New chicken feed

The feed store was out of my usual chicken crumbles. They did not even have pellets.

They had Chicken Scratch. But that stuff is like bird candy with only 8% protein.

They also had Gamebird Feed. But that stuff is like an avian version of jet fuel with 22% protein.

I still had some Black Oil Sunflower Seed. It is pretty good at 18% protein.

So I decided to improvise. I bought the scratch and gamebird feed.

I am trying a 1:1:1 ratio with scratch, gamebird, and BOSS. In naive terms this ought to be (8+22+18) / 3 =  16% protein. Add grit, provide oyster shell, everybody happy. Right?

I put down a cupful of the feed mix. Oh the chickeny joy! They thought it was a treat for nearly thirty seconds. And then they were through with it.

As with the cabbage, they turned their backs and walked away.

Next day they ignored it. And the day after. Even the squirrels will not touch it.

Apparently my kitchen skills apply to chicken food too.


Update: Discovered a local gas station selling M-G 20 Layer Pellets. I have been driving past their sign for 15 years, wondering where the feed store was. *sigh* At least the birds have started eating up the improvised feed, pellets and all.

Update: Lack of calcium embedded in the feed has caused one case of shell-less eggs. One hen hates oyster shell and when she does not eat enough calcium-fortified pellets she has an oopsie.