What to feed my Flock

[featherfella]

Hi there,

I have been raising chickens for roughly about 2 years now. However, during this period of 2 years, i have found it incredibly hard to find treats and scraps that my chickens actually like. As of right now, my flock loves warm oats, natural greek yogurt, veggies (lettuce), and i occasionally give them a small amount of cheese. But, i would like to know what you feed your chickens?

 

[TalkALittle]

Breeder pellets (18% protein), a handful of 5-grain scratch each day, a handful of dried mealworms each day during molt, the occasional kitchen scraps (mostly vegetable matter), and whatever they might eat when I let them loose in the yard, which is rare these days.

Except for what I've listed and the occasional cabbage or winter squash, I've never bought "human food" with the intent to give it to the chickens. They may get leftovers, uneaten bits, or stuff on the verge of spoiling but I never prepare stuff just for them. I sprouted BOSS for them once and in winter I sometimes make a warm mash from their pellets. That's about it.

 

[featherfella]

Breeder pellets (18% protein), a handful of 5-grain scratch each day, a handful of dried mealworms each day during molt, the occasional kitchen scraps (mostly vegetable matter), and whatever they might eat when I let them loose in the yard, which is rare these days.

Except for what I've listed and the occasional cabbage or winter squash, I've never bought "human food" with the intent to give it to the chickens. They may get leftovers, uneaten bits, or stuff on the verge of spoiling but I never prepare stuff just for them. I sprouted BOSS for them once and in winter I sometimes make a warm mash from their pellets. That's about it.

Thanks for your reply

 

[Titan Farm]

I keep it to a point simple and I don't feed a lot of "treats" for a number of reasons but mostly because I feed a very good feed and don't want to through there nutritional intake off.

What I feed to birds is this;
- Chicks from hatch until they are mostly (about 90%) feathered get a game bird starter (30% protein).
- Feathered chicks until laying get a water fowl diet (20% protein) and a "gel diet" mix at 5% of there feed intake.
- Layers and breeders get a game bird breeder feed (20% protein).
Breeders also get a "gel diet" mix at 5% of there feed intake and a grain mix at 7% of there diet.
- Adult non-laying birds, (hens, roosters (not in breeding pens), birds in molt, etc.) get the feathered chick feed.

 

[lazy gardener]

My entire flock get fermented feed. They have access to free range when I can safely do so. Deep litter (lots of nutritional benefit to be had with this management style). Grass clippings, garden weeds and yard debris during the growing season, sprouted seeds/grains during the winter. Occasional kitchen scraps.

 

[featherfella]

My entire flock get fermented feed. They have access to free range when I can safely do so. Deep litter (lots of nutritional benefit to be had with this management style). Grass clippings, garden weeds and yard debris during the growing season, sprouted seeds/grains during the winter. Occasional kitchen scraps.

Thanks for the advice. My chickens also have access to soil and grass and they love it!

 

[featherfella]

I keep it to a point simple and I don't feed a lot of "treats" for a number of reasons but mostly because I feed a very good feed and don't want to through there nutritional intake off.

What I feed to birds is this;
- Chicks from hatch until they are mostly (about 90%) feathered get a game bird starter (30% protein).
- Feathered chicks until laying get a water fowl diet (20% protein) and a "gel diet" mix at 5% of there feed intake.
- Layers and breeders get a game bird breeder feed (20% protein).
Breeders also get a "gel diet" mix at 5% of there feed intake and a grain mix at 7% of there diet.
- Adult non-laying birds, (hens, roosters (not in breeding pens), birds in molt, etc.) get the feathered chick feed.

Thanks for the advice

 

[BantyChooks]

I feed mine layer pellets and kitchen scraps. Anything not too mouldy to ID goes in---they eat it all.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I like a 18% layers feed, but don't always buy it, because it's not in stock or not fresh. Then I'll buy a 16% layers.
As for treats, I give them a mixed bird seed scattered on ground twice daily.
I let them free range two hours before sunset daily, weather permitting. GC

 

[speckledhen]

Chicks until laying age: Tucker Milling Chick Starter/Grower, 18%.

Adults: Dry feed, 22% Protein Super Layer Mini-Pellets by Tucker Milling. They may on occasion have something I can put a supplement like probiotics and liquid vitamins into like scrambled eggs and/or grits or oatmeal, but that Tucker Milling feed contains porcine animal protein, unlike most feeds today and has kept them healthy for a dozen years. I do not feed fermented feed, never will, but I like the higher protein in this commercial feed and I like having animal protein in my feed, even though they do get out to free range on a group-by-group rotating basis to get their own natural forage. That's it, plain and simple, not over-complicated, no fads, nothing some folks would call "treats", per se.

I use a 13 grain cock conditioner mix that has its own granite grit to train them to come home from free ranging (shake the jars and the sound brings them) and they may get a handful thrown out to reward them for coming back, maybe in the morning, scant handful. If I have separate roosters, they eat that, but that is a rare occurrence so the roosters eat the 22% super layer pellets with the hens 99% of the time. Never had an issue by doing it.