Louise Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 I don't cut up grapes I give it to them still in a bunch and fall about laughing as they run up and down trying to take them off each other Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela & Ken Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Yeah, I've got to admit, that is really funny! It's just that I can't bear seeing the less assertive chicken ( Barbie) running up and down the garden, crying as Hen snatches the bunch and runs. When Barbie once managed to snatch the bunch and run, Hen nearly drew blood on her....! Thanks for the "get well" wishes Nicola! Maybe I've got chicken flu..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Hope you feel better soon Angela, but not too soon as you won't be able to laze around in bed all day reading the forum Ours love all the above, but they do have different tastes. Thelma will go bonkers for a raisin, but Louise isn't too bothered. Thelma will also chase flies around the garden, and Louise, whether lazy or sensible, doesn't ruffle a feather over them. Aren't chooks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Hope you are feeling better Angela!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela & Ken Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Morning Gina and Mel! Thanks for the good wishes and although I'm not feeling any better, I'm enjoying the forum from my laptop tucked up in bed!! Foods the girls DON'T like: carrots, berries, most fruits infact apart from apple and tomatoes. Forget to mention, they love parsnips and turnips too. Come to think of it, they are like vacumn cleaners really...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue T Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Our girls seem to absolutely love sweetcorn - is this some sort of narcotic for chickens! I think we are going to have to ration this, as they are already rushing to the front of the run looking hopeful whenever we go into the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 My won't really eat any of the treats I give them Have tried sweetcorn (which they did eat eventually after covering it in mud), grapes, raisins (not a chance although they will eat sultanas - strange birds! ) Have found that their favourite treat (now they have eaten it all from their run) is dandelion leaves - disappear instantly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Hope you start to feel better soon Angela, sorry to hear you are laid up, but i must say thankyou for your post, there were quite a few things on your list that i didnt think about giving to the chooks, which has come in really handy as it gives me a wider variety for them, Thanks again, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Hope you're back on your feet soon Angela. Take it easy. Mine have just had some linseeds, hemp and sunflower seeds. The sunflower seeds went like hot cakes but the other types are sitting around while the wild birds eat them ! Haven't tried parsnips or turnips yet but mine don't like any fruit apart from grapes which are a major delicacy and fallen overripe plums! They don't like veggies apart from lettuce and finely shredded cabbage leaves. Everything else is rejected. Dandelion leaves and runner bean leaves are a big hit! They also love junk food - pasta, rice, bread etc . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela & Ken Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Thanks for the well wishes Kate and Tracey. Yes, feeling better by the day now! Have learnt so much about hens in my time off sick.......lots of info on this site! I read that someone's hens like bio yoghurt so tried that with mine today.......but they're not having it! Then I thought I'd give them porridge with milk instead of water (they usually love it with water) and they turned their noses up! I did try them on cheese as someone suggested that their girls liked cheese and Hen loved it but Barbie left it. We have a newly acquired allotment and often come home with sack loads of surplus goodies from neighbouring allottees (if that's what you can call them) which is great for us but we often have too much left over and so give leftover veg to the girls. I never would have thought of giving them marrow, peas, courgettes, broad beans or runner beans but they love them! Nothing goes to waste in this house! Have a great weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 I want to get the chooks an extra treat to put in their digging box - I just wondered whether mealworms or something similar may be a good idea once in a while to keep them occupied? We are running out of garden worms now and haven't found a slug for ages!!! Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 I feed mine dried mealworms and they go mad for them, they even recognise the pot that they are kept in and jump up for it......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 If you give your lucky hens meal worms or live maggots they will do anything for you and love you for ever and ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Eggcellent! Will have to get some then!!! Maybe Henrietta will lay an egg for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 We have reptiles and so when ever I get them food I buy the girls a box of meal worms, I can assure you they will love you forever for them My girls think it's take away food Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 Just a quick question about porridge. When it was cold a couple of days ago i gave the girls porridge to warm them up (was mentioned on here somewhere!). They absolutely loved it and i now have to give it to them every day as otherwise they sit and sulk. Is it ok to give it to them every day? It's just porridge oats and water and they are actually eating more pellets now am giving them porridge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 I give mine porridge most days I mix in crushed eggs shells, linseeds and sunflower hearts and top it with bio yoghurt and they love it like you say mine sulk if they don't get it, but they seem to be fine and very healthy so I can't see why not.........The only thing is it might be better to leave it until the afternoon so that they eat enough mash or pellets in the morning and have porridge for a treat......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela & Ken Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 Hi Rachel. I too give my girls porridge - both dried oats without the water and with water, left to cool after heating. They love it. However, I too noitced they go mad for it (and even know which cupboard the oats are kept in) and I read in one of my magazines that too many oats are bad for them as this doesn't provide their nutritional needs although can help in the winter wth the cold, so we've cut back on the oats and "tit-bits" as much as we can. We now give them porridge twice a week but not huge amounts. We also feed them lots of green veg as they love it but too much causes runny poo...... Layers mash/pellets may be boring for them but they obviously provide the right nourishment! Have fun! Angela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted September 24, 2005 Share Posted September 24, 2005 Hmmm, have now run out of porridge oats - does anyone know if ready brek is ok for a couple of days until i get new supply of porridge? Think they will attack me if they don't get something resembling porridge!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted September 24, 2005 Share Posted September 24, 2005 I gave mine some left over readybrek the other day and they didn't mind they woofed it down.............didn't seem to do them any harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted September 24, 2005 Share Posted September 24, 2005 Hi I make "porridge" using layers pellets. Just soak them for a wee while in hotish water and mix together. My girls go mad for them. Sometimes add little treats to the mix like corn or chopped up banana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted September 24, 2005 Share Posted September 24, 2005 Ok thanks - may try mixing the ready brek and pellets together and see how they like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harveypup Posted July 8, 2006 Share Posted July 8, 2006 Hi all, Only just got my Eglu and gorgeous girls Vera and Hilda, so not very experienced in all things hen-like yet! Really just wanted to know if you can feed your chickens too much as they never seem to stop eating and I don't want them to be unhealthy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted July 8, 2006 Share Posted July 8, 2006 Welcome Harveypup! That's a tricky question, since in theory, they will only eat what they need...the trouble starts when you give them so many lovely things that they eat those and not their layers' pellets.....which they really do need, otherwise they stop laying eggs! The general rule of thumb is no treats before late afternoon. This will ensure they have had a good fill of pellets and it won't stop them from giving us lovely eggs! Mine get very few treats: They love a cob of corn, which they get about 4x weekly, and the odd tomato, cut in half or bits of left over pasta, but not too much and certainly not every day! Others will have different treats that their girls like: Mine love corn on the cob best. There is s sticky on what your girls would like. ENjoy it! and if they're not laying yet, then feeding them treats is a great way of making them very tame and coming to you when you call them! Enjoy your chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymama Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 I give mine porridge oats in live yoghurt, with whatever's left, be it apple peelings, sweetcorn, whatever, and a spoonful of poultry spice, about twice a week as an afternoon treat. They eat all veg I throw in, cooked, uncooked, the LOT. Even, and especially, LETTUCE! I only feed them in the afternoons, so they get their pellets and garlic for the bulk of their food. I wedge apple cores in the overhead bars of the cage, right at the bottom, so they go mad trying to jump for them. Good exercise, and is exactly what they do to catch flies. Can't let them out at the moment, the grass is very soggy and where it's bare is a mass of wormcasts. THey'd dig it all up, and AXH would not be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
