Avigrain Auntie Kate's Scratch Mix provides a complete chicken feed featuring layer pellets that contain essential vitamins and minerals required for maintaining optimum poultry health. This nutritious formula includes a base blend of whole and cracked grains. The mix is lightly coated in oils for enhanced palatability and increased fat content. Avigrain Poultry Scratch Mix contains wheat, crushed corn, free-range layer pellets (minimum 12% protein – complete feed), sorghum, sunflowers, and shell grit.
Auntie Kate's Feed:
Auntie Kate's is FREE from:
- RAM FREE
- GM FREE
- Dust FREE And always the best value for money!
Benefits:
- Promotes a Happy Flock
- Supports Good Gut Health
- Encourages Natural Foraging Behavior
- Natural Alternative to Manufactured Feed
Feeding Guidelines:
Daily feeding amounts vary depending on multiple factors including the age and health of your hens, climate conditions, day length, breed characteristics, access to free-range pasture, and molting status. While there is no fixed rule, expect to feed between 80-150g per day per bird.
Traditional Feeding Approach:
Grain-based feeds supplemented with household scraps and pasture foraging provide the traditional diet that remains an excellent option, especially as it encourages optimal gut health. While birds love grain, it's critical to understand that grains alone are deficient in vitamins and minerals. Therefore, a grain-based diet must be supplemented to ensure good health and production. Access to green feeds and pasture is often sufficient supplementation.
Our Product Range:
- Avigrain Pro Grain, Auntie Kate's Coarse Mash 16%, and Scratch Mix are supplemented complete grain-based feeds.
- Mixed Grain and All Grain are high-energy mixes which must be supplemented with additional nutrients.
Comparison to Manufactured Feeds
Manufactured feeds in the form of pellets, crumbles, or mash are used in commercial poultry production. These provide a complete and balanced ration in a controlled environment, aiming to maximize egg or meat production at the lowest cost. These rations typically include medicines, vitamins, minerals, and RAM-based (Restricted Animal Material) protein supplements to ensure balanced and complete nutrition.
Disadvantages of Manufactured Feeds:
- The gizzard doesn't need to work to grind the feed, potentially leading to gut health issues
- In a free-range backyard setting, manufactured feeds deteriorate and are less palatable and appetizing than whole grains
- Risks associated with feeding RAM (see notes in the "What is RAM" section)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Is this feed suitable for 7 week old chickens?
A. Generally speaking poultry mixes like this should be introduced to chickens at around the point of lay, ie about 18 to 20 weeks of age.
Q. For this feed what amount per day is required to feed one hen?
A. To be honest im not really sure, but i did manage to find this on the internet "A chicken will typically eat about 400g of commercial feed (mixed grain or pellets) per day (about a double handful per bird)"
Q. Is this poultry feed suitable for roosters?
A. Yes, assuming the roosters are old enough this feed is fine for them. Ideally its recommended to avoid feeding roosters purely layer feeds like layer pellets just in case they get overweight. Nevertheless this is not essential as most roosters will do fine eating the same feed as the hens.
Q. Is this feed suitable to feed ducks at the park?
A. Yes this feed is fine for ducks as they have very similar requirements to chickens. This mix has a variety of grains and pellets which is great for ducks.
Basic Poultry Feed Guide:
0 to 7 weeks - Chick Starter.
7 to (18 to 20) weeks - Pullet Grower.
>(18 to 20) weeks - Poultry Mix , Layer pellets, Layer Crumbles etc.