Had a neighbor tell me I was feeding my hens too much scratch grain

Old guy named Tom three houses down saw me tossing a big handful of scratch to my flock every morning. He said I was basically giving them junk food and they'd stop eating their layer pellets. Figured he was just being a busybody. Six weeks later two of my hens stopped laying and one got really fat. Cut way back on the scratch and after about 10 days they started laying again. Anyone else had a neighbor give advice that actually worked?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_brian1d ago

Fought it for a while myself with my first flock. Threw them corn and sunflower seeds like they were treats every day. Took a prolapse and a vet bill to realize the old timers were right. Cut the scratch to a tiny handful once a week now, tops. They get it as a reward for coming when I call, not a daily breakfast. Works way better and keeps them eating the good stuff.

the_jordan1d ago

My late father in law used to keep bees, and a man from down the road told him he was putting his hives too close to a creek. Dad ignored him because he figured the bees needed water close by. Well, the man was right - that low spot got flooded during a heavy spring rain and we lost three full hives. He still never admitted the guy was right to his face, but he moved them up the hill the next season. Sometimes the old timers really do know what they're talking about.