can i supplement my broiler feed with scratch grains?
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Question by k_erdahl: can i supplement my broiler feed with scratch grains?
my broiler chickens seem to be eating alot. what if i gave them about 4 cups of regular feed and once that is gone they will nibble on scratch grains until about 4pm when they get more feed and thru the night. it seems like i will have lower feed costs if i provide them with scratch grains along with regular feed? basically supplement it with regular feed.
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If you’re going for max growth in less time, you need to keep feed in front of them all the time, especially for the first 2wks. They need that protein level for body/muscle growth. I shall assume that they are on 20-23% protein diet. Scratch grains are carbs, which they will do better with as they age.
After that time, you can probably get away with mixing some scratch grains with the other feed, but also keeping it in front of them all the time.
Broiler chickens are plain gluttonous. That is what they were bred for.
Now if you want to slow them up, shut the lights off them at night, but also realize that if they don’t have feed in front of them, that they then fill up on water. And being full of water causes watery manure, which in turn causes wet litter or damp flooring. That is not good because of the possible bacterial loads in the gut and feet lesions.
Elusive in the Middle of Nowhere
April 27, 2012 at 11:33 am