At what age can I start offering my hens scratch grains? They are 8 weeks old now and ranging outside in a pen

They can have a small amount as a treat every few days, but their primary food MUST be grower pellets because otherwise they won't grow properly.

Just to differ from previous posts, its not the fact that they can peck at it now, its the fact that at young age they aren't able to digest it. Scratch grains should only be given as a treat and never as a feed ration. Scratch has very little nutritional value.

Any time now is fine. They are old enough to pick at things, I feed mine what ever they will eat after the starter feed. Also they like ground oyster shell (It good for layers)

How to feed your laying and breeding hens scratch grains...

Scratch (grains)

Chickens love to scratch. They use their feet to disturb the litter or ground to find various seeds, greens, grit, or insects to eat. Feeding scratch grains can promote this behavior, which gives the birds exercise and keeps them busy. However, feeding scratch to chickens is not necessary when they are receiving a complete diet.

Scratch feeds usually are cracked, rolled, or whole grains such as corn, barley, oats, or wheat, which are relatively low in protein and high in energy or fiber depending on which grains are used. When fed in concert with prepared feeds, they dilute nutrient levels in the carefully formulated diets. Therefore, you should provide scratch sparingly. A general rule of thumb is to feed only as much scratch as the chickens can consume in about 20 minutes, or about 10 to 15 percent of their total daily food consumption.

When feeding scratch, also provide an insoluble grit so the birds can grind and digest the grains properly. If the birds have access to the ground they usually can find enough grit in the form of small rocks or pebbles. Otherwise, you can purchase grit. Oyster shell cannot be substituted for grit because it is too soft to aid in grinding.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/pnw/...

Feed consumed by the laying hen is used mainly for

body maintenance. Nutrients in excess of those

necessary for maintenance can be used for egg

production. Research results of many investigators

have been used to determine levels of nutrients

needed to permit the laying hen to produce

optimally. A poultry feed must supply the necessary

protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins

in their proper proportion. A major cause of

problems in small flocks can be related to improper

nutrition. The laying hen of today has been

genetically improved and as a consequence is

unable to live and produce eggs efficiently on the

same type of feeding regime that its ancestors were

fed 30 years ago.

Feeds are composed of a variety of feedstuffs. This

allows a nutrient deficiency of one feedstuff to be

offset by the nutrients of another feedstuff. The

palatability of feedstuffs must be considered in

formulating rations for poultry. If chickens will not

eat the feed, the palatability is suspect.

Diets for poultry vary depending upon their intended

purpose. A feed designed for laying hens is not

adequate for optimal growth in broilers, nor is a

broiler feed proper for laying hens. Rations are

manufactured in a feedmill as mash, pellets, or

crumbles. Pelleted or crumbled feeds are generally

used in meat production, seldom in egg production.

Pelleting reduces feed wastage, reduces the

presence of salmonella organisms, and minimizes

selection of feed ingredients by the chicken.

Environmental temperature can alter feed intake by

the hen. Cold temperatures of winter will increase

feed consumption because of the hens’ increased

need for energy to maintain body temperature.

Warmer temperatures on the other hand will

decrease energy needs and thus, feed intake,

because less heat needs to be produced to maintain

body temperature. Because of these changes in feed

intake, it is important to insure that the hen is

receiving adequate protein, vitamins, and minerals.

It is best that a diet be fortified with more protein,

vitamins, and minerals in the warmer summer

months. Adequate calcium is extremely important in

the summer. Calcium is needed for shell strength

and bone formation. If inadequate calcium is in the

diet, you may notice poorer shells, eggs without

shells, or hens developing leg problems.

Laying mash should be at least 15 percent protein.

Higher protein levels are of value during hot weather

when feed consumption decreases. When pullets

are coming into and reaching peak production,

nutritional requirements are higher and it would be

best if higher protein levels of 16 to 18 percent were

fed. After the birds have peaked, the protein level

can be decreased.

An ALL-MASH FEEDING SYSTEM is most often

used for laying hens. Mash rations are commercially

available at local feedmills and have been

formulated to provide in proper amounts all the

necessary nutrients for the hen. The laying mash fed

to commercial-type egg birds should be free choice.

If broiler-type breeders are used for production of

eggs, a restrictive feeding program must be utilized

to prevent obesity. If scratch grains are used, they

should be fed in conjunction with a mash containing

a higher level of protein than that required when an

all-mash feed is used.

If a conventional MASH-SCRATCH SYSTEM is

composed of 50 percent scratch grains, the mash

should be 20 percent protein. If a greater portion of

scratch grains is desirable, a higher protein mash is

necessary. Whatever the ratio of mash to scratch, a

minimum of 15 percent protein should be

maintained.

Mash to Scratch Used Percent Protein in Mash

1:1 20

1:2 25

1:3 30

1:4 35

1:5 40

Home-grown grains can be used in a mash-scratch

system when economically feasible. Scratch grains

may include wheat, oats, barley, or buckwheat.

Wheat is a good source of energy. It is high in

carbohydrate and low in fiber. It has a relative value

of about 95 percent that of corn. A wheat-based diet

generally lacks the pigments which favor the yellow

color found in yolks. Barley contains less energy

than corn or wheat, and more energy than oats. If

barley is fed as a scratch feed, it should not

constitute more than 75 percent of the scratch feed.

Barley is not as palatable as other feeds and needs to

be introduced to the hen gradually. Oats are a good

protein source but are a low-energy feedstuff.

Heavy, thin-hulled oats have a better feed value than

lightweight oats. The higher fiber content makes

oats less palatable. Oats are generally not used in

excess of 50 percent of the scratch grain mixture.

A scratch mixture composed of at least two grains is

usually best for the performance of the laying hen. It

is usually fed in late afternoon. It may be scattered

on top of the litter or placed in separate hoppers.

Overfeeding of the scratch will lower the feed intake

of the mash and thus decrease protein intake by the

hens. The decreased protein intake can result in

management problems and/or lower production.

Different environmental temperatures require

different feed energy levels. The energy requirement

of the hen is greatest during the winter, and rather

than altering the amount of scratch fed, it is better to

alter the type of grains in the scratch feed. During

winter increase the amount of high-energy grains

(corn, wheat, milo) in scratch feed. During summer,

when energy intake needs to be decreased, use a

scratch feed which utilizes primarily oats or barley.

The availability of oystershell and granite grit is

desirable. The oystershell will ensure that the hens

are receiving an adequate amount of calcium for the

manufacture of good egg shells. The grit, while not

necessary if an all-mash system is used, is necessary

if a scratch feed is used. The grit will help to grind the

whole grains and will result in better utilization of the

feedstuff by the hen.

If your hens are on range or have access to the

outside, it would be best to continue to feed a

balanced ration. Little is to be gained and much lost

when the hens are left to scavenge for feed and are

unable to receive adequate nutrients.

The contents of an egg are the sole source of

nutrients for the developing embryo. Thus, if you

plan on taking eggs from your backyard flock and

incubating them, the hens’ diet needs to be

considered. Ideally, a breeder diet would insure that

the embryos will have sufficient nutrients to result in

optimum matchability. If you feel you need to have a

fortified diet for your breeders, contact your state

extension specialist for advice.

One of the most important and most often

overlooked nutrients is WATER. It is imperative that

clean water be available to the birds at alI times. This

may be difficult during the winter, when water can

freeze, but every effort must be made to

accommodate the hens so that production will not

suffer.

http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/poultry/pfs17.pdf