Is Kitchen Scraps and Backyard Foraging Enough for my Chickens?

The short answer is NO. Kitchen scraps and back yard foraging is not sufficient enough in nutrients to keep your chickens, healthy and laying.

Limited Space: Although insects are a source of protein, limited backyard space does not supply the amount of protein your chicken needs on a daily basis.

Pasture Depletion: Chickens have a tendency to deplete pastures quite quickly and in our North Queensland droughts lawns can be hard to get back to what it was. With that said, even the greenest lawn will have different nutritional values as the year goes on. Chickens are also unable to digest grass to the point where they can utilise all of the nutrients which can cause deficiencies. 

Kitchen Scraps: Although "human food" holds great nutritional values for us, chickens don't digest these values like we do. They have different needs to ensure they are healthy and have enough left over nutrients to lay their eggs.

Micro and Macro: Micro and macro foods are the most vital to a chickens health. It includes vitamins, minerals, amino acids and trace elements including iron, selenium, zinc, iodine, manganese, fats, protein and carbohydrates. The really fine stuff you find at the bottom of the feed bag is all of things along with seeds like maize, wheat, barley and soybean.

It is essential to be feeding your flock a "complete" layer feed to promote their best health and egg laying.