Scratch

[SowdersHomestead]

My meaties are going on 3 weeks old. When is a good time to introduce scratch to them now that it is chilly at night?

 

[galanie]

Not sure why you want them to have scratch at all, but so long as they are on dirt and getting some sort of grit, any time.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
NO!

The thought that scratch or corn magically raises body temperature is an Old Wive's Tale, a myth.

Keep your birds on a quality broiler feed designed for the high nutrient needs of the fast growing broilers.

Jim

 

[bigredfeather]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

Quote:
NO!

The thought that scratch or corn magically raises body temperature is an Old Wive's Tale, a myth.

Keep your birds on a quality broiler feed designed for the high nutrient needs of the fast growing broilers.

Jim

I think the same thing.​

 

[LizaBlue]

Hmm. So many different respectable sources do say that scratch grains and corn are harder to digest, taking more energy, and that increases body temperature, it's odd that they would all still perpetuate a myth when they have science. Admittedly, it seems strange that any digestive activity would make a significant difference in body temp, but then again, I'm not chicken-sized with a crop instead of just a stomach.

That aside, the manner in which scratch is usually fed - tossed on the ground as opposed to in a feeder - usually starts a nice spurt of activity that would increase body temperature at any rate. Maybe that is what caused the myth? IDK.

Scratch does require that poultry have some grit source in their crop, whether gathered naturally, or purchased. They do sell "Chick Grit," a small grain gravel for young poultry, and "Poultry Grit," a larger gravel for mature flocks.

 

[Fred's Hens]

It is corn that typically gets the credit for "making chickens warm", according to the tale.

My logic problem with the tale is that corn is found in roughly the same percentage in feed as it is in scratch, 60%. Sure, different formulas of feed versus different formulas of scratch vary as to corn being the bulk of the ingredient, but still. To my thinking, the "heating" value difference between the two is thus inconsequential.

My mind cannot be wrapped around feeding something, (as a high percentage of caloric intake), that is only 8% protein and absent of vital amino acids, minerals, and so many other needed dietary elements. And..... that scratch is priced just about the same as feed? Nope. Just cannot stir up much rah rah, sis boom bah, for scratch.

 

[galanie]

Fred's Hens :

...

My mind cannot be wrapped around feeding something, (as a high percentage of caloric intake), that is only 8% protein and absent of vital amino acids, minerals, and so many other needed dietary elements. And..... that scratch is priced just about the same as feed? Nope. Just cannot stir up much rah rah, sis boom bah, for scratch.

Bingo. My thoughts exactly. But if he really still wants to give it to them... so long as they have grit...​

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

If you want to raise body temperature, then OVERFEED protein. The deammination process is metabolically expensive and release a lot of energy compared to digestion of carbohydrates.

Corn is very efficiently processed, it is high in easily digeted starches. The advantage of feeding corn is that it contains more calories per lb compared to other grains and is relatively cheap,m though not inexpensive.

Jim

 

[SowdersHomestead]

Thanks for the input. Life is a learning process. I just assumed that scratch was part of a regular feed program. So I'll save my self a few bucks and stick to high protein starter feed.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Good for you for not falling into the feed them all kinds of junk treats group. Sure some of us use scratch and I say use scratch not as a feed but as an occasional handful for something to do. Occasionaly for me is a meger handful scattered about the run for about a dozen birds, thats works out to about 10 little pieces of cracked corn and seeds per bird every 2 weeks or so.