GRIT Country Skills Series

Feed the Flock

The old adage “You are what you eat” certainly applies to chickens. A strong foraging instinct gives chickens the ability to naturally thrive on a wide variety of plants and insects. However, some modern backyard birds aren’t lucky enough to range countless acres and forage for their nutritional needs.

Further, young chickens have different needs than mature birds. In addition, layers and meat birds should be fed specific diets depending on their purpose. As the seasons change, so do nutritional requirements. So what is a chicken keeper to do? That all depends on what kinds of chickens you have and what their purposes are.

Back in the old days, Grandma would toss a few handfuls of scratch grains and some kitchen scraps to the yard birds each day. Her hens would free range around the farm during the day and roost in the coop at night. So what’s so complicated about feeding chickens, then? First of all, we know a

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from GRIT Country Skills Series

GRIT Country Skills Series6 min read
3 Chicken Ailments and Their Natural Treatments
Poultry body language can help you recognize the first signs of sickness, and to help prevent issues from arising. Prevention is key when it comes to keeping your flock healthy and happy. As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a
GRIT Country Skills Series8 min read
Caring For Your New Chickens
It’s that time of year again. The sun is shining, the daffodils are blooming, and there is a distinct peeping noise at every farm store across the country. It’s time for chicks. If you’ve been wooed by those little fluffy yellow balls of cuteness you
GRIT Country Skills Series3 min read
Treating and Preventing CHICKEN FROSTBITE
I like to think that I am deliberate in tending to our flock of chickens during the winter, but it still happened! Yep, one of our chickens got frostbite on her comb. See black spots on your chicken’s comb or feet? That’s frostbite. Thankfully, our c

Related