What do I feed my chickens???

[gaitedgrl]

My husband and I are jumping head first into getting some pullets. Some of the others in the flock just started laying. I am going to feed an organic feed. My question is do they need to have anything else other than that feed? Scratch? Oyster shell?
We are picking up the chickens this weekend and we are really looking foward to this experience...just want to be ready! Someone suggested on here to put the birds in their coop for a couple days and not to let them free range in our prairie grass/pasture area, but after a couple days the idea is that they will be out just roaming during the day and then in the coop during the night.

What is the purpose of the scratch and oyster shell?

 

[Lesa]

Scratch is only for fun- a treat. Oyster shell is for calcium. Most people offer it. You can try not using it- and see if you are satisfied with the hardness of the shells...I find young chickens really don't need it. Yes, you want to keep them confined for a few days, so they will associate the coop with their roosting area. If you don't do it- you will be making another post that reads- "Can't get chickens back to coop at night!"
You are about to start on a really fun adventure! Enjoy your chickens!

 

[Ariel301]

A packaged organic layer feed should be sufficient for them. You can offer them some treats like fruit and vegetables if you like, or a handful or so of scratch thrown on the ground for them to run around and peck at.