Warm scratch mash?

BeardedChick

Songster
11 Years
Jun 13, 2008
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Does scratch cook up into a decent mash? Any idea on the water to mash ratio?

I wouldn't mind throwing some in the rice cooker early in the a.m. so they can have a nice warm mash to start their day. It's been soooo cold here in the morning. It was 22 today. Brrr!
 
Not sure how much water to add measure cup wise. I just cook it up like it was rice and plop it down for them. I usually add 1:5 or so of layer supplement (higher protein layer feed) to try and balance it out a bit. Don't do it often for them so it's not a science.
 
Oooh, thanks Silkie. I'm going to try it! Probably could just soak it in a bucket overnight and warm it up in the morning, now that I think about it.

HappyHen, I thought about that, too. I'm too lazy to cook steel cut oats for just myself, but maybe if it's for the hens I'd get off my lazy butt and cook some up.
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I'm with happyhen, my girls love nice warm oatmeal in the morning, lucky for me the kids usually don't finish all of their breakfast, so we re-warm it and share with the chickens!
 
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Well, I've done pretty much exactly that but I've made it for their evening snack. Also, I've put dry peas or other legumes in with the Purina scratch since these shouldn't be given uncooked.

I've learned something about the old rice cooker - it runs until the water has boiled away. Apparently, the increased temperature that then results - shuts the cooker off.

I haven't felt that it is necessary for the mix to cook more than about 20 minutes. So, I don't do anymore than a 50/50 grain to water ratio. It doesn't appear to be very tender but it's cooked and, after it cools a little, the birds like it.

The cracked corn burns (or at least, browns) a little against the bottom of the pan but they don't seem to mind and eat it just as well as everything else in the mix.

I think it is a good and reasonably healthy way to make them happy in the cold
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Steve
 

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