What should I be feeding them?

[helkat]

Hi there! We have chickens (4 hens, 3 RIR cockerels, 3 bantam pullets and 2 bantam cockerels, 15 pullet chicks on the way) and 30 ducks of varying ages (with another 4 on the way).

They are all free range and out grazing all day. We have fed them nothing but scratch (cracked corn, oats, grains, etc..) for the past year and things have been fine. I recently just added some oyster shell and grit bowls to their coop.

Should we be feeding layer feed as well?

Thanks
Helga

 

[jjdward]

Hi there back!

If I were you, I would feed something like Purina Flockraiser. Even though they free range, they may not be getting enough protein. The Flockraiser is higher in protein than layer but no calcium. You will need to make sure you have some oyster shell to provide calcium for the laying birds. I have given it to my flock (chickens, ducks, geese of mixed ages) for a long time and they love it.