Scratch

[Crazychickengirl2]

My dad buys all the animal food including my chickens. He buys the same amount of scratch as feed and we just mix it in the barrel. Is this unhealthy? We’ve been doing it for quite awhile and all my chickens seem healthy.

 

[Tookie]

It is unhealthy, scratch is considered a treat, and treats should make up no more than 10% of their diet. It'd be best to just give them the feed by itself, and the scratch every once and awhile.

 

[Crazychickengirl2]

It is unhealthy, scratch is considered a treat, and treats should make up no more than 10% of their diet. It'd be best to just give them the feed by itself, and the scratch every once and awhile.

Ok

 

[nuthatched]

Mine only get a little bit of scratch a few times a week. (One guzzles scratch like she's at a pie eating contest!)
Mixing scratch in the feed encourages picking out the tasty bits, feed waste and nutritional deficiency.

 

[Kanekoded]

My dad buys all the animal food including my chickens. He buys the same amount of scratch as feed and we just mix it in the barrel. Is this unhealthy? We’ve been doing it for quite awhile and all my chickens seem healthy.

What kind of chicken feed and scratch is your dad buying?

 

[centrarchid]

It depends on nutritional needs of the chickens and what the nutritional content of the COMPLETE feed and other sources provide. By other sources I mean forages (bugs, greens and other stuff the chickens can find). Then you take into account life stage of the chickens and if they are producing eggs or not. My approach is more difficult although it does make ultimately for better understanding.

The question on complete has been given by @Kanekoded, so?

Life stage?

Laying?

Access to all the forage the need?

What is the weather like?

 

[Crazychickengirl2]

What kind of chicken feed and scratch is your dad buying?

I’m not sure but it’s not always the same

 

[centrarchid]

I’m not sure but it’s not always the same

Try looking at bags for a label indicating something about starter, grower, egg-layer, all-flock, meat bird, or game bird. Also look at % (crude) protein level as other nutrients important to your concerns are generally proportional to feed protein levels.

 

[Kanekoded]

I’m not sure but it’s not always the same

Then it would be hard to say whether mixing them together would be the healthiest option as far as nutritional needs go if they aren't always the same.

If the feed is lacking certain nutrients that ingredients in the scratch would make up for then it's probably a good idea to mix them especially if you have no say in purchasing what your chickens eat. But again, it's hard to give any answers or advice without knowing what feed and scratch you're giving.

 

[Hannahnic14]

(Despite popular belief) we mix our feed and scratch half and half as well. Our birds are fine, but they also are adult birds and aren't still growing. Just my 2 cents