Should I feed my hens scratch or layer feed?

[ChickenCanoe]

X2 @CrazyTalk

For whatever unexplained reason, people think their birds need treats and supplements.

bread, low in protein and high in salt, is a popular treat but not a good idea.

Read the label of virtually any chicken feed and it says something to the effect:

This is a complete feed
Feed as the sole ration
No other supplements needed

In the old days, your great grandparents' chickens probably only got scratch grains to supplement what they'd find around the barnyard. But aside from true heritage breeds, these aren't your great grandparents' chickens, They're more productive and/or grow faster. Additionally, over the last 100+ years there has been exhaustive research into the nutritional needs of chickens considering everything from optimal fats, energy, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and needed trace elements. Chicken feed is formulated to meet each of those requirements based on the age and productive condition of the animal for which it's intended.
Mixing anything with the feed, like oyster shell/eggshells or grain, is a problem. Providing large particle crushed oyster shell in a separate container is a good idea so the chickens can pick it up when they feel the need which is usually when the egg enters the shell gland.
Scratch is an important component because chickens love to "scratch" for their foodstuffs but as CT said, it will alter the nutrition and should be limited to 5-10% of total intake.

Offering kitchen scraps is a good use of an otherwise wasted product but still shouldn't make up much of the diet.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

This is what I put the oyster shell in.

I bought it a long time ago to put minerals in for the horses. I never liked it for that so I pulled it down and put it in the coop. I also moved the grit to this since it has 2 sides and the old grit container was in the way.
If this works out with my main coop, I will be switching all the birds over to flock raiser since I nearly always have birds of various ages in one pen and the bantams are spending the winter with the peafowl.

That's the setup I use in all my coops/runs.

 

[Our Roost]

Dont believe all you are hearing on scratch. Generally it has the best farm seed snd feed grains available. My suggestion for the winter months is to mix scratch with a good layer feed at a 50/50 mix ratio Yes, less protein, but chickens are less active and can manage with a bit less. Offset with some grocery chain greens and you will be fine.

 

[CrazyTalk]

Dont believe all you are hearing on scratch. Generally it has the best farm seed snd feed grains available. My suggestion for the winter months is to mix scratch with a good layer feed at a 50/50 mix ratio Yes, less protein, but chickens are less active and can manage with a bit less. Offset with some grocery chain greens and you will be fine.

There's no benefit to this other than saving a dollar or two - and adding the greens are just going to make things worse. Chickens need more energy and protein in the winter, not less - they're not getting as much food on range, and they're expending a ton of energy keeping warm.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

There's no benefit to this other than saving a dollar or two - and adding the greens are just going to make things worse. Chickens need more energy and protein in the winter, not less - they're not getting as much food on range, and they're expending a ton of energy keeping warm.

X 2 - being the "best grains available" is no benefit if those grains have a nutrient content that is not meeting the needs of the animal it is being given to. This is recognized by feed producers themselves who will tell you that scratch grains and other treats should comprise no more than 10% of daily intake.

 

[Dustystrail]

I'm pretty sure the bags of scratch I've seen say not to feed as more than 10% of the daily ration.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Another thing about bagged scratch is that there's no guaranteed analysis or ingredient list like there is with feed. It will consist of a mix of grains/seeds that the mill decides on at the time they bag it. That could be whatever is cheapest or there is a surplus of.

I prefer to make my own mix of scratch grains by buying bags of several seeds/grains and feed depending on the season and energy needs.
In summer, I feed almost exclusively oats with a bit of sunflower seed. Oats are a bit lower in energy but compared to other grains are fairly high in protein and vitamins.
In winter, I switch to wheat, barley and BOSS.
In mild weather it will be a wider variety.

By not including corn and feeding an organic feed, I'm also eliminating GMOs.
As a side note, I also sprout most of the seeds. Sprouting removes some of the anti-digestive components of the seed and somewhat enhances vitamin content.
In winter I'll grow it into a short fodder when greens are unavailable. For fodder, barley, wheat, BOSS, buckwheat and winter peas get rotated.
Still a complete feed makes up 90% of total intake.

 

[Chris09]

Dont believe all you are hearing on scratch. Generally it has the best farm seed snd feed grains available. My suggestion for the winter months is to mix scratch with a good layer feed at a 50/50 mix ratio Yes, less protein, but chickens are less active and can manage with a bit less. Offset with some grocery chain greens and you will be fine.

There is a big problem with your theory.
Yes the depletion of much needed proteins is one side affect that is if one feeds a low protein scratch.
Chickens need just as much proteins in the winter as they do in the summer, the lack of protein in the winter mean that the chances are good that there eating more feed, getting thin, and having trouble regulating there body heat (proteins produces more heat than a grain). There can be a list and a half of problem that poultry can get when forced to eat a low protein diet.
Another problem with feeding a lot of low protein scratch is that it is also high in energy, so now your birds are being fed a low protein high energy diet which can make the birds fat, poor layer, unhealthy and since chicken eat to fill a caloric need the could be not getting enough nutrition.

Have you ever done the math to figure out just how poor of a diet that is?
Here is a good example, if your feeding a average low protein layer feed say 16% protein and a average low protein scratch say 8% protein at around 50:50 by weight you would be feeding a 12% protein feed which is way low for the average backyard chicken even in the summer.

 

[Hard Boiled]

Less laying is a direct response to less daylight. Chickens need about 14 hours of daylight which you can supplement with a 40 watt bulb or higher.

 

[Hard Boiled]

Chickens don't really like oyster shell by itself, in my opinion. Mix it with their feed so they will eat it. Most layer feeds already have enough calcium in it so they do not need extra.