What type of feed do you provide?

[BethLouMcCormick]

My girls are on Scratch n Peck grower feed. Is that considered crumble? Im new to this.

With this heat wave, I started mixing it with a little water & freezing it, & found that also helps with making sure they eat all the fines that fall to the bottom. I figure it helps cool them down and gives them another source of water.

I just learned about fermenting so trying that out in addition to their regular free choice dry.
whats fermenting ?
I also just started putting out crushed egg shells free choice.

Also with this heat wave, I've been giving them treats like frozen water melon, & tossing some rose petals or meal worms into their water to encourage them to drink more. They love the roses!! Funny girls

 

[steffenbsd]

I feed Scratch and Peck layer free choice all the time and they range in the yard for a few hours a day. This is only my first bag of layer feed so I'm not too attached to a specific brand or grain v pellet. I also give them produce scraps from the kitchen and a handful of corn/BOSS/miliet/safflower scratch they go bananas for. My BR goes crazy for the BOSS, which seems funny because I don't think they can taste it through the shell.

 

[FlyWheel]

Dry crumbles free choice, as soon as the grass turns brown they will get fodder daily, they free range for an hour each day and then come in for treats, either BOSS or mealy worms.

It's nice to know I'm not the only one who uses the cutesy name "mealy worms"

I give mine fermented commercial feed; Purina flock raiser, the only 'real' feed I can find in my area that isn't specifically formulated for chicks or layers, and crushed oyster and egg shell on the side. The feed is labeled vegetarian, no animal by-products*. And no, I don't believe for a second that chickens are vegetarians, so if they finish it off by the time I go out in the evening I'll give them an additional nutritious treat: A small scoop of dry feed, mealy worms, scrambled eggs or cooking scraps. Usually raw vegetable bits, cooked poultry or fish scraps. In that way I let them self regulate their intake. Rarely do I treat them with empty carbohydrates, like corn or scratch, other than the occasional "cornata".

Their run is literally built of mulched oak leaf litter which by now I'm sure is very composted. I dump a bag of crushed granite grit out for them periodically, pour some DE into the dusting pots they make for themselves and put a thin layer onto their coop floor when I change out their bedding to help control parasites.The bedding I use in their coop is basically hay mixed with SweetPDZ to control ammonia. I also use granulated PDZ in their poop trays, like a kitty litter box. One of the things on my to-do list this fall/winter is to build them a fenced garden area into which I can let them out to forage; I can't let them roam free because of the dogs.

*Question: Would the addition of animal protein in their commercial feed adversely affect the ferment?

 

[dunnmom]

Mine get soaked organic non-gmo layer pellets as their main food. I stick to pellets as opposed to mash, because even soaked it stays together in little bite sized clumps. I do not ferment them, I tried it, but because of all of the probiotic in the feed, it turns yogurty, instead of fermenting. Their treats are mainly BOSS, green weeds from the yard and garden, and duckweed or water hyacinth harvested from our pond. Occasionally, they will get scrambled eggs, cooked oatmeal, yogurt, squash, or melon.

 

[bradymars]

I feed the chicks a medicated chick starter, and add soured oats as soon as there able to swallow them. then when older switch over to my yard feed. I feed an 18% Gamecock Mix that has everything lots of differant grains and high protien pellets with fish meal and other high quality protien sources. They are very healthy with nice red heads and shiny feathers. Chickens need more then just vegetarian lay pellets.

 

[FlyWheel]

Um, wouldn't "yogurty" mean it is fermented? What do you think yogurt is?

 

[bradymars]

Yes it is fermented, it should have a sour smell when ready

 

[dunnmom]

Sorry to say, yogurty is not how I was told it's supposed to smell. I was told it's supposed to smell more like a sourdough starter if it's done correctly. I realize how yogurt is made (thank you very much for suggesting I have no idea what I'm talking about), as I often make my own. It's actually a very different thing than grain fermentation, or even cheese making. The main difference is yeast and other fungal growth, which is all but absent in yogurt making. The two processes leave behind very different nutrient contents in the finished product.

 

[ZachyWachy]

We free range our chickens with some feed from the store and table scraps.
The bantams just get table scraps and the feed.

 

[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 scone in it and it will ferment faster. Hope this helps