Which is best

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

I use layer pellets with Scratch Mix [with added wheat] (some know scratch mix as Open Range Mix) as a small treat twice a week as well as good access to greens [fruits and veges as well as grass] –

Also I prefer to not over protein my birds due to the egg issue. I keep them at abt 15% during the breeding season and drop them back to 12-13% the rest of the year by including extra greens – I prefer to have my girls be viable breeders for longer
[excluding moulting time when I up the vitamins and protein again for obvious reasons]

# if feeding large birds = one way to make wastage minimal if feeding pellets is to use a cut out 20L container = just cut the front top 1/2 off and only abt the front 1/8 to allow slightly lower front and 3/4 fill it with what ever you feed them = they forage around and 99% of what they throw around lands back IN the container

RAREBREED · **Joined:** Fri Jul 30, 2010 9:17 pm **Posts:** 63

TheCastle wrote:

Has anyone tried the red hen layer?

I use and swear by RED HEN freerange blend best by far...

Ian Clayton · **Posted:** Thu Sep 23, 2010 8:05 pm

Hi All

andrewschooks wrote:

if they have access to scratch mix, they generally wont eat pellets or mash! Seems that most poultry prefer whole or cracked grain to pellets.

Chooks are like your children and don't or won't eat what you put in front of them, so they have to be coaxed into eating what you give them.

Give them the mash or pellets in the morning and a little scratch mix in the late afternoon when you put them inside for the night.

Feeding Scratch Mix in the late afternoon is good for keeping your chooks warm on a cold winters night the digestion process creates heat.

Regards

Ian Clayton

TheCastle · **Joined:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:11 pm **Posts:** 5

Thanks rarebreed I have picked up a samle bag to try

b&p · **Posted:** Fri Sep 24, 2010 6:09 am

Mine won't touch red Hen....they like their chemicals I think and steer away from organic. My wastage was huge the few times I tried Red Hen. Have tried Barastoc darling downs which the birds love, Vella which they hate and the new one I have them on (can't recall the name) is great. It has less molasses coating, is 10kg bigger bag and cost the same as the Barastoc.....wastage is almost nil.

I also grow a lot of greens and feed daily to those pens that seldom get to free range.

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

b&p wrote:

the new one I have them on (can't recall the name) is great. It has less molasses coating, is 10kg bigger bag and cost the same as the Barastoc.....wastage is almost nil.

sounds like Murray Goulburn - I prefer the bigger bags - this 20kg stuff is for 'girls' [no offence meant to us girls out there = just I'm used to throwing around 30 & 40kg bags! ] - bigger bags are easier/quicker to handle and store when you buy by the pallet

ChickinLickin · **Posted:** Fri Sep 24, 2010 10:06 am

ok, dumb question time, but sratch mix? Is this put on the floor for them to scratch? Or is this just its name and does it just go into a hopper?

Also when you guys say "waste" I'm not sure what you mean...my girls just eat their stuff in their hopper and I just fill it. They tend to scratch the scraps and greens all over the shop and I pick that up every day....is that waste?

Sorry I feel really stoooopid now :roll:

TheCastle · **Joined:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:11 pm **Posts:** 5

I think its call scratch mix because there can pick through it not actually scratch on the ground

Gumboot · **Joined:** Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:18 pm **Posts:** 5

I use the red hen and all the chooks turkeys and duck eat it. I agree with this 20kg little bags bring back the 40kg chook owners aren't wimps

Ian Clayton · **Posted:** Sat Sep 25, 2010 8:31 am

Hi All

The reason they call it scratch mix is because it is intended to be scattered over Deep Litter or any area you want your chooks to dig over, the chooks then scratch around turning over the Deep Litter or ground looking for grains. This is good for the Deep Litter and keeps your chooks occupied and content.

Deep Litter can be any dry material eg: wood shavings (not treated) sawdust, hay or straw and should be kept dry. Normally Deep Litter pens are indoors and not open to the weather. A Deep Litter pen is great in times of very wet weather or cold when its not fit to let your chooks free range. Change the litter every six months and put it on your garden or into your compost.

Busy chooks are happy chooks.
Bored chooks feather peck, eat eggs and get into trouble.

Regards

Ian Clayton

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