Chickens can forage, but they need special feed.
Pet chickens need to be fed consistently to ensure proper growth and health. The easiest way to feed chickens is to free-feed them, that is, offer food all the time and let the chickens decide when they should eat. Unless you're feeding broilers, which requires a different regiment to slow their growth, most chicks and chickens will benefit from feeding free choice.
Chickens can be fed scraps and can forage, but they still need food formulated for them, otherwise you risk nutritional deficiencies.
Instructions
1. Choose the right food. The type of food is very important. Young, growing chicks less than 6 weeks old need to be on a starter/grower ration. Older chicks will need to be on a developer ration until about 22 weeks. Chickens older than 22 weeks or those laying eggs need to be on a layer ration.
2. Pour food in a chicken feeder. The feeder can be hung off the ground inside the coop at neck level, or you may sit it directly on the ground.
3. Fill a container with appropriate grit for your chickens and leave it available for them to eat. Chickens need grit to grind their food down in their gizzards. Grit is very important if you feed your chickens scraps or allow them to free range and forage.
4. Add a dispenser with oyster shell grit if your chickens are laying eggs or are 22 weeks old or older.
5. Feed no more than 10 percent of your chickens' diet in table scraps. Table scraps may consist of vegetables, meat or bread.
6. Check feeder containers frequently to ensure that your chickens do not run out of food. Stir the food often to maintain freshness.
Tags: your chickens, feed chickens, forage they, grit your, grit your chickens, laying eggs, than weeks