they don't eat the cracked corn!

[Bram]

My girls do not eat the cracked corn in the scratch mix! Do your's like it? I used to be sick about it...it is mostly cracked corn and all of it seemed to be wasted on the floor. The I started having mice, which isn't a BIG problem flor the girls...they LOVE mice! Problem is just for me, I HATE mice. Anyway, the point to this post is: can I buy a scratch grains mix with less cracked corn, or is there something else I can feed in place of scratch? I really hate seeing my hard earned $$ on the ground being trampled.......guess I'll need to get a goat??!!

 

[Stephanie739]

Mine aren't too thrilled about it either.

 

[Clay Mudd]

How old are they? For some reason, none of mine liked corn all that much until about 14 weeks.

Almost any grain works well as scratch -- mine go wild over any combination of wheat, oats, and BOSS.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Ya know what, cracked corn is only about 7% protien. Scratch isn`t much better. You should be feeding at least 14%-20% protien in a commercial feed. They can live on scratch, but their health will suffer in the long run. Buy the best feed you can afford.........Pop

 

[Stephanie739]

Mine are about 8 months. I just toss it in the grass of my fenced area and coop run now (as an extra), hoping they will stop wanting to venture into the wooded areas looking for bugs and stuff.

 

[newchickgal]

Mine will eat it, after they eat the grain feed.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Are you feeding them scratch as their only feed? Chickens should be fed a layer ration with at least 15% protein.

 

[marty8587]

Mine go after the corn and come back after the rest the next day. I give them about 1/3 cup in the evening for their treat.

 

[ruffedgrouse]

Mine didn't seem to eat cracked corn until like 13 weeks. I don't know why... maybe because they were to small or something but they like it now.

 

[teach1rusl]

I'll add another voice of concern about whether your scratch is being used as feed (very poor nutrition) or just as a morning/evening treat...

If you're talking treat - my girls didn't really care for scratch at all until they were around 12 weeks or so. But once they figured it out, they didn't seem picky about the parts...lol.