Trying to find right feed!

[Happy hen lover]

Mine like their starter feed more than all flock but when I soak the all flock , they act like it's candy! They have to scrape beaks but if you back off treats I'll bet they'll go for it.

 

[Chris-09]

I can’t seem to find a feed that is just right for us! I’m looking for organic feed that the boys can also eat, and that is not small crumbles /mash….and that resembles what a natural diet would be for them. And on-line ordering too . I have 9 girls - the 4 youngest are now coming up to laying age so I’m figuring they can start on layer feed now even though they’re not laying yet (they much prefer the layer feed to their grower) - one rooster, and one cockerel (around 4 and a half months like the girls). The boys sleep inside the house so I let the girls have layer feed from wake up time to around 8am when I let the boys out, when I then remove it. I use Scratch and Peck layer feed and they love it (the boys would eat it too if I let them). During the day I have oyster shells out, and Grubblies grower crumbles. Nobody is keen on the crumbles…they’ll eat them but it’s too powdery and I get a lot of waste. Mash is not an option either as they seem to resent anything slightly sticky on their beaks.I tried the Scratch and Peck starter/grower but again it’s too fine. I’m really looking for something like the layer feed I have, but all flock.They do free range a fair bit, and they have an in-run compost heap they enjoy picking through. I never see anyone touch the oyster shells. Many thanks!

First let me say that the closest feed you will get to a "natural" diet for chickens is a mash, crumble or a pellet.

I would recommend looking into Blue Seal (there organic).

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

For REALLY picky eaters I sprinkle their favorite treat on top of what I want them to eat. They end up tasting the 'intended' food accidentally and get used to it faster. Just keep reducing the layer of treats on top of the food... Like putting icing on broccoli and making the layer of icing thinner and thinner until they are just eating broccoli. Anything works, including a hardboiled egg finely chopped

Ducks are smarter though... They can eat JUST the icing and put the food they don't like into their water bowl

 

[Nicky S]

Mine like their starter feed more than all flock but when I soak the all flock , they act like it's candy! They have to scrape beaks but if you back off treats I'll bet they'll go for it.

I'm giving it a go, but they keep standing by the scratch bucket and looking at me as if I've gone mad I think they're eating more of it slowly, but they are spending a lot of time free ranging.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I'm giving it a go, but they keep standing by the scratch bucket and looking at me as if I've gone mad I think they're eating more of it slowly, but they are spending a lot of time free ranging.

Ive also thrown some scratch in their 24/7 feed trough and then they go for it.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Ive also thrown some scratch in their 24/7 feed trough and then they go for it.

if I put some 'treat' into the regular-food container (usually on top of the food, like sprinkles on dessert) they dig through the regular-food looking for more treats and throw the regular food all over the floor looking for treats. As through the food is dirt and they are digging for worms

I don't know if I am just really dumb or my hens are genius level, but they regularly outwit me...

When I tell non-chicken-keeper-humans that my chickens outwit me, they think I am dumb... but when I tell chicken-savy-humans, they think my hens are geniuses...

 

[Happy hen lover]

I did have a brand of layer feed once that they LOVED so I set in a stash of it ( 80#!) and now they hate it!!! So I put 1/3 of it 1/3 all flock 1/3 chick starter in my pan to make " wet mash" out of and they ate it. At this rate I might be able to get rid of it by 2033! Lol I've really thought about bagging it up and tossing out!
And yes sometimes they are crafty, clever, but you still have a better brain by far

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I did have a brand of layer feed once that they LOVED so I set in a stash of it ( 80#!) and now they hate it!!! So I put 1/3 of it 1/3 all flock 1/3 chick starter in my pan to make " wet mash" out of and they ate it. At this rate I might be able to get rid of it by 2033! Lol I've really thought about bagging it up and tossing out!
And yes sometimes they are crafty, clever, but you still have a better brain by far

that is kind of you to say (but I have daily evidence to the contrary)...

about an hour ago my spouse was making a sandwich and wanted lettuce...
he asked if we have any...
I said no...
(not trusting me) he looked in the fridge and there were 3 heads of lettuce...
he asked why I had told him there was none...
I said, "oh, that isn't our lettuce, that is the ducks' lettuce"...
he gave me a dirty look and took lettuce, and made the sandwiches.
I told him "better make sure the ducks don't find out you are eating their lettuce, they'll start asking for part of your sandwiches"

 

[Nicky S]

if I put some 'treat' into the regular-food container (usually on top of the food, like sprinkles on dessert) they dig through the regular-food looking for more treats and throw the regular food all over the floor looking for treats. As through the food is dirt and they are digging for worms

I don't know if I am just really dumb or my hens are genius level, but they regularly outwit me...

When I tell non-chicken-keeper-humans that my chickens outwit me, they think I am dumb... but when I tell chicken-savy-humans, they think my hens are geniuses...

Mine do the same - I’m voting for genius chickens