Guest Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 DH went to the pet shop to get some live mealworms but they didn't have any left. The pet shop man, when DH told him we had ex-batts, started shovelling stuff into bags! He has some ex batts himself and he said his love fish food, trout food and mung beans, he said they're all full of protein. He also gave DH a big bag full of oyster grit, poultry grit and charcoal (which he said is good for their digestion). All for free! However, and this concerned me, he said he gives his chickens the carcass of any roast chicken they have leftover after their dinner, as he said they go mad for it! Now, I'm sure he knows what he's talking about as he's had this pet shop for years and has had chickens for years but I'd just like to double check that fish food, trout food, charcoal and mung beans are going to be good for the girls because I'm a little wary of advice coming from someone who feeds his chickens the flesh of another chicken! So, is all the other stuff okay/good for them do you know? Wasn't it kind of him to give us so much free stuff, season of good will it certainly is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 I have no idea about the stuff he gave you but how kind! And I don't know about them eating roast chicken, when I looked after chooks years ago we had a couple of occasions where a chicken died overnight (there were over 80 of them) and by the time you discovered it the next day the others had picked it clean! Mrs Bertie eidt to say, much as I love our hens, they are actually disgusting walking dustbins when it comes to food. Anything that will have a tug of war over a frog or a slug is pretty yuk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 well, DH has given them a mixture of all 3 (mung beans, fish food and trout food) and we'll see what happens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 i forgot to tell you, he said he also gives them out of date cat and dog food that he can't sell in the shop (because it's out of date). I wouldn't fancy doing that either TBH. Anyway, will let you know if they eat the other stuff, they're so ruddy fussy that only time will tell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol U Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 Don't know about fish food, although don't see why not, but mung beans certainly won't do them any harm. They are absolutely full of goodness. Mine eat everything except carrots. Never quite worked out what they have against them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 This is what I think - Mung Beans - fine Fish Food - Hmmmmm.I have heard it can make for fishy tasting eggs Chicken carcass- Just wrong in every way & thoroughly unpleasant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 what a nice man giving you loads of freebies ours eat what they can, gave them cat food earlier today, someone told us that it would help with the regrowing of feathers. dont worry about best before dates on cans, they are only on there to cover the back of the manufacturers, the food in a can will stay fresh (if you like) for years, and will only go off if the can is open or damaged in anyway. some people have opened cans from WW2 and scientists have checked them out, they are as good as the day they were canned. as for the carrots, if you cook them, they like them. in fact, ours much prefer cooked veg to raw veg - unless its cabbage, then they play football with it all over the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 Mung beans will be fine...especially if sprouted. There was an article about a woman who sprouted beans on an almost industrial scale to give to her chooks in the Practical Poultry magazine a while back. I give mine organic cat food and they wolf it down. I agree with you about the chicken carcass though. Not right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 the fish food is a bit pongy, his ex batts don't lay anymore so I s'pose he's not bothered what they eat! I'll have to keep an eye out (or a tongue out!?) for any change in the taste of the eggs! Thanks for all your comments. They didn't wolf it down like they do with the mixed corn but they have eaten the majority of what we gave them so we'll try again with the same t'row and see how it goes. Had visitors all afternoon, our friends and their 2 little boys; 4 and 1, they're gorgeous but such a handful! Oscar likes to be upside down! we're going to put the decs up now, make some mulled wine and settle down to watch 'It's A Wonderful Life'. Had my 'holiday sage' Yankee samplers going all day and the house smells lush! See you anon and thanks again xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
