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Sarah B

Not Eating Pellets

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Hi All,

 

I'm sure my hens are not eating enough pellets. I've noticed over the past 4/5 days that the only time pellets seem to be eaten are first thing as soon as they come out of the Eglu. This lasts about 5/10 mins and that seems to be it?

 

I know I don't see what they eat in the day Mon to Fri but when I get in, the pellet level has hardly moved - if at all? They just seem to peck the ground instead. They are not laying yet so I know they eat more when they are in lay but I am a bit worried? They didn't want pellet porridge today either and it was a first time treat. I also don't think their crops are very full before bed.

 

I was wondering if I may have made the pellets a bit too garlicky as they seem to have gone off them since I did a garlic mix at the weekend? I got half a large bucket of pellets and put 2 heaped teaspoons in?

 

What do you think?

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That could be the problem if it is a recent thing.

 

Are they free ranging?

 

Laying hens are reckoned to eat around 100g of pellets per day.

 

Maybe you could add the present mix of pellets to another un garlicky bucket full of same and give it a good mix to "dilute" the taste.

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That could be the problem if it is a recent thing.

 

Are they free ranging?

 

Laying hens are reckoned to eat around 100g of pellets per day.

 

Maybe you could add the present mix of pellets to another un garlicky bucket full of same and give it a good mix to "dilute" the taste.

 

Hi Egluntine,

 

Because the weather has been pants at the weekends they have only free ranged about 4 hours total! Poor hens.

 

I've already added the garlic bucket to the rest of the unspoilt bag which has a lot of pellets in and given it a good old mix but I did this on Sunday and they are still off it?

 

There is obviously something in there they dont fancy - I just put in the horse garlic powder, grit and some poultry spice.

 

I think I will get rid of the pellets in the feeder tonight clean it out and take pellets right from the bottom of the bag for tomorrow and see what happens?

 

Thanks

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I'm sure my hens are not eating enough pellets.

 

My three hardly eat any. I put out maybe a kg a week, and most of it gets binned the following week.

 

I've stopped worrying. They have great eggs, and are all healthy. The only thing I do is worm them and give them some corn now and again.

 

If they were hungry they would eat them, so they must be finding enough stuff around the garden.

 

FYI: My hens free range all day, so if yours don't then discard the above :)

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

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I'm sure my hens are not eating enough pellets.

 

My three hardly eat any. I put out maybe a kg a week, and most of it gets binned the following week.

 

I've stopped worrying. They have great eggs, and are all healthy. The only thing I do is worm them and give them some corn now and again.

 

If they were hungry they would eat them, so they must be finding enough stuff around the garden.

 

FYI: My hens free range all day, so if yours don't then discard the above :)

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

 

mine got liks this in last couple days but we getting eggs so wasnt sure im watchin ghtem closely

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I would leave out the garlic altogether. I have never given mine garlic and their poo hardly ever smells unpleasant. I think it's easy to get carried away with all the various supplements. I'm not saying they don't help, but they are far from essential.

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i didnt add garlic to last lot, but they seem not to each as much, but now i have emptied th eold put all fresh in adn all the bits poultry spice, bran and the lime stuff and they going mad now im thinking they are likint he pultry as i didnt put in my last lot of feeding :roll:

fussy things

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Another one here whose chickens don't like garlic powder! Not that I really mind the smell of chicken poo - far less :vom: than cat litter! (Well, apart from the infamous "chip shop curry" variety!)

 

I think I might try popping some whole garlic in their water instead - we eat a lot of garlic ourselves, but often end up with a lot of fiddly little cloves from the centre of the bulb.

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