Two good things to read:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production
and
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sudden-death-diagnosed.1184523/#post-18692731

 

[orrpeople]

I worry about this same thing...
It's not cold here - or rarely cold - but in the winter I throw out 3-4 handfuls of scratch/Boss mix (never in the summer because it's too stinkin' hot) in the morning for about 30 birds and a big handful into all my breeding pens. I don't have an exact measure, but I've heard so much about how "bad" it is for them that I'm probably not doing them any favors except appeasing their taste buds!

 

[wild chick]

I'll be cutting down on the scratch for sure! Thanks for the articles @KikisGirls