Chicken scratch is like the dessert to your chickens’ meal (the main course being their pelleted feed, such as pellets, mashes or crumbles). As long as it is fed in moderation it should remain safe and encourage foraging behavior.
Chicken scratch should never replace layer feed in a chicken’s diet due to being nutritionally unbalanced.
Contents
Protein
Chickens that rely solely on scratch mix to meet their nutritional needs may experience nutritional imbalances and health issues, as they become picky eaters without adequate vitamins, minerals, or proteins. Supplementing their primary feed with scratch as a mealtime treat helps balance out their overall diet while stimulating their natural foraging instincts.
Chicken scratch is typically composed of whole grains like cracked corn, oats and wheat combined with ingredients like sunflower seeds, millet milo or flax seed for extra nutrients and variety. In addition, protein sources like soybean, canola or sunflower meal as well as animal by-products like bone meal can also be included for enhanced nutrition.
Fats and oils, commonly made up of rendered pig or poultry fat, linseed oil, soy oil or sunflower oil are another key element. This material provides energy, aids digestion of food and fatty acids as well as vital vitamins such as D3, niacin and methionine for chickens.
Fiber
Chickens require plenty of fiber in their diet in order to remain healthy and productive egg layers. Although they receive some from natural sources such as fruits and vegetables, additional sources are necessary as part of digesting their feed for egg laying purposes.
Scratch mixes are typically comprised of wheat, corn, barley, oats, sunflower seeds and millet. You can purchase premixed versions or make your own at home.
Prior to locking your flock away for the evening, give them some scratch as a reward and treat before closing their coop door for good. This will keep them busy while giving them something delicious before restful sleep begins.
Since scratch grains do not provide sufficient nutrition, it is best to limit their consumption. Overfeeding will leave your birds unhealthy and may compromise the strength of their eggs. In particular, winter months offer an ideal opportunity to add some scratch grain into the coop for extra warmth during their nap times.
Fat
Chickens enjoy eating scratch mix as it provides them with instant treats or supplements to their regular feeds, however this type of feed should only ever be used as occasional treats or supplemental foods.
Chicken owners can purchase pre-bagged scratch mixes at their local feed store or make their own at home. Scratch often contains whole grains and seeds such as wheat, barley, corn oats sunflower seeds or legumes.
Chickens enjoy eating seeds and grains rich in carbohydrates because it gives them an energy boost. Use this treat as a reward or to lure back into their coop for nightly roosting; plus it adds variety to their diet!
Calcium
Chickens fed solely on scratch as their primary feed can experience serious nutritional imbalances, including protein deficits (which limit egg production) and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Even “complete” scratch mixes don’t provide balanced nutrition to chickens since many contain ingredients high in carbohydrates that quickly turn to fat production for the birds, leaving them feeling lethargic and unhealthy.
High-quality layer pellets are scientifically designed to provide all of the essential nutrients for healthy flocks. Scratch grains should only be used occasionally to tempt chickens into eating more of their pellets – they should comprise only a minor percentage of their diet overall.
Vitamins
Chicken scratch is a high-energy feed for poultry that typically includes coarse cracked corn and whole wheat, often packaged in convenient premixed bags for convenience, plus other foods like barley, millet, oats and sunflower seeds. Supplementing it with food such as kitchen scraps, mealworms or stinging nettle for additional nutrition or herbal treats like comfrey or stinging nettle will further balance and enrich its nutritional profile.
However, these treats fall under the category of bribes or snacks and should comprise no more than 10% of your chicken’s diet. Doing so will not provide them with essential protein and other essential nutrients they require; additionally if they switch over completely to these treats in favor of their regular feed it could result in serious health problems for their flock.