Stevie Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Earlier,i bought a pack of sun dried corn on the cob from Pets@home as a treat,but neither the Gingernut or Pepperpot have touched it. I only got them today from Omelet with Eglu and wondered if they feel unsettled,but they're eating the layers pellets very well? The cob was for larger birds like parrots and rodents by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 You will find until they are settled they probably wont eat much. Also when they are not laying they eat less and seem uninterested in treats for a little while. Once they are laying they will eat lots more and will be snatching treats out of your hand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 phew-thanks for that! I thought for a moment that i'd given them a wrong type of cob! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I've never actually seen sun dried cob before! Mine have had tinned corn or dried mixed corn (bought in big sacks). Everyone's chickens like different things, some people's chooks love cabbage and greens but mine wont touch it! You'll soon find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 lol-i was just ordering more stuff from Omelet and i discovered they sell them too! http://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/shop.php?cat=Chicken%20Extras&sub=food&product_id=583 I just ordered the Chicken spice,Diatomaceous earth and Verm-x.That lot should keep them happy and healthy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Ranger Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Hi Stevie, as a reasonable newbie to the world of chicken keeping I've been trying various things - I think the main thing with corn on the cob is that they've never seen it before, so don't know whether to eat it, play with it , or sit on it... .. it won't take them long tho .... leave it with them for 24 hours and they'll soon pick it to the core. After that - like mine - they'll be jumping on each other to get there first !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Mine didn't have a clue when they first arrived. I pulled a couple of pieces off for them and the whole cob was gone within the hour Once they settle in, they will start to be more adventurous with their tastes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 Hi Stevie, as a reasonable newbie to the world of chicken keeping I've been trying various things - I think the main thing with corn on the cob is that they've never seen it before, so don't know whether to eat it, play with it , or sit on it... .. it won't take them long tho .... leave it with them for 24 hours and they'll soon pick it to the core. After that - like mine - they'll be jumping on each other to get there first !!! Thanks for that! I've been reading up on poultry for last couple of weeks so i wouldnt be left in the dark,but them not eating corn had me flumaxed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I get frozen bags of corn on the cob and just boil a couple when im feeling nice, leave it to cool for 30 mins then give it to them.. They love it and for a little over a quid there excelent value and the bag lasts a long time. Plus its better quality as its for human consumption and most pet food is food that didnt make the grade for humans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah B Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Mines fave food is raw corn on the cob. I break a cob in half as a treat and they play 'peck football' with it - gone in 4 mins flat They loved it from the first day I offered it - about a week in. They are not so keen on cooked or tinned though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 Another quick question! Can chickens have wild bird seed as a treat? Just wondered because i have a tupperware tub full of it and just wondered whether the chooks would appreciate it also. You're all gonna hate me with all these questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I also have frozen corn and just nuke it in the microwave to defrost and then let it cool and feed - they love it. Its also very cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 i brought them for our rabbit and he wont touch them ither i give my chickens fresh cobs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimW Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I also bought my chooks the sun dried corn cobs from Pets@home and they just don't like them. I put one out in the small Eglu cube run not the large run so that it was not rained on, for about a month.............they did not touch it. Threw the lot out! They will eat defrosted frozen ones, canned and fresh though...........fussy little blighters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisa Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I offered my two chooks some tinned sweet corn yesterday. They looked at it as if to say "what's this? This isn't a treat" but then devoured the bowl full. Quite cheap as well. Just 29p for a 340g tin from Aldi. Mealworms seem to be their favourite treat though. ~cruisa~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLK69 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 yup, just wanted to add that my chooks took to tinned sweetcorn like a hen to a treat - but tonight I tried them with raisins which I'd heard were a good treat and the sniffed their beaks at them - Little Ms Pecked on chicken then climbed on my lap to escape yet another pecking and wiped her beak on me ! Not sure if this is a sign of affection or what. I'm now one week in to chook keeping - the ladiez are very perky now and despite being a bit plucked in places you wouldn't guess by their behaviour that they are ex batts - tonight I let them out for an hour before bed and they were digging (very successfully) for worms. Every day they amaze me with their instinctive behaviour - I would recommend rescuing chooks to anyone, I am having such a fab experience and the kids too - Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I have come to the conclusion I have simple chooks - if it is in a treat bowl it is a treat. This afternoon they just got pellets mixed up with cold water and a bit of poultry spice - but as it was in the treats bowl they were all stuffing it until the bowl was pecked clean. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinkybijou Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Mine didn't touch the first two sundried cobs we left for them and we took them out. After about a month my son put a fresh one back in and they devoured the lot! They did the same with mixed corn - at first they would eat the smaller bits but leave all the dried yellow sweetcorn cobs. Now they fight for the yellow ones first. Weird creatures! I would say persevere, they are fickle creatures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsm_jones Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 I hung the sundried corn off the side of the run and they didn't touch it , the in a stroke of genius/ disgust I threw it on the floor and it had been devoured when next I looked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...