What type of feed do you provide?

[GreatBreeder]

For feeding heritage breeds and layers, free feed from the bag, when feeding meat crosses and broilers feed less, and when feeding heritage breeds for meat birds free feed high protein from the bag.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

My ladies get egg layer pellets/crumble 50//50 mixed.
My gentlemen get "All Flock" which has less calcium.
All share distillery grain (in moderation)
All share 3 grain scratch on occasions.
The ladies are offered oyster shells crushed off to the side.
All are recipients of garden goodies upon availability.
Free rangers (the chosen ones) eat their fair share of what insects they stumble upon, during their exploration for more green grass areas to destroy!

 

[peckpeckpeck]

So I give my girls garden scraps but they don't always eat it.
Fennel, carrots, celery, etc. They seem to love it if I hold it & break it up for them mama-hen style. But if I just toss it into the run, they just pick at it but leave most of it there.
And they won't even touch cabbage!

Are they being picky? Am I spoiling them? They're strong enough to tear apart an apple. Am I just worrying for nothing & should just chalk it up to personal preference?

My girls are 17-18 weeks, get Scratch & Peck grower feed, sometimes fermented, sometimes dry.
They free range my garden for a few hours in the evenings.

I'd love some advice. Thanks!

 

[igorsMistress]

I provide organic fermented feed every day, keep the same as dry crumble in the coop, free range all day and sprout pigeon feed once a week. The compost pile is a popular hangout.

 

[igorsMistress]

So I give my girls garden scraps but they don't always eat it.
Fennel, carrots, celery, etc. They seem to love it if I hold it & break it up for them mama-hen style. But if I just toss it into the run, they just pick at it but leave most of it there.
And they won't even touch cabbage!

Are they being picky? Am I spoiling them? They're strong enough to tear apart an apple. Am I just worrying for nothing & should just chalk it up to personal preference?

My girls are 17-18 weeks, get Scratch & Peck grower feed, sometimes fermented, sometimes dry.
They free range my garden for a few hours in the evenings.

I'd love some advice. Thanks!

They're like kids...keep trying various things and eventually they might like it. 1 of my girls doesn't care for raisins but all the others love them.
Do you cook the carrots? Mine will eat them cooked but not raw

 

[black_dove2]

So I give my girls garden scraps but they don't always eat it.
Fennel, carrots, celery, etc. They seem to love it if I hold it & break it up for them mama-hen style. But if I just toss it into the run, they just pick at it but leave most of it there.
And they won't even touch cabbage!

Are they being picky? Am I spoiling them? They're strong enough to tear apart an apple. Am I just worrying for nothing & should just chalk it up to personal preference?

My girls are 17-18 weeks, get Scratch & Peck grower feed, sometimes fermented, sometimes dry.
They free range my garden for a few hours in the evenings.

I'd love some advice. Thanks!

I find they are like dogs. One of my hens will eat certain scraps raw or cooked and the other will turn her back lol

Zucchini, squash, cucumbers raw is okay carrots cooked only. Bread crackers etc they won't wat

 

[peckpeckpeck]

I should cook the carrots?
Is it because they're hard to eat raw or because there's something harmful?

 

[igorsMistress]

I should cook the carrots?
Is it because they're hard to eat raw or because there's something harmful?

Nothing harmful, mine like them cooked not raw. Picky buggars.

 

[Widlast]

I have 5 peafowl, 3 geese, and 15 ducks. The peafowl get a 20% protein crumble with 5 grain mix thrown in and bread and bananas as treats. The ducks and geese get 15% protein crumbles with grain mix and all the grass, weeds, and bugs they want to eat.
As a treat I clip grass into 2" or so pieces and dump it in a kiddie pool with fresh water, they go nuts for the stuff. I tried green peas, wasn't very popular. Chopped kale was a hit with some of them.

 

[bradymars]

Dunnmom, a good way to feed fermented feed is to get a 5 gallon bucket fill half way with whole oats, you can get them at tractor supply for a fair price and there nice and clean. Fill the rest with water and let it soak till it starts to ferment and yes it does smell sour when fermented. They won't go bad as long as you have them under water. You can feed daily along with your yard feed and reap the benefits. I use a fry basket to strain mine, you mignt want to use rubber gloves as the smell will stay on you. The stinkeir the better. They'll turn a nice gold color when ready. When you get low just add to it and use same water as it has the scoby in it and it will ferment faster. Hope this helps