# Scratch vs. Complete Ration



## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

How do you decide whether to feed a scratch grain mixture to laying hens as opposed to a complete ration? Our chickens have half an acre to run around on, but it is shared with the goats, which have eaten it mostly bare (especially during the winter). I've been feeding the chickens a complete laying ration, but I'm wondering if a grain mix would be enough.


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Im going back to my 4h days, from about 10 years ago lol, scratch doesnt have that much 'good' in it, and the laying pellets do. Do you have them as just chickens or for eggs?? Mine that I have are just chickens and I feed them scratch, but usualy during the summer there is not too much to eat so go with a broiler mash or laying pellet, which ever is cheapest.


----------



## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

I just today bought a bag of scratch to mix into the layer crumble. They went eating it well and were wasting it so I figured mix some scratch in and when Spring hits they will have lots of stuff to eat again anyways.


----------



## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

I use 16% layer pellets, they waste less with pellets. This is in their feeders all the time. I use scratch as a treat to get them back in their coops at night. I also throw a couple of big piles of cat food out a couple of times a week for extra protein. Mine are layers and for bug control and I have 25 including 3 roosters. :shocked:


----------



## JulyBlizzard (Oct 19, 2012)

milkmaid said:


> How do you decide whether to feed a scratch grain mixture to laying hens as opposed to a complete ration? Our chickens have half an acre to run around on, but it is shared with the goats, which have eaten it mostly bare (especially during the winter). I've been feeding the chickens a complete laying ration, but I'm wondering if a grain mix would be enough.


Scratch is like you eating cake. If you eat nothing but cake what will happen to you? That is one I believe good way to view feeding scratch. Some benefits to feeding scratch are when it is cold outside especially early mornings and before the chickens go to bed it helps keep them warm because of the carbs. It also helps with training them. Otherwise if you feed a chicken too much scratch they will get fat, they will become more prone to disease and illness and it can negatively effect their laying ability and such effects can be for the rest of the chickens life.


----------



## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

An old time chicken farmer never fed scratch, just layer pellets.
JulyBlizzard is right on.


----------



## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

I only add in scratch during the snowy winter days. And mostly for entertainment. My chickens still want to scratch about in the snow. So I'll toss them a few handfuls of scratch grains, black oil sunflower seeds, or whole corn for them to look for in the snow. 

For most of their diet they eat layer mash. Mash is basically the same as pellets or crumble, but not 'formed'. I give them what they'll eat in a day. Every morning I add a bit of water to the mash (kinda turns into something like oatmeal), mix it up, then feed. They eat it with relish, and they waste none of it! If mash is fed in dry form, they often waste a lot of it, or so I've found.


----------



## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Wow, it's been a while since I posted that...I just recently read about the benefits of fermented feed and tried that for the first time this morning. Supposedly the protein is increased. We'll see how they do.


----------



## JulyBlizzard (Oct 19, 2012)

Stacykins said:


> I only add in scratch during the snowy winter days. And mostly for entertainment. My chickens still want to scratch about in the snow. So I'll toss them a few handfuls of scratch grains, black oil sunflower seeds, or whole corn for them to look for in the snow.
> 
> For most of their diet they eat layer mash. Mash is basically the same as pellets or crumble, but not 'formed'. I give them what they'll eat in a day. Every morning I add a bit of water to the mash (kinda turns into something like oatmeal), mix it up, then feed. They eat it with relish, and they waste none of it! If mash is fed in dry form, they often waste a lot of it, or so I've found.


To me that make senses. I give my chickens scratch more so when it's cold and a tiny bit now and then. So as we moved to a new place and are working on a big set up for them they have a smaller living space. But I like to free range them. I sometimes either dig up worms, find bugs, catch peepers or buy buy bugs and feed them as treats as well. When I want my ladies to go home I just make a sideways fist and they follow me figuring I have scratch. Or I use a bug to lure them. But it so much easier getting them to follow me happily with trust then the times when I herd them back in and they feel a bit of stress.


----------



## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Mine definitely free range all day! I let them out in the morning, and they put themselves to bed at sunset


----------

