hilda-and-evadne Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 When Hilda and Evadne found the spinach in a container in their run this morning, they first picked the leaves out of the container and dropped them, one after the other. Reminded me a little of Eeyore taking the burst balloon out of the jar and putting it back again. They didn't seem to recognise the spinach as food, and I thought that they might ignore it as they ignored the lettuce leaves I introduced them to earlier on. I left them to it, expecting to come back and find the run festooned with kicked-about spinach. But this afternoon when I went to give them their daily treat (boiled basmati rice today), there was not one spinach leaf to be seen. As an aside, my dog's usual dried dog food (SupaDog, from Pets at Home) now costs the same as brown basmati rice from Sainsbury. ':(' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 He he - I found they left it and so I cook it in their porridge - result they eat it all but leave the tops of the carrots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah B Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Tee Hee, I've given up with mine and green veg - hung a broccoli head up in the run today and it wasnt so much as pecked. However they are now well partial to melon! Bunged a bit in there yesterday and before I left for work they were not interested but when I got back all there was left was the thinnest bit of melon skin I have ever seen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 im gonna try spinach this week ive tried cauli last week that was a no go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Cook the cauli and brocolli and chop it in the porridge/mash/pasta/rice etc and they eat it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Cook the cauli and brocolli and chop it in the porridge/mash/pasta/rice etc and they eat it grt will try it mine wasnt keen on porridge but today they had mash spud and some corn in it if never such a clean plate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilda-and-evadne Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 Tee Hee, I've given up with mine and green veg - hung a broccoli head up in the run today and it wasnt so much as pecked. However they are now well partial to melon! Oooh, I will try melon next. (Mine ignored a broccoli head, too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Mine devour anything except blueberries. I can't go in the run with raw brocolli, they chase me down like they're a pack of velociraptors. You don't really actually cook veg for your chooks do you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Mine devour anything except blueberries. I can't go in the run with raw brocolli, they chase me down like they're a pack of velociraptors. You don't really actually cook veg for your chooks do you? im gonna get same reply of hubby when i cook it, hes saying now they getting better fed than him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fried-or-boiled Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Having given mine mashed spuds with tuna and sweetcorn - the bowl was so clean I'd swear they'd licked it clean - don't know they they do it with just beaks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Mine have had spinach today as it's good for shell formation in eggs, due to it being a source of calcium! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 nope tried tinned sweetcorn, fresh on cob, spinach, brocolli, lettuce mix with beetroot. Ate none of them! So far all they eat is mash (they dont like mash with water) ready brek (with water)with or without raisins and mixed corn. feel a bit reluctant to try much else for a bit as we dont have much waste so its fresh stuff just for them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Mine devour anything except blueberries. I can't go in the run with raw brocolli, they chase me down like they're a pack of velociraptors. You don't really actually cook veg for your chooks do you? I cook mine their next days food at dinner time the night before - tomorrow they have pasta and spinach and a little oatmeal to bind!!!!!!!! - yesterdays mash of potato peelings, carrot, courgette peelings mixed with oatmeal was really tasty looking - only bit left was carrot tops which were not eaten - clean plate otherwise. So yes I cook for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 You don't really actually cook veg for your chooks do you? You should always cook potatoes and their skins, as they contain a toxin which is neutralised by heating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 I have a oerpetual spinach bed that I use for the hens. I tie up a handful a few times a week with a bit of string and they go mad for it. If I leave it in the run, they barely touch it I think they like the resistance, grabbing a beakful and running! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 nope tried tinned sweetcorn, fresh on cob, spinach, brocolli, lettuce mix with beetroot. Ate none of them! Chickens who don't like tinned sweetcorn? Now that is weird! The only thing mine like better than tinned sweetcorn is live mealworms. I bought some for the robins who are nesting in the garden, and decided to try them out on the girls... It was mayhem, with bantams dashing about grabbing mealworms from under one another's beaks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 I have given my three ex-batts some spinach for the last couple of days. A few bewildered pecks at first, and now they go mad for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Barbaraj, Do your girls have a treat bowl? Mine won't eat a lot of food if I just offer it in my hand or put it on the lawn. If i put the same food into their treat bowl they recognise it as food and eat it I started out with things that they really like, bran, corn and mealworms and have now started to vary the treats without every little wasted Amanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 You should always cook potatoes and their skins, as they contain a toxin which is neutralised by heating. I know they mustn't have raw potato but I don't peel potatoes anyway (aren't all the goodies in the skins?) so there's never any peelings to give them! They love leftover potato, but that's a rare treat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookylover Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 What sort of oatmeal do you all use?? Is it like readybrek or porridge oats? Do you make that us witrh water? Looks like once the chickens arrive the horses will have very meger pickings! They used to get alot of the veg peelings (not potato though). Looks like they will just have to make do with toast from now on! They are partial to marmite and homemade blackberry jam (not too much though) Clare x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 I have a oerpetual spinach bed that I use for the hens. I tie up a handful a few times a week with a bit of string and they go mad for it. If I leave it in the run, they barely touch it I think they like the resistance, grabbing a beakful and running! Mine are the same. If I chuck half a white cabbage in the run they ignore it, but if I hang it on a string they spend hours pecking at it, best boredom buster I know Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 What sort of oatmeal do you all use?? Is it like readybrek or porridge oats? Do you make that us witrh water? I mix layers mash/pellets with warm water and add a spoonful of porridge oats, add chopped courgette and a scoop of tinned sweetcorn (no sugar/salt added) and mix up. I often add ground up egg shells and a bit of poultry spice too, plus limestone flour for strong shells. They call out to me, if I am late with it Not that they are spoilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookylover Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 They call out to me, if I am late with it Not that they are spoilt. Sounds like they have you well trained ! Clare x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookylover Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 What am I doing wrong with the quote thingie then?? It is not coming up like yours do? Clare x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Sorted Pooky! [*quote=Christian] Like this! But without the * Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...