When Can We Start Giving Scratch?

[High Mountain Chic]

I have 3 month old pullets and was wondering when I can start to give them scratch?

 

[The Wolf Queen]

1rst month: Chick Start
4 weeks - 6 weeks: Grower
After 6 weeks: Crumble

 

[BellLisamo]

depends if you wanna go by the book.....

 

[Mahlzeit]

If they have access to grit or pebbles in the dirt and stuff I would say you could give them some at 3 months old.

 

[speckledhen]

I have started training my youngsters to come to the scratch can when we shake it. They are 12 weeks old. My scratch has very little corn and is 13% protein by itself, more of a feed for roosters. They get a sprinkle in the a.m. and in the afternoon when they are locked up for the night. It's already come in handy when they opened the gate yesterday and were out in the yard, LOL. Lured them right back in with that magic can! I do not feed it as part of their actual feed, though.

 

[Judy]

Yup, what speckledhen said. They are plenty old enough, but it is a treat only.

 

[Equus5O]

When my son lets them out in the morning he tosses a handful or two of scratch into the run. That's it for the day. They actually make a beeline for the feed that's still on the ground before they head for the scratch. And I found when I spilled the water that they love chickie oatmeal made with grower food and water.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

you can give them a
wet mash probiotic for a treat also

wet mash probiotic
1 qt of dry crumbles
1-1/2 qts of milk any kind
1/4 cup of yoguart
mix good and feed 3 tsp per young chicken so that they eat it in 20-30 minutes
as chickens get older feed 3 tbsp per adult chicken

also in the water put 2 tbsp of ACV to a gallon of water
you can order it from smith poultry supply
email me with any questions