CHICKEN KNOWS BEST A chicken knows how to self-regulate its food intake (worth pointing out to your dog or cat) to meet its needs and should have 24/7 access to feed. You can still get enjoyment from scattering food for your chickens (and it’s a great thing to do with kids) but make sure that this is not the only way you feed them. Chickens feed according to their pecking order, with dominant chickens feeding first. Remember this when scattering out food and make sure that there is enough for the submissive birds. PACKAGED COMMERCIAL FEEDS While it is tempting to think that your home flock will be able to get enough food from hunting down insects and eating greens from free ranging, the reality is that most backyards are neither large nor diverse enough for this to be possible. Commercial feeds provide a convenient, reliable and safe way to ensure that your flock gets enough to eat, day-in and day-out. Commercial feeds are formulated to provide a chicken with all the nutrients it requires at its different life stages. Better still, most packaged feeds are complete feeds, meaning that the feed provides all the nutrition your chicken needs to survive and thrive. Be aware that these are distinct from supplementary feeds, which are intended to be used from time to time, either as a treat or to encourage a particular behaviour. PART 6 FEEDING FOR SUCCESS YOU DON’T NEED TO WET DRY FEEDS BEFORE FEEDING TO CHICKENS. 54 | THE CHOOK BOOK