When to give chickens oats, whole corn, scratch, treats, etc...

[Acre4Me]

Wanted to add that one “treat” we give is the chicken feed turned into mush by adding water, stir, and let sit till water is mostly absorbed and looks like. “Treat”. Our chickens go wild for wet food. This is not the same as fermented feed bc I add water, let sit for only 5-10 min, then give to the chickens.

 

[Shadrach]

Things like strawberries, watermelon, kale, other fruits and vegies are not chicken treats. These eatables are given to their flocks by chicken keepers who either feel guilty about confining their birds or else keepers who are frustrated mothers, big mothers, or little mothers looking to replace their real or imagined family members with a compliant domestic animal.

 

[NNYchick]

Wanted to add that one “treat” we give is the chicken feed turned into mush by adding water, stir, and let sit till water is mostly absorbed and looks like. “Treat”. Our chickens go wild for wet food. This is not the same as fermented feed bc I add water, let sit for only 5-10 min, then give to the chickens.

I do the same thing. It’s cold now where I am so I add hot water to their regular pellets/crumble and they gobble it up like it’s a treat, but I know I’m not diluting thier nutrition and they are getting extra hydration too, they have access to feeders with 20% protein all flock pellets 24/7 and In the evening I give a small amount of sprouted grains about an hour before dark. In the summer they don’t get an evening treat because they are out in the yard in the late afternoon filling up on weeds and bugs. They get kitchen scraps and scratch on a rare occasion. Scratch a little more when it’s really cold out to get them moving.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Also, treats mustn't exceed 10% of their diet so I would try giving it to them when you let them out

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I throw scratch out first thing in the morning because I enjoy the hoard running to me.

That being said if your layer ration is 16% protein extras will leave them deficient. I feed a higher protein ration to offset the lower protein scratch.

 

[Acre4Me]

I think you may be giving too many treats or too frequently. 2x per day of treats (non formulated feed) is a lot. All of what you provide sound great, but might be too much or frequent.

Lighting: we also have light in our coop, for 2-3 weeks now. 15 hours of light and to get that it needs to be on before sunrise and after sunset (also not interested in our 2 roosters crowing really early nor causing neighbor rooster to crow). Because we only light the coop with a single (protected and outdoor rated) light, it’s not exactly *bright*, but has improved the egg production. Our flock includes 12 pullets, 2 of which have never laid an egg yet. As the days waned, egg production waned. Once we added light, egg production increased so our pullets were influenced by light. The flock is already on roosts before lights go out as they come in as the sun sets, then walk around and roost before the light turns off, so no chicken is caught off guard when the light goes off (also on a timer). Keep using light if you want eggs.

Have fun! I know my tween loves caring for our chickens!

 

[FarmerGirl101]

First of all, I think that 5am lights are too early so try it at about 7am and 7:30pm is too late as that is past sunset (unless you live in the southern hemisphere)

 

[Wisegirl99]

First of all, I think that 5am lights are too early so try it at about 7am and 7:30pm is too late as that is past sunset (unless you live in the southern hemisphere)

The reason we are having the lights stay on in the evening and come on early in the morning is so they will lay more eggs. The recommended hours of light for laying eggs is 14 hours.

 

[h2oratt]

Things like strawberries, watermelon, kale, other fruits and vegies are not chicken treats. These eatables are given to their flocks by chicken keepers who either feel guilty about confining their birds or else keepers who are frustrated mothers, big mothers, or little mothers looking to replace their real or imagined family members with a compliant domestic animal.

Is that so, I wonder why my chickens routinely flew into my garden, eat their fill and fly back.

 

[Cindy in PA]

If you use lights in the coop I am assuming your feed & water is in the coop also, is that correct? There would be no use having lights turn on in the morning if there is no feed or water inside.